Method and device for infrared welding of polymer composites
AssigneeLuxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (List)
InventorsHenri Perrin, Régis Vaudemont, Doriane Del Frari
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and a method for infrared welding of carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic that enables to obtain pieces of better quality and strength. The system holds the two workpieces to be bonded in a cantilever manner. A pre-heating step for homogenisation can be foreseen.
Claims12
A system for infrared welding a first workpiece made of carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymers (CFRTP) to a second workpiece made of CFRTP, the first and second workpieces each having a respective portion that is substantially flat, the respective portions of the first and second workpieces forming a weld joint between them, the system comprising:
- an upper tool, for holding the first workpiece;
- a lower tool, for holding the second workpiece, wherein the upper tool and/or the lower tool is/are configured to move in a vertical direction to alter a distance between them in order to apply a welding pressure to form the weld joint;
- and
- a movable infrared heating means, configured to move in a transverse direction between an operative position between the upper tool and the lower tool for simultaneously heating the respective portions of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, and a resting position away from the first workpiece and the second workpiece;
- wherein the upper and the lower tools each comprise:
- a holder configured to hold either the first workpiece or the second workpiece during the heating such that the respective portion for forming the weld joint extends off the holder in a cantilevered manner;
- and
- a pusher configured to move vertically with respect to the holder between a pusher resting position during the heating and a pusher operative position during the welding pressure, wherein in the pusher resting position, the pusher is spaced from the respective portion of the first workpiece or second workpiece that extends off the holder, so as to enable the respective portions of the first and second workpieces to be surrounded by air during the heating, and wherein in the pusher operative position, each pusher contacts the respective portions of the first and second workpiece that extend off the holder to apply the welding pressure and form the weld joint.
A method for infrared welding a first workpiece made of carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymers (CFRTP) to a second workpiece made of CFRTP, the first and second workpieces each having a respective portion that is substantially flat, the respective portions of the first and second workpieces forming a weld joint between them, the method being carried out with a system comprising:
- an upper tool, for holding the first workpiece;
- a lower tool, for holding the second workpiece, wherein the upper tool and/or the lower tool is/are configured to move in a vertical direction to alter a distance between them in order to apply a welding pressure to form the weld joint;
- and
- a movable infrared heating means, configured to move in a transverse direction between an operative position between the upper tool and the lower tool for simultaneously a heating the respective portions of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, and a resting position away from the first workpiece and the second workpiece;
- wherein the upper and the lower tools each comprise:
- a holder configured to hold either the first workpiece or the second workpiece during the heating such that the respective portion for forming the weld joint extends off the holder in a cantilevered manner;
- and
- a pusher configured to move vertically with respect to the holder between a pusher resting position during the heating and a pusher operative position during the welding pressure, wherein in the pusher resting position, the pusher is spaced from the respective portion of the first workpiece or second workpiece that extends off the holder, so as to enable the respective portions of the first and second workpieces to be surrounded by air during the heating, and wherein in the pusher operative position, each pusher contacts the respective portions of the first and second workpiece that extend off the holder to apply the welding pressure and form the weld joint, the method comprising:
- heating the respective portions of the first and second workpieces with the movable infrared heating means, while the first and second workpieces are held in the cantilevered manner, and while each pusher is spaced from the first and second workpieces, so that the respective portions are surrounded by air;
- moving the movable infrared heating means away from the heated respective portions of the first and second workpieces to the resting position;
- moving each holder closer to one another;
- and
- applying the welding pressure with each pusher to bond the heated respective portions and form the weld joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.