Joining Polymer PartsChapter

This is what is said to be the largest vibration-welded plastic intake manifold in North America: it‘s for the Ford 5.4-liter SOHC Triton V8 engine (used for F-Series, Econoline, Expedition, and Excursion applications). The manifold was developed by a team consisting of representatives from Ford, molder Montaplast North America, and plastics-supplier DuPont Automotive. How big? 16.3-kg of Zytel welding-enhanced PA 66 nylon resin are used. The welding enhancement is important in that there is a 4-meter long vibration weld that joins the bottom and top halves of the manifold.

Vibration Welding

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/050003.html

http://www.automotive.dupont.com/en/pdfFiles/nylonUnderthehood.pdf

That is, he says that in 1998, 100% of the air intake manifolds produced in the Americas were made with nylon 66. This is the material that started it all. So the equipment necessary to make manifolds with this material—mainly lost-core molding—is in place. There is installed capacity. But in the not-too-distant future, as there are manifold redesigns, there is, that data describe, a change to nylon 6 which, Ferrighetto explains, provides an overall cost advantage in that there is a lower capital equipment cost (the approach here is to make separate parts that are joined through vibration welding), a reduced cycle time, and a slightly lower material cost. The numbers indicate that by 2004, there may be a 60/40 split between 66 and 6.

www.twi.co.uk/professional/ getFile/jk61.html

Ultrasonic Welding

www.twi.co.uk/j32k/ getfile/pjkhotplate.html

Hot Plate Welding

http://www.dow.com/styron/design/guide/bonding.htm

http://www.dow.com/styron/design/guide/fits.htm

http://engr.bd.psu.edu/pkoch/plasticdesign/snap_design.htm

www.engineersedge.com/ snap_fit_tapered.htm

Snap fit calculator from Engineer’s Edge

Snap fit Design excerpt from Paul E. Tres’ book

Tres

Tres

Recommended Living Hinge Feature for Polypropylene1

http://www.dow.com/polyolefins/about/pptechctr/design/fig_tab/livhinge.htm

www.rtpcompany.com/ info/molding/design/hinge.htm

The COMpliant fishing PLIERS (COMPLIERS®) are designed to conveniently remove fish hooks through a combination of grasping and disgorging actions. This special compliant mechanism design allows easy and safe removal of hooks. Compliers®, a one-piece design, are molded from an advanced engineering polymer.

www.tackleman.co.nz/ products.html

http://research.et.byu.edu/llhwww/intro/advantage.html

Compliant Mechanism

http://research.et.byu.edu/llhwww/current_research/bistable_mech/bistable_page.html

Bistable Mechanism

research.et.byu.edu/ llhwww/special/parallel.html