At Plastic Design Inc., we specialize in the manufacture of plastic products and systems. Armed with extensive manufacturing experience and state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, we have what it takes to deliver solutions to customers in some of the most demanding industries.
We offer turnkey solutions—including design, fabrication, and on-site support services—to ensure the product or system we provide fully meets the customer’s specifications and standards. One of our core plastic manufacturing capabilities is extrusion welding.
What Is Extrusion Welding?
Extrusion welding is a manufacturing method used to join thermoplastic and composite materials. It relies on the use of a specialized welding machine to heat and melt plastic filler material and heat the base material to prepare it for welding. The molten filler material is then extruded onto the heated base material. After both materials have cooled, they remain permanently bonded to each other.
This joining process is generally used to produce larger and thicker fabrications, such as tanks and pipes made from materials greater than 6 mm in thickness. It allows for the production of long and consistent welded seams in a single pass, which translates to shorter processing times and, consequently, lower processing costs.
Advantages of Extrusion Welding
Compared to other joining methods, extrusion welding has many advantages, such as stronger bonds, faster processing times, cleaner welds, and broad versatility. Depending on the equipment utilized, the process can also offer other advantages. For example, extrusion welding equipment with screw-based extruder components:
Eliminates air pockets and scraping requirements
Plastic extrusion welders with screw-based extruders grind up the filler material as it is heated. This process reduces the risk of air pockets forming in the material and ruining a weld. It also eliminates the need for machine operators to manually scrape the material to remove oxidation and other surface contaminants that may interfere with the welding process. Altogether, this results in better weld quality and shorter weld times.
Allows for more uniform temperature distribution
Since the screw extruder grinds up the filler material as it passes through the barrel, the material heats up more evenly. This quality allows for the formation of more consistent welds.
Maintains a more even extrusion rate
Screw extruders offer a more even material flow rate than non-screw extruders, which reduces the risk of the slipping material as it is extruded and, consequently, the risk of forming an uneven weld.
Applications of Extrusion Welding
Plastic extrusion welding plays a role in the manufacture of a wide range of plastic components, such as fume hoods, ducts and fittings, and tanks. Experienced plastic welders, such as the experts at Plastic Design, can achieve and maintain high precision in extrusion welding operations. This ability allows them to produce parts and products suitable for highly technical fields, such as:
- Biomedical
- Microelectronics
- Pharmaceutical
- Photonics
Extrusion Welding From Plastic Design, Inc.
Extrusion welding is used to create plastic components for a variety of industries. If you’re looking for quality extrusion welded plastic components, turn to the experts at Plastic Design. Customers in some of the most highly technical fields have trusted us to produce products and systems for their critical applications for over 40 years. To learn more about our extrusion welding capabilities, contact us today. To discuss your project requirements with one of our team members, request a quote.
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