Award-Winning Custom Tooling Capabilities
Sonobond's Ultrasonic Metal Spot Welders Achieve the Specific Requirements of Each Customer
WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania — President Janet Devine announced today that Sonobond's custom-tooled SonoWeld®1600 Ultrasonic Spot Welder is one of Wire Harness Cable Connector's top products of 2012. The publication highlights Sonobond's ability to modify its welder and satisfy unique customer requirements.
"We realize that every company has different production specifications, so we take a step-by-step approach, working closely with our customers to make tooling that ensures our machines produce the top-quality, consistent welds that meet their needs," explains Devine.
For the award-winning spot welder, Sonobond designed a special anvil slide assembly and modified the welder frame to facilitate joining one roll of sheet metal to another, enabling a continuous cable sheathing operation for Lake Cable, LLC, in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Determining Metal Welding Viability with a Free, No-Obligation Test
Before considering custom tooling, Sonobond conducts a free, no obligation metal welding viability test for all potential customers to ensure that ultrasonic welding technology is a good fit and to choose the Sonobond welder best suited to handle the part configuration. This gives Sonobond technicians an opportunity to recommend the best equipment for the job and show outcomes to customers.
"We respond promptly to requests," says Devine. "If an application seems feasible, we let the company know the amount of material needed for sample welds and we discuss the details of their requirements for the completed weld. Once everything is in place, the test can be completed in about a week, provided no custom tooling is required to make a sample weld." She adds, "Having customers provide samples of their own similar or dissimilar non-ferrous materials for the viability test enables them to see actual results before they consider purchasing equipment."
Designing Custom Tooling
Once it's determined that an ultrasonic metal spot welder can accomplish the basic tasks required, Sonobond engineers consider the geometry and specifications of the finished part and design tooling that will hold the pieces together in the proper orientation while the ultrasonic weld is made—but without unnecessarily complicating the load and unload operations. Generally, customization is most often necessary when a machine is to be used for wire-toterminal or sheet metal ultrasonic spot welding.
Before shipping, completed sample welds are checked to make certain they meet customers’ dimensional tolerances, as well as electrical and mechanical requirements. Customers are invited to review the welding operation or receive sample welds to compare to their specifications. "In some cases, we have one of our technicians present at the customer’s site for checkout and approval," notes Devine.
Creating an Award-Winning Custom Tooled Welder Lake Cable, LLC encapsulates cables in metal sheathing and extrudes jackets over its complete line of control,
instrumentation and power cables. As part of the production process, ultrasonic spot welding equipment has to make several line welds to join the end of one roll of sheet metal to the beginning of another, allowing continuous sheathing. Working closely with Lake Cable, Sonobond designed the custom anvil slide assembly and welder frame that enables 4 1/2-inch-wide sheet metal to approach the machine on an angle, move under the welding tip for a series of welds, and be fed from one roll and taken up on another roll after welding. In addition to providing a continuous cable sheathing operation, the award-winning customized SonoWeld®1600 Ultrasonic Spot Welder produces joints having 90 percent of the parent material's strength.
Benefits of Ultrasonic Welding
Sonobond’s metal welding technology offers customers a reliable, wellestablished,
environmentally friendly and energy-efficient process that produces solid-state metallurgical bonds without excessive heat, current or consumables. All Sonobond ultrasonic metal spot welders are made in the U.S.A. and use the unique, patented "Wedge-Reed" bonding system that maximizes welding effectiveness by combining high vibratory force with low amplitude coupling. Shear mode vibration parallel to the welding surface ensures weld dependability, while positioning the line of force directly over the welding surface eliminates bending stress.
Increasing Variety of Ultrasonic Metal Welding Applications
"Our ultrasonic metal welders are now utilized in a wide variety of applications," says Devine. Sonobond machines weld stranded wire-to-wire and wire-to-terminals for electrical wire harnesses and bus bars. They're used to weld the terminals of lithium-ion batteries, foil-wound capacitors, thin aluminum or copper foil, and electrical contacts. They also have an important role in the manufacture of fuses/circuit breakers, ignition modules, starter motors and photovoltaic panels. Sonobond has even developed custom ultrasonic metal welding solutions to help Ford Motor Company join aluminum sheets for automotive assembly.
Scheduling a Free Ultrasonic Metal Welding Viability Test
Companies may set up an ultrasonic metal welding viability test by visiting Sonobond's website at www.SonobondUltrasonics.com and clicking the viability test button. A short form requesting basic information can then be completed and submitted to Sonobond so that a free test can be scheduled.
"We encourage companies to take advantage of our Ultrasonic Metal Welding Viability Test so we can prove to their satisfaction that our equipment will provide the dependable, cost-effective solutions they need and want," says Devine.
A Proven Leader in Ultrasonic Welding and Bonding Technology
Sonobond has earned worldwide recognition for its leadership and innovations in ultrasonic bonding and welding. In 1960, the company—then known as Aeroprojects—received the first patent ever awarded for ultrasonic metal welding. During the past 53 years, Sonobond has earned an outstanding reputation for its pioneering work and quality-engineered products. Today, Sonobond manufactures a complete line of ultrasonic bonding and welding equipment. Its customers include leading companies in the electrical, automotive, appliance, solar, aerospace, filtration, medical, body armor and apparel industries.
Additional Information
To learn more about Sonobond's ultrasonic technology or its welding and bonding equipment, visit www.SonobondUltrasonics.com, or call 1-800-323-1269. For immediate service, contact President Janet Devine at Jdevine@SonobondUltrasonics.com.
Contact:
Janet Devine
President
610-696-4710
1191 McDermott Drive, West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: 610-696-4710 Fax: 610-692-0674
Internet: www.SonobondUltrasonics.com
Email: info@SonobondUltrasonics.com
