Identification of plastic - welding methods
Thermoplastic – Identification and Description.
Identification and welding processes
Identification of thermoplastics made easier by a combustion process.
Click on the type of plastic for further information.
ABS Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Burns with a sooting and orange yellow flame. Smells like sweet rubber. ABS is not self-extinguishing. But can be added flame retardants.
Welding: Heat Mirror 200-220 ° C. Hot air Welding 220-240 ° C Extruder Welding. Welding wire should be dried at approximately. 100°C in 2 hours.
Ultrasonic welding.
ASA Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate
Burns with a sooty yellow flame.
PA Polyamide ( Trade Name: Nylon)
Burns with a yellowish, blue bound and sooting flame. Melts and forms foamy drops . Smells sharply, “formic acid” or burnt hair (self-extinguishing).
Welding: Heat Mirror 230-270 ° C, extrudersvejsning or friction welding 60-80 m/min.
PC Polycarbonate
Burns with a slight sooting, yellowish flame, glowing ash. Smells sweetish (partially self-extinguishing).
Welding: All welding methods. Heat Mirror infrared 390-410 ° C. Hot gas welding 450-500OC., tensions caused by long welds. Friction welding, dried prior to welding in 12 hours at 120-130 ° C. Tension is released after welding at 110-140 ° C.
PE Polyethylene
Burns with a clear, not sooting flame, blue at the bottom, yellow at the top, drips and smells like candles (do not self-extinguishing).
Welding: Heat Mirror, hot air welding 230-260OC, and friction welding 100-300 m/min.
Butt Welding temperature PE 80: 200° C to 220 ° C
Butt Welding temperature PE 100: 220°C (quick changeover)
Butt Welding temperature PE 100 Uponor ProFuse-pipe: 240°C +5 -2°C (quick changeover)
Welding with Extruder PE HD – plastic temperature 220°C – air temperature 280 ° C.
Flame retardant with low smoke.
Flame retardant with low smoke.
Flame retardant with low smoke.
Polyethylenterephtalate (PETP) Burns with a sooting, orange yellow flame. Drips. Smells sweetish. Difficult to ignite.
Welding: Heating plate 250-270°C, hot air welding 280-320°C , ultrasonic welding or friction welding.
Slow combustion with little smoke development
PMMA Acrylic (Trade Name: Plexiglass)
Acrylic burns with a yellow, blue bound and clear crackling flame. Smells aromatic, acrylic monomer. Acrylic is not self-extinguishing. Extruded PMMA drips. Cast PMMA does not drip.
Welding: Ultrasonic welding or hot air welding. Welding with PMMA wire or PVC wire 200-260 ° C.
POM Polyacetal
It burns with clear blue flame without visible smoke. Pungent smell like formaldehyde.
Welding: Heat Mirror 210-230 ° C, hot air welding with nitrogen 240-260 ° C, friction welding or ultrasonic welding.
Burns with a clear, not sooting flame, blue at the bottom, yellow at the top, shoots a wave of molten material in front of the flame. Drips, smells such as oil or wax (do not self-extinguishing).
Welding: Heat Mirror, hot air welding 230-280OC, and friction welding 100-300 m/min.
Butt Welding temperature: 210°C +/- 10°C
Extruder welding PP – plastic temperature 220°C – air temperature 280 ° C.
For welding of PP are careful scraping and cleaning with alcohol , very important.
Self-extinguishing. Smoke, Black ash.
Flame retardant with low smoke.
PS polystyrene
Burns with a sooting, orange yellow flame. Smells “sødt sweet”. Styrol monomer (do not self-extinguishing). But can be added flame retardants.
Welding: Heat Mirror 200-220 ° C, hot air welding 230-260°C . Extruder welding or ultrasonic welding.
PSU Polysulfon
Self-extinguishing. Small smoke.
Welding: Heat Mirror, hot air welding, friction welding or ultrasonic welding.
Welding: Heat Mirror
PTFE Polytetrafluoretylen( Trade name TEFLON )
When heated above 300 ° released toxic fumes (Hydrogen fluoride).
Melt temperature 325OC
Burner bad. chars.
Welding IR.
PVC Polyvinyl chloride
Burns with a heavily sooting flame, yellow, green edge. White smoke and smells like hydrochloric acid (self-extinguishing, develops chlorine gas).
Welding: Heat Mirror 220-250OC, hot air welding 240-325OC, extruder welding, friction welding 100-500 m/min., high frequency welding or ultrasonic welding.
Non-flammable. chars. When heated above 300 ° released toxic fumes.
Welding: Heat Mirror 255OC, hot air welding 350OC, extruder welding, friction welding or ultrasonic welding.
Butt Welding temperature: 240°C +/- 8°C termoplast
SEBS – Styrenethylenbutylenstyren
