Development of scale-up rules for the quasisimultaneous laser transmission welding (QSW) of thermoplastics

One advantage of laser transmission welding is the production of particle- free welds which meet the optical demands. In order to simplify this procedure and thus to increase the utilisation, there is a need for rules which permit the determination of process parameters for different component geometries in the shortest possible time without having to establish these experimentally (scale-up and scale-down rules). In this respect, the process parameters for new component geometries should be calculated using existing and well-known welding processes. This may not only lead to enormous reductions in both time and costs but also simplify and simultaneously increase the utilisation of laser transmission welding in this way. These investigations served to establish a scale-up exponent which is designed for two material combinations, permits this calculation of the process parameters and, at the same time, guarantees a constant weld quality [1-3].