Sensors incorporated within a laser channel detect laser light upconverted by a dopant. The dopant is located after a delivery end of a laser delivery optical fiber and upconverts laser light that has traveled from a laser light source from a laser bank through one of a plurality of laser channels through to a location after the delivery end of a laser delivery optical fiber. In some embodiments, the dopant is positioned at the delivery end of the laser delivery optical fiber. In other embodiments, the dopant is positioned within a dummy part or on a surface of at least a work piece.

A laser welding apparatus is provides that includes: a support member including a heat generation portion which has a size that is limited to correspond to a size of a welding area of a plurality of plastic components and is made from a material that absorbs a laser beam and generates heat, and which generates heat of a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting temperature of the plastic components; a laser beam irradiation unit for converging a laser beam to be transmitted through the plurality of plastic components, and irradiating the laser beam toward the heat generation portion through the plurality of plastic components; and a welding controller for causing a laser beam to be irradiated at the heat generation portion using the laser beam irradiation unit to thereby cause the heat generation portion to generate heat, and welding abutting faces of a welding area of the plurality of plastic components with heat that is generated.

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for establishing a connection having material continuity or having material continuity and shaping matching or for separating such a connection of at least one metal or ceramic component and of a component formed from or by a thermoplastic polymer in which the components to be joined together can be pressed together by a pressing device having a counterholder and a plunger. A heating device is present at the plunger and/or at the counterholder or acts there. A heating of the at least one metal or ceramic component up to above the softening temperature of the component formed from or by polymer can be achieved with the heating device, with the heating device being having at least one electrical resistance heating element that is covered by an electrically insulating, preferably ceramic, protective film, and/or having at least one laser beam that is directed to the metal component(s) within the joining region, and/or having at least one inductor present at the plunger and/or at the counterholder for the inductive heating of the meal component(s).

A stabilizer manufacturing apparatus is adapted to bond a rubber bush, which is a bush made of rubber disposed between a stabilizer and a vehicle body, to a rubber bush bonding location where an adhesive layer of the stabilizer is formed. The stabilizer manufacturing apparatus is provided with: a curing furnace for heating the stabilizer, which is conveyed by a manufacturing line conveying unit and has the rubber bush bonding location with which the rubber bush is press-contacted, and performing the bonding; a heat source device that heats air; a blower device that sends the air heated by the heat source device as hot air; and a plurality of nozzles that are disposed along the manufacturing line conveying unit in the curing furnace and blow the hot air against, at a near position from, a location in the vicinity of the rubber bush bonding location of the stabilizer.

A method for bonding a first composite material and a second composite material together includes a step in which a first bonding region of the first composite material is prepared to be maintained in a softened state. In another step, a first non-bonding region of the first composite material is heated to be put into a cured state. The first bonding region is put into a heatable state, and the first bonding region is heated to be put into a semi-cured state. The first bonding region having been put into the semi-cured state is pressed in contact with a second bonding region of the second composite material that becomes a softened state or a semi-cured state. The first bonding region and the second bonding region having been brought into contact with each other and pressed in the contacting and pressing step are heated to be put into a cured state.

A film fin sealing device is disclosed herein which may have a groove defining a base. The base of the groove of the fin sealing device may be oriented at a skewed angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of the conveyor of a heat sealing machine. Edges of a thermoplastic sheet or two stacked layers of thermoplastic sheets are introduced into the groove of the film fin sealing device and placed in contact therewith to both heat and fuse the distal edge portions of the thermoplastic sheet(s) to join the edge portions thereof to form a fin seal.

The invention relates to a process for the production of at least two-layer thermoplastic sheets via thermal welding of at least one thinner thermoplastic sheet with density (D1) and of at least one second thinner thermoplastic sheet with density (D2), where the density (D1) of the first thinner thermoplastic sheet is smaller than the density (D2) of the second thinner thermoplastic sheet. The process introduces at least one first heating element and at least one second heating element along mutually offset planes between the two thinner thermoplastic sheets, where the surfaces of the thinner thermoplastic sheets do not touch the surfaces of the heating elements. The first heating element transfers a quantity of energy (E1) to the surface of the first thinner thermoplastic sheet, and the second heating element transfers a quantity of energy (E2) to the surface of the second thinner thermoplastic sheet, where the quantity of energy (E1) is smaller than the quantity of energy (E2).

An edge-banding apparatus is provided and configured to apply an edging strip having a heat activated layer to a substrate or work piece. The apparatus uses localised heat generated from a controlled flame from combustible fuel to apply heat to the edging strip to active the heat activated layer.

The apparatus comprises: a. an edging strip feeding device to feed the edging strip along a predetermined path towards the substrate or work piece; b. a source of combustible fuel; c. a fuel delivery device in fluid communication with the source of combustible fuel such that combustible fuel can be delivered to the fuel delivery device; and d. an ignition device configured to ignite the combustible fuel at or near the fuel delivery device such that a controlled flame is generated by the fuel delivery device;

The apparatus further comprises one or more controllers configured to control one or more properties of the controlled flame of combustible fuel such that the heat from the flame activates the heat activated layer of the edging strip such that the edging strip is applied to the substrate or work piece.

A method of applying an edging strip having a heat activated layer to a substrate or work piece is also provided.

Embodiments herein include a system for joining components. The system can include a rotating base platform, a plurality of receptacles mounted to the base platform, and a rotating sonotrode platform. A plurality of sonotrodes are mounted to the sonotrode platform. Each sonotrode can correspond to a receptacle. Each sonotrode can move in a reciprocating motion between a release position distant from a corresponding receptacle and a compressing position proximal to the corresponding receptacle. The compressing position occurs at a first angular position of the sonotrode platform. Each sonotrode is energized at the compressing position.

A method and apparatus for sealing a plastic enclosure is provided. The apparatus includes a handle including elements pivotally coupled together at a first end. The apparatus also includes a heating element positioned along an inner surface of an element and connected to a power source where a longitudinal axis of the heating element is oriented parallel with a longitudinal axis of the element. Plastic material including first and second plastic layers is positioned at an interface between the second elements. Upon pivoting the first elements from an open position to a closed position the heating element increases a temperature at the interface to melt the plastic material and form a seal between the first and second plastic layers.