Controlling Inductive Welding

A method of controlling induction welding comprising:

• connecting a heat sink and a number of secondary heat sinks to a fluid control system comprising a number of pumps, a heater, a chiller, and a number of valves;
• positioning the heat sink on top of a first composite part;
• positioning the number of secondary heat sinks at least one of beside or beneath the first composite part;
• clamping the heat sink to a support structure beneath the first composite part;
• applying an electromagnetic field to the first composite part under the heat sink to inductively weld the first composite part to a second composite part beneath the first composite part to form a thermoplastic joint;
• and
• flowing a heat control fluid through the heat sink and a number of secondary heat sinks to control a temperature of the first composite part during induction welding of the thermoplastic joint.

A temperature control system for induction welding comprising:

• a heat sink formed of an electrically conductive metal having a unitary footprint of a thermoplastic joint and comprising a plurality of channels extending from a first end of the heat sink to a second end of the heat sink;
• a fluid control system comprising a number of pumps, a heater, a chiller, and a number of valves;
• and
• a number of secondary heat sinks, each secondary heat sink of the number of secondary heat sinks having a length the same as the unitary footprint of the heat sink, each secondary heat sink comprising a number of channels extending through the secondary heat sink.