Plastics Technology - Dedicated to improving Plastics Processing.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Dahlstrand is Emerson's sr. regional technical coordinator/textile devel- opment engineer for Branson Ultrasonics, Danbury, Conn. He has applications knowledge and tooling design for ultrasonic, vibration, orbital, thermal, and laser joining technologies used in the assembly of rigid thermoplastics, synthetic textiles, and films. Contact: (770) 962-2111, ext 17; david.dahlstrand@emerson.com; emerson.com. Complete Blown Film THE X -DIE & High Performance V -RING www.halpine.com T: (508) 655-1123 F: (508) 655-9337 ALPINE AMERICAN T H E B L O W N F I L M E X P E R T S • Mold wear, usually caused by the use of abrasive polymers or fillers, can result over time in parts that are substantially and dimensionally different from earlier vali- dated parts. As a result, principal joining features, such as energy directors or shear interference joints, are no longer within specifications. Part profiles may no longer fit properly into the tooling set. Weld results may become more and more incon- sistent. The remedies for this problem include reworking the existing mold or producing a new mold. Ultimately, issues with ultrasoni- cally welded parts can crop up from many sources. Calling your local ultrasonic- welding equipment representative as soon as an issue is suspected could allow diagnosis and remedial tips, often accom- plished via phone calls or e-mails that can help you identify, minimize, or resolve potential production problems. To reduce the need for troubleshooting, follow these best practices: • Collaborate early in your project's design (or redesign if significant material, form, or functional changes are contem- plated) with your ultrasonic-welding equipment supplier's application-engi- neering experts. • Always keep a reserve of spare, produc- tion-quality components available, par- ticularly for critical applications where production interruptions would cause significant operational or financial con- cerns. Spare production parts are a vital aid to troubleshooting joining problems and, in a supply pinch, can keep production rolling with a minimum of downtime. • Take advantage of training opportuni- ties that enable you to master the plastics joining technology you are using. Branson, for one, offers seminars at a variety of corporate locations and cus- tomer sites, providing the practical training and technical assistance needed to keep your ultrasonic process "cham- pion" well informed about the latest technology and ready to train and maintain tech- nology as needed in your facility. Design engineers, quality engineers, equipment main- tenance personnel, and operations/production personnel can all reap benefits from time invested in training sessions. @plastechmag 61 Plastics Technology U LT R A S O N I C W E L D I N G