Ultrasonic metal welding technology can be used for many different applications by appropriately utilizing its sound wave and high frequency mechanical energy characteristics.

The advantages of short-wave vibrations are excellent directional characteristics and high signal repeatability. This combination guarantees perfect traceability of faulty joints, determination of material characteristics and the thickness and structure of layers.

Diagnostic equipment based on ultrasonics has become an indispensable and common device for medical applications.

Fig. 1: Typical ultrasonic welding applications

Ultrasonic energy is used to improve the structure of materials in metallurgy. The acoustic irradiation of molten mass leads to an improved degasification and finer grain structures during the hardening process. Thanks to the cavity flow of the energy-transmitting fluid and ultrasonic baths, high-frequency mechanical vibrations have a highly purifying effect. The pressure peaks (up to 1000 bar) not only assist in removing settlement surface particles as well as oil and grease, but also detach solid varnish coats for metal bodies with the help with low frequency vibrations.

When combined with the erosive media, ultrasonic drilling can be used as a finishing technique for shaping materials which are brittle and hard to work on such as glass, ceramics, etc.

Ultrasonic welding is a metallurgical process which utilizes many materials with different melting temperatures.

Ultrasonic metal welding technology has proven extremely successful in various applications but above all, in electronics (figure 1), the electrical industry, the automotive industry and in some other fields. The cost advantage and the quality improvements obtained by the use of this technology are considerable.

Figure 2: Ultrasonic welding equipment with electronic quality control

The unique effect of ultrasonic metal welding is low heat radiation with no melting mass. The process is determined by a few easily measurable welding parameters. This is why the welding process can easily be monitored and controlled electronically, which is a prerequisite for a safe process (figure 2).

Low temperature build-up

This document introduces the rather recent but nevertheless proven technology of ultrasonic metal welding: its basic principles, the required machinery, its components and the interaction of its different components, as well as possible applications and their limitations.