EoW May 2008

english technology news

Sonobond Ultrasonics’ spot welding technology

Other features that make the SonoWeld 1600 popular with manufacturers include a power supply with built-in microprocessor to permit storage and recall of over 250 weld protocols. The easy-to-operate unit also features automatic frequency control, overload protection and automatic quality monitoring. The efficient metal spot welder has heat-treated, tool steel taper lock tips that can perform up to 300,000 welds before being replaced. A digital display allows selection of welding modes by time, energy or final weld thickness. In ultrasonic welding, high frequency ultrasonic energy is directed via a welding tip to the surfaces for the metals to be welded. The energy disperses the oxides and surface films between the work pieces to create a true metallurgical bond without melting the materials. Ultrasonic welding is environmentally friendly, produces no waste, and is economical. The patented Wedge-Reed coupling system assures precise, dependable welds and can be mounted in a variety of orientations for special applications. Sonobond Ultrasonics – USA Fax : +1 610 692 0674 Email : info@sonobondultrasonics.com Website : www.sonobondultrasonics.com

Ultrasonic technology

welding

and

bonding

Lake Cable needed to update its spot welding machine at its 100,000ft 2 Prairie Cable facility in Valparaiso, Indiana. According to that facility’s maintenance manager, Chris McLaughlin, they were already familiar with many of the advantages of Sonobond technology. “We had been using a 20 year old Sonobond machine and were very pleased. We knew there were other assembly methods but, unlike ultrasonics, these other methods were less efficient and used consumables. We didn’t want that. When we contacted Sonobond to replace a manual we’d lost, they recognised that a newer, customised unit could help us improve our existing processes.” Sonobond responded promptly by providing free sample welds and a recommendation that Lake Cable, LLC replace the current unit with a specially modified version of the 2,500-watt SonoWeld 1600 digital metal spot welder. This new unit featured a custom anvil slide assembly, as well as a modified frame to accommodate material up to 4.5" in width. It also enabled the unit to weld on an angle so that the stress would be spread out to make a stronger joint. As a result, it was found that the weld strengths of the new joint equalled 90% of parent material strength, and a ¾" weld took only ½ second.

specialist Sonobond Ultrasonics has announced that increasing numbers of companies are relying on its microprocessor-controlled spot welding technology. According to Janet Devine, the company’s president, manufacturers are reporting that the SonoWeld® 1600 digital metal spot welder series is proving to be dependable, efficient, and easy-to-operate, citing Lake Cable, LLC as an example of a company that is obtaining impressive results from the technology. The company encapsulates cables in metal sheathing and extrudes overall jackets over its control, instrumentation, and power cable product line.

Spot welding technology from Sonobond Ultrasonics ▲ ▲

47

EuroWire – May 2008