Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Laser Transmission Welding of Polycarbonate: Geometrical and Microstructure Characterisation of the Weld

Abstract

Singare S, Shengui C, Jianjun Z and Yongzhou L

The efficiency of laser transmission welding strongly depends on the optical properties of the plastic parts to be joined and the process parameters. This paper investigates the effect of the laser welding parameters such as laser power, welding speed on weld strength. A 200 W YAG laser with wavelength 1064 nm has been used to weld transparent and absorbing polycarbonate (PC) in lap weld configuration. The force at break of the lap welds was assessed on the Universal testing machine, weld fracture surfaces and weld cross-sections were also analyzed under microscope using reflected polarized light to qualitatively assess the weld quality.