Ultrasonic welding for wire splicing and terminating has much to offer assemblers, including speed, efficiency, weld quality and elimination of consumables.
The splice is right ultrasonic energy is useful for a variety of applications, from very low-power medical diagnostics to high-intensity processes that change the state of materials. Joining metals, especially nonferrous metals used in electrical connections, is a particularly useful application of this technology.
The most common techniques for joining metal parts involve heat. Flame, hot tools or electric current are applied to the parts in combination with cleaning and fluxing agents and sometimes filler metals. The heat melts small portions of each part, and they fuse together. However, these processes are often at odds with the materials. Assemblers have become so accustomed to the problems associated with fusion welding that the problems are considered "normal." For joining nonferrous metals in electrical connections, ultrasonic welding avoids most of these problems.
How Does It Work?
An ultrasonic welder consists of a power supply, transducer, booster and horn. The latter three components are also known as the ultrasonic stack.
The power supply converts conventional electrical power from 50 or 60 hertz to 20,000 or 40,000 hertz. The power supply also controls the amplitude and frequency of vibrations. The transducer converts the high-frequency electrical energy to mechanical vibrations. These vibrations are amplified by the booster and horn before being applied to the workpiece. The typical output amplitude at the horn's working surface is 0.0025 inch at 20,000 hertz. The horn is usually made from high-quality tool steel and can provide up to 1 million welds without maintenance.
Ultrasonic welders usually operate at frequencies of 20,000 or 40,000 hertz. Which frequency to use depends on the required power level, vibration amplitude and horn size. The frequency is …
