Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology

Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology

Weldable – Adaptive laser transmission welding based on inline optical tomography

Laser transmission welding is an established single-stage plastic joining process, which enables hermetically sealed joints under the work piece surface. This process requires a joining partner with trans missive and a partner with a high degree of absorption to the processing wavelength. In order to reach a stable process a control unit is required. Current monitoring systems have a limited usage, as no quantitative information of the real weld seam is obtained (e.g. narrowing or interruption). In medical and pharmaceutical applications a weld seam e.g. with leakage is unacceptable.

Project Objectives

The major objective of the project MANUNET Weldable is the implementation of an adaptive feedback controlled laser transmission welding process by means of inline optical tomography. By the development and machine integration of a high precision optical coherence tomography system, an inline quantitative information of the weld forming process (weld seam geometry, pore detection and evaluation, leakage, weld partner gap) can be acquired.

Project Partners

 

 

This research and development project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the Framework Concept Research for Tomorrow’s Production and managed by the Project Management Agency Karlsruhe (PTKA). The author is responsible for the contents of this publication.