Introduction The automotive market is continuously evolving, as cars are required to be light and highly fuel-efficient, as ...

The last two decades have seen substantial improvements in ultrasonic plastic-welding machines. Bench-top models feature proportional-valve controls, linear encoders, line-voltage regulation, internal ...

Industrial lasers are used to process engineering plastics across many markets. Some examples of the common processes are shown in Figure 1, including laser marking, cutting, and welding.

Figure 1. Various test samples that have been laser welded in an applications lab (a) and a low-density polyethylene fluid container welded with a diode laser system (b). Direct welding of plastics is ...

Device makers are taking increased interest in product designs and assembly that support closed-loop recycling. A Branson plastic welding process can safely and nondestructively “unweld” plastics used ...

Making vehicle structures out of a combination of metals and plastics could make them dramatically lighter, stronger, safer and more environmentally friendly than the all-steel or all-aluminum ...

Chrome bumpers made a quick exit from the automotive scene in the late 1980s. In their place are elaborate but flimsy plastic covers hiding stamped steel impact beams—with a swath of Styrofoam ...