5 January 2017
 Categories: , Blog

If you have broken plastic industrial components, you may not have to replace them. You may be able to have them repaired by a plastic welding company. In many cases, objects repaired this way will be stronger than they were before they broke. All plastic welding methods work on a molecular level to combine two pieces of plastic together. Following are five types of welding and their benefits. 

Adhesive

Adhesive plastic welding utilizes plastic polymer, which is applied to the edges of the two pieces that are to be joined. The "glue" bonds the two pieces together. Some adhesives require the application of heat while others do not. As you can imagine, this type of bonding may not be as strong as some of the other types listed below.  

Thermal

Popular for repairing electronics and automobiles, thermal welding delivers high power density in a tightly focused area. This means that it can be used for very narrow welds or welds where space is limited. Thermal welding can also join materials that are unlike each other. It can even bond plastics that have fillers in them. Objects bonded with thermal welding are very strong. 

Mechanical

Mechanical bonding uses fasteners to add extra strength and stability to the pieces of plastic being bonded together. This type of welding is popular when it is difficult to keep the two pieces from moving during the welding process. 

Frictional

Frictional welding, also called vibration welding, pieces of plastic are rubbed or vibrated together at a high frequency until the heat and friction melts the plastic. The melted plastic fills in the space between the two pieces of plastic. Once cooled, the plastic gets hard and bonds the two pieces together. This type of welding is most often used for materials that cannot be exposed to air. 

Electromagnetic

Electromagnetic welding utilizes high energy and electromagnetic materials to bond two similar or dissimilar pieces of plastic together. It even bonds flexible plastic to rigid plastic. This application is popular where the weld will be exposed to extremely hot temperatures repeatedly or over a period of time. It also provides a watertight seal. 

As you can see, there are multiple types of plastic welding that can be done. The type that is right for you depends primarily on the item that needs to be welded and the materials it's made out of. In some cases, more than one type of welding will work.