Ultrasonic system and method for affixing a screen sub-assembly to a plate

A system for affixing a screen sub-assembly to a substrate, comprising:

• a support member that is movable relative to a reference surface, the support member being operatively connected to a controller that controllably and precisely moves the support member across the reference surface to a target position;
• a bridge structure that is coupled to the support member and permits the movable support member to be driven thereunderneath;
• a device configured to ultrasonically affix the screen sub-assembly to the substrate, the device being coupled to the bridge structure and including a movable piston that is vertically oriented and can be driven toward the movable support member when the movable support member is positioned underneath the piston, the device further including an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate ultrasonic energy at a distal tip of the piston, the target position being where the movable support member is located underneath the ultrasonic transducer;
• and
• a processor operatively connected to the device for controlling movement of the piston and to the controller for driving the movable support member in an indexed manner so that it assumes the target position;
• wherein the screen sub-assembly includes a screen element and a thermoplastic material and the substrate includes a perforated metal plate and a coating of thermoplastic powder.

A screen assembly, comprising:

• a screen sub-assembly including a screen element and a thermoplastic material;
• and
• a substrate including a plate and a coating of thermoplastic,
• wherein the thermoplastic material of screen-subassembly is affixed to the coating of thermoplastic by ultrasonic welds so as to secure the screen sub-assembly to the substrate.