Thursday, Mar 08, 2012 at 13:16
Hi all,
Just wanted to provide some good information about "plastic welders" for anyone who has an interest.
Firstly, when we talk about "welding" of plastics - it is possible to effect true molecular welding - but you will never achieve this with a soldering iron. You need to have equipment that is specifically designed to meet worldwide welding standards. Using the following tools, you can achieve extremely strong WELDING of plastics.
Hand-held plastic welders:
The hand-held plastic welding
tools provide a precisely controlled jet of Hot Air, which can be set to a specific temperature for welding all thermoplastics. These are by far the most commonly used
tools for plastics fabrication and repair welding today.
So what do you need to consider before buying a Plastic Welder ?
Here is a list of things to take on board prior to purchasing your first plastic welder.
1. Quality -
DVS compliant ?
Equipment should be selected that complies with worldwide welding standards, as set by the German/Swiss welding/joining society (DVS). This means the welding equipment is manufactured to meet ideal parameters as required to ensure strong, structual, molecular welding.
CE compliant ?
In general equipment manufactured in Europe (Switzerland / Germany) will carry the CE mark. CE marking is a key indicator that a product complies with EU (European Union) legislation. CE marked products conform to very high standards of manufacture, safety, performance and quality - CE marked products are bought by professional users as they are the most suitable for industrial & commercial use. (Beware of cheap chinese equipment !! In China the CE symbol has been alleged to stand for China Export or China Engineering - because some Chinese manufacturers apply a very similar marking to their products. As Chinese exporters have used the CE logo incorrectly, the matter was raised at the EU parliament in 2008, and the Commission decided they will look into trade-marking the official CE logo - and are in discussion with Chinese authorities to ensure compliance with European standards. So in simple terms - if you pay peanuts, you'll get monkeys)
2. Back up & Support -
Make sure the supplier offers back up and support. Applications advice, spare parts & technical service is usually offered by the quality equipment suppliers. A good supplier will carry a full range of equipment, accessories and even consumables - eg. Plastic Welding Rods. These suppliers have generally been in the business for many years and so will have the knowledge & experience to best support you.
3. Warranty -
High quality welding
tools are usually covered with a warranty. In Australia & New Zealand, Techspan brand plastic welders are supplied with a limited 2 year warranty.
4. Temperature Control -
A critical part of the plastic welding process is ensuring your welding temperature matches the welding temperature of the particular material to be welded. As different plastics weld at different temperatures, a welding tool with precise electronic temperature control is essential. In general temperature control is built-in to the welding tools. Some models even offer LCD displays, where you can set welding tempertures accurately on the screen. These models are commonly referred to as 'Digital' models.
5. Built-in Blower -
The most common plastic welding tool is fully self contained (Techspan model Rion) - meaning that the blower is built-in to the welder. These
tools are by far the most portable and easy to use. Some models dont have built in blowers - compressed air can be used to provide the required airsource to such models, however use of compressed air can be very expensive and must be 'clean & dry'. Pressure must also be be controlled to suit the welding tool airflow specifications. Compressed air flow characteristics are also not as ideal as the fully self contained models with built-in blowers.
6. Accessories & Nozzles for Plastic Welding -
The welding tool will require some specfic accessory nozzles in order to effect correct welding techniques. To ensure you have all the right nozzles for your welding application, we recommend you buy your plastic welding tool in KIT form.
Techspan have put a great deal of emphasis on providing 'easy to find' equipment specification, training videos and more online. The latest Techspan website is packed with all the information you'll need.
Online Store: Now you can View, order & purchase our vast range of Plastic Welding
Tools online 24/7.
Visit www.plasticweldingtools.co.nz
Youtube channel:
Visit www.youtube.com/user/TECHSPANONLINE
Facebook page:
Visit www.facebook.com/Techspan
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ' HOW TO ' WELD PLASTIC:
The above is only one of our recent 'tech tips'. To view the whole series of 'tech tips' on welding plastics, go to the following link >>
http://www.techspanonline.com/Articl...h-hot-air.aspx
Also, here is our full Instructional Plastic Welding Video >>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvV9a...layer_embedded
I am also happy to take any direct queries covering the plastic welding process, should you care to email me..
Regards,
Tim the tool man
E tim@plasticweldingtools.com.au
W
http://www.plasticweldingtools.com.au
AnswerID:
479883