Overview
Dukane’s rotary infrared welding system is tailored for assemblies falling within a footprint of 200mm x 250mm or less, requiring a faster cycle rate than cannot be provided by conventional hot plate or infrared welders. This unique machine provides a non-contact infrared welding solution that is capable of producing welded assemblies as rapidly as every 8 seconds as compared to conventional IR welding machines that run at a rate of 30-40 seconds per cycle.
Faster cycle rates are accomplished by enabling the normally sequential welding steps (load, heater extend, melt, retract, join, hold, open, and unload) to happen simultaneously on a rotary indexing machine. Each step of the weld process occurs at the same time on each station. Using this method, a welded assembly is discharged at the same time a new one is being loaded.
Unprecedented Infrared cycle rates using MELT-DIVISION!!
Simply put, Dukane’s rotary welder can index and produce a part just about as fast as the plastic can melt. For example, if 16 seconds of Infrared bulb exposure is required to sufficiently melt a plastic weld joint, then the rotary table can be indexed every 16 seconds plus a fraction of time for index speed. If two index stations are dedicated to the infrared heating portion of the process, the table can index every 8 seconds rather than 16. The assembly continues to receive the required 16 seconds of exposure over two stations, but the index time is divided in half making the machine run twice as fast. If even faster times are needed a third heat station can be added dividing the index time again producing a 5.3 second index rate!