An apparatus for joining, in particular laser welding, two components, in particular plastics components, comprises—two workpiece receptacles (1, 3) for respectively holding the two components (2, 4) to be connected, —in each case one bearing element, preferably a bearing plate (7), for each of the workpiece receptacles (1, 3), —a clamping drive (SA) for at least one bearing element for feeding and bracing of the two components (2, 4) held in the workpiece receptacles (1, 3) during the joining process, —a controller (9) for the clamping drive (SA) and in particular a laser welding device (LS), and—a mechanically loose coupling between the clamping drive (SA) and bearing element (7) such that the two workpiece receptacles (1, 3) are tiltable towards one another during feeding and bracing. Also disclosed is a method for operating such a joining apparatus during a joining process of two components (2, 4) held in the workpiece receptacles (1, 3), in particular during a laser welding process.

An ultrasonic welding method for joining a first thermoplastic part and a second thermoplastic part without causing visible read-through on an exposed surface of the second part. The method includes arranging the first part on an inner surface of the second part. The inner surface is opposite the exposed surface. The first part has an interface portion contacting the inner surface. The method includes causing a horn of an ultrasonic welding stack to be pressed against the first part by applying ultrasonic energy oscillating at a frequency in a range of 45-70 kHz through the horn, to thereby join the first part and the second part together. The horn has at least one protruding distal portion configured to penetrate through the first part as the ultrasonic energy is imparted through the horn. The distal portion has a length longer than a thickness of the first part. A collapse distance of a weld formed at the interface portion is less than the thickness of the first part, to avoid read-through effects on the exposed surface of the second part.

A method for joining a lens with a housing of a lighting device for a motor vehicle, having the steps: positioning the housing in a receiving device of a welding device, said housing having on its underside at least one fastener for attaching the lighting device in the motor vehicle, identifying the position of the at least one fastener relative to the receiving device, calculating a correction value on the basis of the identified position of the at least one fastener, and moving the lens held in a holding device of the welding device in the direction of the housing along a travel distance and welding the lens to the housing.

A process for welding a first molding to a second molding. The process uses an implement including first and second external surfaces. Each external surface further includes a duct. An end of the first molding is heated by a hot gas while the end is at a distance from the duct-entry plane in the range from 3 mm outside the duct to 10 mm inside the duct. A junction area of the second molding is heated by a hot gas while the junction area is at a distance from the duct-entry plane in a range from 3 mm outside the duct to 10 mm inside the duct. The heated end and the heated junction area are then brought into contact with one another and cooled, forming a weld between the first molding and the second molding. Also disclosed is a welded molding obtainable by the process of the invention.

A plastic welding machine for welding plastic parts together is capable of controlling the weld force vector in both magnitude and direction.

An ultrasonic welding method for joining a first thermoplastic part and a second thermoplastic part without causing visible read-through on an exposed surface of the second part. The method includes arranging the first part on an inner surface of the second part. The inner surface is opposite the exposed surface. The first part has an interface portion contacting the inner surface. The method includes causing a horn of an ultrasonic welding stack to be pressed against the first part by applying ultrasonic energy oscillating at a frequency in a range of 45-70 kHz through the horn, to thereby join the first part and the second part together. The horn has at least one protruding distal portion configured to penetrate through the first part as the ultrasonic energy is imparted through the horn. The distal portion has a length longer than a thickness of the first part. A collapse distance of a weld formed at the interface portion is less than the thickness of the first part, to avoid read-through effects on the exposed surface of the second part.

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.

An apparatus for joining, in particular laser welding, two components, in particular plastics components, comprisestwo workpiece receptacles (1, 3) for respectively holding the two components (2, 4) to be connected, in each case one bearing element, preferably a bearing plate (7), for each of the workpiece receptacles (1, 3), a clamping drive (SA) for at least one bearing element for feeding and bracing of the two components (2, 4) held in the workpiece receptacles (1, 3) during the joining process, a controller (9) for the clamping drive (SA) and in particular a laser welding device (LS), anda mechanically loose coupling between the clamping drive (SA) and bearing element (7) such that the two workpiece receptacles (1, 3) are tiltable towards one another during feeding and bracing. Also disclosed is a method for operating such a joining apparatus during a joining process of two components (2, 4) held in the workpiece receptacles (1, 3), in particular during a laser welding process.

The invention relates to a method for testing the function of a tubular bag machine, the tubular bag machine comprising a drive control system and multiple electronic drive units which are controlled independently of each other by the drive control system and which drive different functional elements of the packing machine in a cycle time-synchronous manner as they are going through predefined motion sequences, and one drive unit being realized in the manner of a transverse sealing unit, and the transverse sealing unit comprising at least one drive motor (02) and two transverse sealing jaws (13a, 13b) which are driven relative to each other by the drive motor (02) and by means of which a film tube (09) is sealed transversely to the conveying direction (21), and the drive torque (M) of the drive motor (02) being measured directly or indirectly using a drive controller, and the position () of the drive motor (02) being measured directly or indirectly using a position sensor, the method comprising the following steps: a) removing the film tube (09) from the sealing zone between the transverse sealing jaws (13a, 13b); b) closing the transverse sealing jaws (13a, 13b) according to a predefined target torque stored in the drive control system; c) measuring the actual position of the drive motor (02) once the target torque has been reached; d) comparing the measured actual position to a target position stored in the drive control system and associated with the predefined target torque.

Methods and apparatus for semi-automated tack welding of plies of a thermoplastic composite layup are described. An example welding tool includes a stabilization foot, a housing, a compaction foot, and a welder. The stabilization foot has a stabilization surface. The housing has a central axis. The housing is movable relative to the stabilization surface along the central axis of the housing. The compaction foot has a central axis and a compaction surface. The compaction surface is movable relative to the stabilization surface and to the housing along the central axis of the compaction surface. The welder has a central axis and a welding surface. The welding surface is movable relative to the stabilization surface, to the housing, and to the compaction surface along the central axis of the welder.