A first resin member including a first contact surface and formed of laser beam-transmissive resin and a second resin member including a second contact surface, which contacts the first contact surface, and formed of laser beam-absorbing resin are arranged one upon the other. A laser welding apparatus includes a clamping unit abutting the second resin member and applying clamping force to the second resin member, a laser emitter emitting laser beam, a laser controller controlling output of the laser beam, a displacement sensor measuring displacement of the second contact surface in stacking direction of the resin members, and a control unit controlling the clamping unit to adjust the clamping force corresponding to displacement amount of the second contact surface continuously or intermittently obtained from the displacement sensor.

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 for optimizing a welding process to produce a weld joint having a predetermined strength includes measuring a plurality of melt layer thicknesses of weld joints for a plurality of sample assemblies formed by the welding process, measuring a plurality failure loads of weld joints for the plurality of sample assemblies, each of the measured plurality of failures loads being associated with one of the measured plurality of melt layer thicknesses, selecting a first failure load from the plurality of measured failure loads responsive to determining that the first failure load corresponds to a predetermined weld strength, and selecting a first melt layer thickness from the plurality of measured melt layer thicknesses that is associated with the selected first measured failure load.

Disclosed is an automated method (54) which includes directing rays from a source (34) to a tube (38) disposed between relatively movable first and second sealing plates (20, 32), capturing an image (70) of at least a portion of the tube (38) by an image capturing device (26), and transferring the captured image (70) to a processing device (24). The method (54) also includes determining a plurality of 26 tube parameters by the processing device (24) based on the captured image (70), using an image processing technique and determining a plurality of sealing parameters from a database (44) by the processing device (24) based on the determined plurality of tube parameters. Additionally, the method (54) includes controlling the drive unit (22) and a heater (36) by the processing device (24) influenced by the determined plurality of sealing parameters, to respectively compress the tube (36)and perform heat sealing of the tube (38).

A pair of thermoplastic resin members are placed on an anvil. A pressing force of a tool horn vibrating ultrasonically in a direction not perpendicular to but along upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members is applied to the upper surfaces. The application of the pressing force of the tool horn vibrating ultrasonically allows melting of a vicinity of the upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members. A welded structure part is formed on an unwelded structure part, thereby welding the pair of thermoplastic resin members as an overlap structure including the welded structure part arranged on the unwelded structure part. The distance and positional relationship between the pair of thermoplastic resin members after the welding are unchanged before and after the welding. The surfaces, placed on the anvil, of the thermoplastic resin members are neither burned nor discolored.

A heat press includes a lower platen and an upper swing arm attached to a base, and an upper platen having a heater therein. The upper platen is coupled to the upper swing arm via a piston rod, and operable via a linkage. The linkage includes a coupler linked between the upper swing arm and a print handle and includes an input link that rotationally couples the print handle to the piston rod such that a motion of the print handle moves the piston rod up or down. The heat press includes a control housing that is electrically coupled to the heater. The upper swing arm is operable to swing the upper platen away from the lower platen when not in contact with the lower platen. The control housing remains in a stationary position regardless of a position of the upper swing arm.

Disclosed is an automated method (54) which includes directing rays from a source (34) to a tube (38) disposed between relatively movable first and second sealing plates (20, 32), capturing an image (70) of at least a portion of the tube (38) by an image capturing device (26), and transferring the captured image (70) to a processing device (24). The method (54) also includes determining a plurality of tube parameters by the processing device (24) based on the captured image (70), using an image processing technique and determining a plurality of sealing parameters from a database (44) by the processing device (24) based on the determined plurality of tube parameters. Additionally, the method (54) includes controlling the drive unit (22) and a heater (36) by the processing device (24) influenced by the determined plurality of sealing parameters, to respectively compress the tube (36) and perform heat sealing of the tube (38).

A heat press includes a lower platen and an upper swing arm attached to a base, and an upper platen having a heater therein. The upper platen is coupled to the upper swing arm via a piston rod, and operable via a linkage. The linkage includes a coupler linked between the upper swing arm and a print handle and includes an input link that rotationally couples the print handle to the piston rod such that a motion of the print handle moves the piston rod up or down. The heat press includes a control housing that is electrically coupled to the heater. The upper swing arm is operable to swing the upper platen away from the lower platen when not in contact with the lower platen. The control housing remains in a stationary position regardless of a position of the upper swing arm.

A first resin member including a first contact surface and formed of laser beam-transmissive resin and a second resin member including a second contact surface, which contacts the first contact surface, and formed of laser beam-absorbing resin are arranged one upon the other. A laser welding apparatus includes a clamping unit abutting the second resin member and applying clamping force to the second resin member, a laser emitter emitting laser beam, a laser controller controlling output of the laser beam, a displacement sensor measuring displacement of the second contact surface in stacking direction of the resin members, and a control unit controlling the clamping unit to adjust the clamping force corresponding to displacement amount of the second contact surface continuously or intermittently obtained from the displacement sensor.

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.