The Effect of the Material and the Geometric Shape of the Waveguides on the Process of Ultrasonic Welding of Plastics

This article briefly describes basic elements of machines for ultrasonic welding of plastics and the main materials used for manufacturing elements of ultrasonic waveguide oscillatory systems. A relationship between the amplitude of fluctuations of the welded material and a ratio of wave resistance of the product material and the waveguide tool geometry is examined. It is shown that when welding plastic products of a large thickness, it is practical to use waveguides made from aluminum alloys with a working end face with a diameter of 15 mm. It is established that the closer the acoustic characteristics of the waveguide material and the plastic are, the fuller the transfer of ultrasonic energy is when transiting through the interface of the welded polymeric materials. To assess the distribution of amplitudes of fluctuations in the welded material it is more convenient to use a transmission ratio, which decreases with a decrease in the wave resistance. It is established that the sizes of the working end face of the waveguide are most often defined by the properties, dimensions and geometry of the welded product. The application of the developed recommendations to the choice of material and sizes of the working end face of the waveguide can increase technological reliability of the ultrasonic welding process and improve quality of products.

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