Dukane Ias, LLC

Paul H Cathcart

Alexander Savitski

Grzegorz Zdzislaw Bugaj

A laser welding system for joining first and second thermoplastic workpieces, and including a clamp, an actuator, and a laser source. The clamp includes first and second clamping structures positioned together to engage opposite sides of the workpieces when they adjoin each other. The first clamping structure has a non-flat or irregular surface, facing the first workpiece. The actuator causes the clamping structures to press the first and second workpieces together. The laser source applies laser radiation having a wavelength of 2 microns toward the workpieces to be joined, while they are pressed together by the clamp, to melt irradiated portions of the workpieces to one another. The first clamping structure transmits substantially all of the energy of the laser radiation through the material. The first workpiece has a non-flat or irregular surface facing the first clamping structure, which substantially conforms with the surface of the first clamping structure.

Laser welding system and method using machined clamping tool

An infrared welding system for joining two parts made of thermoplastic material comprises a pair of infrared heaters for heating the two parts while spaced from each other; and energizing the infrared heaters to emit infrared heat and directing the emitted infrared heat onto selected portions of the opposed surfaces of the parts to melt at least portions of the opposed surfaces, while directing an inert gas onto the selected portions to prevent ignition of the melted thermoplastic material. The two parts are clamped together by moving at least one of the parts toward the other part to press the melted surfaces of the parts into contact with each other. The parts are cooled while they remain clamped together to solidify the molten thermoplastic material and thus weld the two parts together.

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles, IL, United States of America

Paul H Cathcart