TWI Industrial Member Report Summary 389/1989
M G Murch
Scope
Although the hot plate welding technique is widely used, both in mass production and for large structures such as pipelines, there is little understanding of the effect of operating parameters in relationship to welded joint integrity and process optimisation.
This report considers the hot plate welding process applied to the joining of three thermoplastic materials: polypropylene (PP), high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and polyphenylene oxide (PPO). Towards a basic understanding of process behaviour, a study of the effect of operating parameters has been undertaken to assess their influence on the strength and material displacement of welded joints.