Laser Plastic Welding at productronica

LPKF will be demonstrating the advantages of the laser process for joining plastic electronics housings at the leading international electronics trade fair in Munich from 16 – 19 November. In addition to the various options for using different laser welding processes for different component geometries, the focus will be on two innovations: the new laser system LPKF InlineWeld 2000 and a technological innovation that allows highly integrated electronic 3D components to now be welded directly using LPKF laser systems.

For many applications, PCBs have to be mounted in plastic housings, as the properties of plastic make it an ideal material for this purpose. Housing components can be joined cleanly, accurately and securely using various laser processes. The application offers a lot of flexibility in respect of weld thicknesses and geometry. The welding process does not affect the PCB material, which is an important factor especially for applications in medical technology or in the innovative field of electric mobility. At the trade fair, the company will be demonstrating that even very irregular shapes can be joined with lasers, using the example of the new laser system LPKF InlineWeld 2000, a special system for welding rotationally symmetric components.

The company will also show how a specific material that can be used for laser direct structuring (LDS) can be joined with LPKF systems. In LDS, conductive traces with electronic functions are produced directly on the surface of a molded part, whereby this integration of mechanical and electronic functions on one part makes a significant contribution to the process of miniaturization. The option of now joining the material with LPKF welding systems is unique worldwide and can in future help to further advance one of the leading processes in molded interconnect device (MID) technology.