New Welding Systems Introduced At NPE 2000
Sonics & Materials will introduce new welding systems at NPE (Booth E-14411), including a servo-controlled hot plate welder, a hand-held ultrasonic welder and three new spin welders.
Hot plate welder is servo-motor actuated (rather than pneumatically or hydraulically actuated) so it is claimed to be capable of welding parts with wall thick-ness down to 1 mm. Model HPS 152/152 can be used to assemble single and multi-cavity parts produced by injection, extrusion or blow molding. Pricing is said to be competitive with that of pneumatic and hydraulic systems.
All system actuation is programmed via a password-protected keypad interface. Bolt-on tooling allows for fast set-up. Dual-axis positioning allows for independent control of the part melt depthand ensures accuracy to ±0.001 in. A variable-speed control can be programmed for precise melt during heating and assembly cycles.
Unit has radiant and conductive heating modes. These modes are ideal for abrasive materials or for materials that tend to stick or 'string.' Digitally controlled, independent heating zones allow for welding parts of different materials. A safety mechanism restricts machine operation if temperatures fall below the target range.Â
Spin welders Three new models have been added to the company's standard line of spin welding equipment. LTR3000, 4000 and 5000 Series spin welders are small-footprint systems that are designed for bench-top production. They can also be custom designed for automated in-line assembly systems.
Specifically designed for assembly of parts up to 3 in. dia, these units have variable-speed digital rpm control with PLC-timed power supply. Other standard features include an adjustable stroke control to cushion and maintain spin feed rate at the part-to-part contact point, a 1-in. thick aluminum fixture plate and 3/4-in. aluminum anodized frame construction. Dual anti-tie-down cycle start switches with a front-and-center emergency stop are designed to protect operators.
The LTR spin welders are designed with a 1/3 to 3 hp electric motor drive system capable of a maximum of 7100 rpm. The pneumatic head has a down stroke of up to 7.5 in. The hard stop feature enables positive weld depth control.
Options include external wiring for spin start and stop, depth control and 'head home' position for automation.Â
Hand-held ultrasonic welder, Model H-520, is a 500-watt, 20 kHz unit designed for staking, inserting and spot welding applications. It is also said to be well-suited for manual operations with low-volume production or for assembling parts with difficult-to-reach weld areas.
The 1.5 lb hand gun is supplied with an integral 1/2-in. dia titanium front driver with a replaceable flat face tip. Other tips are available for various applications. Tips can also be custom designed to meet specific customer applications.
An autotune feature allows the use of different tips without having to retune the system. The power supply regulates line voltage and provides constant amplitude throughout the weld process. A microprocessor-based programmable timer provides for weld times from 0.1 to 9.9 sec.
Unit has two overload protection circuits, one for the power supply and the other for the converter. The system's overload circuit protects the power supply from exceeding its maximum wattage. The advanced converter protection circuit is designed to protect against excessive voltage or current caused by the application. Response time is rated at less than 2 micro-seconds.
The power supply has a standard input/output connector that can interface with automated machines via PC or PLC. This connector allows the user to control amplitude and ultrasonic 'on/off' times, as well as reset overload conditions. Users can also monitor power in watts and frequency.
Optional accessories include a manual press, a stapler attachment and a pistol grip. The manual press is said to provide better ergonomic movement and control of the final welded part. This press is available with foot switch actuation or cam actuation.
The stapler attachment isfor sealing low-production-rate clamshell packages. It is designed with a pivoting mechanism that is attached to the standard hand gun. The mechanism contains a steel anvil that applies pressure to a small area on the flanged outer edge of the clamshell package.
The Pistol Grip accessory is designed to provide better handling of the handpiece. This lightweight device slips onto the standard model hand gun. The operator activates the ultrasonics by pulling on the 'trigger.'
The standard hand piece is supplied with a 10-ft hardwired cable. This straight diameter cable is small and light. Cables up to 25 ft are available. Sonics says it will soon introduce a 40 kHz hand-held welder with the same features.
Sonics & Materials, Inc.
Newtown, CT
