The Unique combination of 3D MIDs and Laser Plastic Welding
Benefit from In-Depth Expertise inElectronics and Laser-Welding!
WeLDS combines 3D MIDs with laser plastic welding. With LPKF-LDS (Laser Direct Structuring) conductive traces can be produced on the surfaces of injection-molded parts. Laser Plastic Welding by LPKF provides visually and functionally outstanding weld seams for permanent and reliable joints in your component design.
Innovative WeLDS technology - already proven successful in millions of units in series production.
WeLDS Use Cases for Electronics
The WeLDS process opens up new possibilities and offers advantages for many applications in electronics. Users can benefit even more from this through clever combination.
The easy way to the perfect component: WeLDS process steps
The path to space-saving electronics with high functional density and perfect encapsulation is straightforward. Four process steps have to be carried out, which - if not already installed - can be easily integrated into existing production lines:
Your WeLDS Benefits
- Substantial new opportunities for component design
- Miniaturization and weight reduction
- Increased functional integration (3D trace structures, antennas, switches, connectors and sensors)
- Low initial costs, high cost-effectiveness in series production
- Perfect pressure-resistant and vacuum-tight protection of sensitive elements
- Clean joining: no released particles, no solvents, no chemical treatment, no surface damage
- Very fine resolution of electrical circuits, even in 3D
- Weld joints are even possible close to sensitive electronic parts
- Flexible with process monitoring during welding for high yield in production
LPKF's unique Expertise for Your Success
Getting started is easy with LPKF!
Only at LPKF, you can find expertise and know-how in both worlds: Electronics production including LPKF´s LDS process and Laser Plastic Welding. With WeLDS, you will get the best of both for your projects.
- Proven expertise over decades with LDS and Laser Plastic Welding applications
- Complete support: from material evaluation and design phase to ramp up and mass production
- This results in reduced time-to-market with minimum project risk
- Extensive experience in automatization as well as customization for various applications and industries
WeLDS Materials
For WeLDS, we take a close look on materials. Typically used materials e. g. for the automotive industry or medical technology may be used for LDS and welding. If required, we will test other materials especially for you. With LPKF, you can benefit from high expertise an material qualification.
Chemical copper, nickel, gold galvanic copper, and flash gold can be used for the metallization process.
A number of typically used plastics are already testet and proven in application. With high process expertise and extensice testing technologies, LPKF is able to qualify more and more materials for the WeLDS process.
The experts at LPKF will be happy to answer your questions about possible materials.
What is Laser Direct Structuring?
Highly integrated electronic 3D devices: 3D MIDs through laser direct structuring (LDS)
With the help of LPKF’s laser direct structuring conductive traces can be produced on the surfaces of injection-molded parts. The LDS process is carried out in 4 steps: Injection Molding, Laser activation, Metallization, Assembly. This is a unique way of integrating mechanical and electronic functions on a molding.
The process opens up a couple of advantages for new products:
- High degree of design freedom
- Miniaturization and weight reduction
- Integration of various functionalities: e. g. 3D conductive trace structures, antennas, switches, connectors, and sensors
- Shorter assembly times
- Fewer process steps
- Comparatively low initial costs
What is Laser Plastic Welding?
On the Principle of Laser Transmission Welding
One of the two components to be joined is transparent for the wavelength used by the laser, while the other absorbs the laser energy. Slight pressure is used to transfer the heat - produced pecisely on the point by the laser beam - in the absorbing component to the upper component. Both parts melt at the weld seam, resulting in a dependable and sturdy joint – one that is as solid as the base material.
The joining of plastic components by using laser technology leads to is precise, reliable, and permanent results – without adverse chemical, thermal, mechanical effects on the surrounding material. In the past years, laser technology has therefore gained an excellent reputation for joining tasks. It efficiently creates plastic joints of unrivaled quality and cost-effectiveness.
LPKF has decades of experience and is a global leader in this field.