Investment in laser welding for injection moulding tooling
11 September 2019
Building on the business plan to reduce our carbon footprint, our investment in laser welding means we can repair tooling in-house. This reduces both the time needed to transport to and from the mould tool servicing supplier as well as the time managing external suppliers.
However, just as importantly, it means we reduce ‘miles’ to and from repair facilities. Our solutions driven approach to plastic injection moulding ensures we are increasing what we can do, whilst driving out inefficiency.
Why laser welding is so good for tooling
If we need mould tool servicing, repair, modification or pre-production development, Lasers create strong and reliable welds. In addition their low cost and excellent levels of versatility means they also help Tex Plastics to increase the efficiency of our manufacturing process, whilst keeping costs to a minimum. It means you can get a high quality, reliable and fast response service, repair or modification to your tooling.
1) Ultimate precision for moulding tooling repairs
One of the main benefits of Laser welding is that it offers a high level of accuracy and control. The fact Laser technology is so precise means that it can be used to weld the smallest of parts together, without causing any damage to them.
2) Capable of complicated joins for technical mouldings
Laser technology is capable of handling complicated joins. Using Laser welding technology, you can weld areas which would be too difficult to reach using more traditional welding techniques, essential for repairing complex tooling.
3) Low heat application avoids tooling distortion
The fact Laser welding technology uses a low heat application, minimises the distortion of the components. This is because lasers use very localised energy, allowing for contact-free application which results in less thermal strain being placed on the parts.
4) Consistent and repeatable welds
Tooling manufacturers and repair suppliers choose Lasers as their number one choice of welding method as it allows for consistent and repeatable welds to be made. It is a much faster welding technique than other more traditional techniques, and is also much more versatile. The same Laser can be used for cutting and drilling too (Pulsed Fiber Lasers can also be used for marking). The fact that Lasers allow for excellent repeatability and are so versatile helps businesses make significant unit cost reductions.
5) High strength welds
Laser technology delivers high strength welds. There is no need for a filler material to be used. Lasers provide excellent weld quality and clean processing, which is why they are favoured for injection molding tooling repairs. It’s just another example of our constant investment program, aimed at delivering a better, more environmentally friendly, plastics injection moulding solution.