Product Code: ICAL06_603

A Novel CO2 Laser Welding of Plastics Using a Transparent Solid Heat Sink without Causing Thermal Damage
Authors:
Kimitoshi Sato, Hiroshima Institute of Technology; Hiroshima Japan
Tomoya Matayoshi, Mitsui Chemicals Inc.; Sodegaura Japan
Yasuo Kurosaki, Universitu of Electro-communications; Chofu, Tokyo Japan
Presented at ICALEO 2006

The paper introduces the concept of a novel CO2 welding of thermoplastics used in medical appliances and micro-scale devices. The procedure has a few features: (1) to place a solid heat sink transparent to a CO2 laser beam in contact with an irradiated plastic to cool the surface during welding process, (2) to use no pigmentation or dye for radiation absorption enhancement, (3) to sustain thermal damage on the surface, and (4) to avoid the emission of harmful gas due to decomposition of plastics. The feasibility of the welding procedure for natural transparent plastics such as PE, PP and PFA without any surface damage was examined using a CO2 laser as a radiation source with a heat sink.. The experiments for overlapped films welding as well as tubes welding were conducted by means of the CO2 laser. The heat transfer analyses in the welding process were also carried out to obtain the temperature profiles in the plastics during the welding process.