Manufacturing an acoustic panel by laser welding

A method for manufacturing an acoustic panel comprising the assembly of at least one acoustic component with an acoustic skin, the acoustic component comprising a plurality of hollow acoustic elements having a shape progressively tapering between a base and an apex, the bases of the hollow acoustic elements being connected to one another by connecting edges, the assembly comprising:

• positioning the acoustic skin in contact with the connecting edges of said acoustic component,
• holding the acoustic skin in position against the connecting edges, and
• attaching the connecting edges of the acoustic component to the acoustic skin while continuing to hold it in position,
• wherein the connecting edges of the acoustic component are made of a thermoplastic material that is transparent for at least one determined laser wavelength, and in that the acoustic skin is made of a thermoplastic material that is opaque for at least the determined laser wavelength,
• wherein attachment of the connecting edges to the acoustic skin comprises emitting a laser beam having the determined wavelength and passing through the connecting edges until it reaches the contact interface between the connecting edges and the acoustic skin so as to cause localised heating at said contact interface resulting in welding of the connecting edges to the acoustic skin, and
• wherein the acoustic skin is held in position against the connecting edges of the acoustic component during the attachment, by means of a sheet made of transparent material placed under vacuum, the sheet being configured to apply pressure to the apexes of the hollow acoustic elements of the acoustic component so that the connecting edges of the acoustic component are held against the acoustic skin, the laser beam passing through said sheet before passing through the connecting edges during the attachment.