Methods of joining plastics
Plastics can be joined together in a variety of ways. There are many methods for permanently joining such materials. Due to their characteristics and properties, such plastics are a great object for construction. They do not have high requirements, are durable and, above all, do not incur high costs in their production, which is why they are widely used in industry. So what joining methods are available to us? You will find information in this article.
Welding plastic with wire
Welding techniques are not only applicable to metals. Plastics can also be successfully joined using this method. Above all, welding is useful in cases of thick materials and their good bonding. We can distinguish between two types. The first is wire-bar welding, i.e. using a component made of the same material as the plastic to be welded together. A welding nozzle is used for this, which speeds up the process considerably. Pendulum welding is also permitted. However, it is much slower.
Extrusion welding
The second method of welding plastics is much more efficient. With expressive welding, thicker welds can be made in a single pass. For this reason, this method is used more frequently in industrial plants. A welding shoe is used for this. This tool allows the weld to be properly aligned to the required size. First, however, the material to be welded is heated. The previously mentioned welding shoe plasticises our material and arranges it to the required size. In this way, a finished and permanent joint can be obtained.
What is welding
Plastics can also be joined using a technique such as welding. The process itself generally involves heating two components, which makes them ductile, and pressing them together. Once the materials have cooled down, they are permanently joined. The strength of this joint depends on the temperature to which the parts have been heated and the length of time they have been pressed together. As far as the types of welding are concerned, we can distinguish between several of them. First, however, they must be subdivided according to the way the heat is applied - from the outside or the inside of the materials. Heat can also be generated inside the parts.
A few words about the types of welding
Butt welding is a method primarily used for joining pipes together. This type of welding is carried out on a machine that allows plates to be joined or cylinders to be rolled. By automating the entire process and applying the appropriate parameters, you can be sure that the material will be well joined. This is very important, especially when creating pipeline connections. Electrofusion welding is also one type of this process. In this case, two components are joined using couplers, which are fittings that have electrofusion wire in them.
Bonding
Plastics can also be joined by adhesive bonding - this can be solvent-based, hot-melt or reactive. This is the simplest of all material bonding methods. Bonding involves two processes - adhesion, which is responsible for holding the adhesive, and cohesion, which is responsible for cohesion. When the adhesive is cured, the strength of the latter phenomenon increases.
Everything is now clear when it comes to plastic joining methods. Whichever one you choose, you must learn to do it right. It is worth knowing that you can find many more methods, but the ones listed are the most common.
