An Overview of Ultrasonic Welding

When most people think of joining two pieces of metal, their minds inevitably turn to welding. They picture a person in a thick, iron mask, white-hot blowtorch in hand, melting and merging until two separate pieces of metal into a cohesive whole. Though useful in numerous industrial and commercial applications, welding isn’t always the right process for the job. Sometimes you need the finesse and precision afforded only by specific types of heat treatment in Gastonia, NC.

For example, did you know it’s possible to forge a connection between two pieces of metal without heating either to their melting point? Read on to learn more!

Say hello to no-melt metallurgy

In traditional welding, metal pieces are heated to melting, pressed together and then cooled. The result is a metallurgical bond, of the type that holds steel beams together. In the electronic age, however, technological advancements require strong metal bonds without the potentially destructive heat that goes along with welding.

Enter ultrasonic additive manufacturing, or ultrasonic welding. Essentially, ultrasonic welding shoves two pieces of metal together, with a thin piece of foil in between them. Then, an ultrasonic frequency causes the two pieces of metal to rub against one another. The resulting friction shaves off microscopic particles from each piece of metal and provokes a metallurgical bond.

The result is a powerful solid-state bond that forges a connection between two pieces of metal without raising the temperature of either to its melting point.

When would I use ultrasonic welding?

Initially, ultrasonic welding was created to weld plastics. In fact, the first use of ultrasonic welding was for an all-plastic toy car. The toy didn’t become a hit, but it wasn’t long before industries of every stripe seemed to find a use for ultrasonic welding. To this day, it is one of the most popular forms of heat treatment in Gastonia, NC and elsewhere.

In the computer industry, ultrasonic welding is used to connect electrical wires. Ultrasonic welding is used to create flash drives and microcircuits. The automotive and aerospace industries use ultrasonic welding for instrument panels, steering wheels and upholstery (to name a few). The medical industry uses ultrasonic welding in cleanrooms because the process doesn’t introduce contaminants into the environment. Speedo even uses ultrasonic welding for a line of competition-level swimwear. The applications are boundless.

Metallurgy you can count on

If you think that ultrasonic welding may be the perfect solution for you, there’s only one team to call. At J. F. Heat Treating Inc., our knowledgeable team has nearly 40 years of experience providing high-quality heat treatment in Gastonia, NC. In addition to ultrasonic welding, we’re happy to offer a comprehensive list of services such as quenching, aging, annealing, cleaning, hardening, normalizing, tempering and more.

Our courteous staff will work alongside you to find the perfect solution for your specific needs. Then, our skilled craftsmen will design and construct a customized solution for you. We believe in our work, and we believe you will, too. Call today to find out what J.F. Heat Treating Inc. can do for you.

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