14 Jun DOMO closes product gap for laser welding of black polyamides
DOMO Chemicals has developed a new product family of PA66-based black plastics for laser welding, an increasingly common joining technique for thermoplastic mouldings. DOMO’s new laser-transparent Technyl® STAR AF 219 V30 black LT is now available on the market.
Laser welding is becoming one of the most cost-effective deep welding processes for polymer components in many industries. It is used primarily in the development of complex and small-shaped parts for automobiles, electronic circuits, ‘Internet-of-Things’ applications and consumer products. Key benefits of this technology include speed, flexibility, precision and superior optics. In addition, laser welding is also a low dust technology, a key criterion for demanding electrical and electronic applications.
“Due to the concentrated heat source, laser welding can be performed at high welding speeds even on thin materials,” explains Vincent de Givry, Marketing Director Engineered Materials at DOMO. “For thicker materials, it enables narrow and deep welds between angular parts. Technyl® STAR AF 219 V30 black LT is therefore a significant addition to our range of materials for the electric vehicle market, where there is a growing demand for sensor boxes, housings and control units.”
De Givry continued, “The market is showing a clear trend towards electro-friendly, laser-weldable materials, as this clean welding technology has proven itself in many corrosion-sensitive applications. For this reason, our products are also available as electro-friendly, but at the same time cost-effective solutions.”
In laser welding, the laser beam passes through a laser-transparent part and strikes a laser-absorbing part. This melts the material in a limited area and welds it from the inside out without contact. The result is a clean, invisible and aesthetic joint. Other techniques that use friction contaminate the air during welding, requiring the finished parts to be re-cleaned.
Technyl® STAR AF 219 V30 black LT has proven its light transmission in tests at a wavelength of 940 nm. This makes it suitable for applications up to 3 mm wall thickness.
DOMO’s Application Performance Testing (APT) service also offers burst tests on welded parts to validate the feasibility of customer-specific applications and accelerate their time to market. All tests conducted so far with Technyl® STAR AF 219 V30 black LT have shown good weld cohesion.
New applications for laser welding are constantly being developed, including extruded pipes for air conditioning ducting. DOMO has developed a non-reinforced type of material that has successfully passed burst tests before and after coolant ageing.
Looking to the future, a 30% glass-fibre reinforced PA6 material specially developed for laser welding is also about to be launched.
* TECHNYL® is a brand of DOMO. The TECHNYL® portfolio is exclusively developed and distributed by DOMO in the EEA, Switzerland and from February 2022 in all other global regions.
Source and photo: https://www.domochemicals.com/de
