FRIMO Installs the Market's Fastest High Speed Infrared Welding Unit to Offer Customers a Competitive Advantage

WIXOM, Mich., Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Infrared welding (IR welding) is quickly gaining importance in the thermoplastics industry as a competitive alternative to classic joining techniques used in high quality thermoplastic manufacturing processes. In order to meet this growing trend, FRIMO Inc recently installed a JoinLine IR-H-Highspeed infrared welding machine at its TechCenter in Wixom, Mich.

The JoinLine IR Highspeed is part of FRIMO's range of JoinLine IR welding machines that allow for precise and controlled welding processes and offer customers reduced cycle times and unique possibilities for their design application needs. The Highspeed makes it possible to attain processing speeds – for both large and small components – that were previously unachievable in the market and allows for processing without gas, high temperature or debris, making IR technology a competitive alternative to established processes such as vibration and hot plate welding.

Infrared technology revolutionizes the welding business

"Our JoinLine IR Highspeed machine welds without gas, high temperature or flash debris at top speeds approaching 3.5 meter/second," said Lee Hodson, Technical Director of FRIMO Inc. "This very high speed capability is becoming increasingly necessary for the energy efficient and high strength welding of high performance thermoplastics. This is the reason why FRIMO equips the Highspeed welder with linear motors. These motors feature trouble free operation along with high repeatability and low noise."

Infrared welding technology also satisfies the ever increasing demands for particle free operation, such as for air or oil ducting components. It is also exceptionally well suited for welding high performance reinforced plastics such as glass fiber-reinforced plastics and polyamides, which are becoming increasingly commonplace in structural components used in lightweight vehicle applications.

The process enables extraordinary weld strength durability, which makes it especially effective for safety related applications, while ensuring 100 percent gas tight welds at the same time. Flexibility is assured, both in the use of the types of materials to be welded, but also in design freedom, which means that it is possible to weld complex 3D geometries.

IR welding in practice

FRIMO offers a complete range of six JoinLine infrared welding machine styles including the IR Highspeed. The FRIMO IR product portfolio starts with small standard machines for joining applications, e.g. for filters, pipes and small components. The medium range machine segment offers welding units for door trim applications, while the high end machine segment provides systems for processing instrument panels and other large components.

FRIMO also offers numerous automated solutions which can be designed to meet customer and project demands. All JoinLine infrared welding machines can be equipped with options such as ultrasonic welding capability, as well as rapid and flexible tool change, which the customer can choose to load either at the front or the rear of the unit.

Further tests of materials and welding techniques, together with other joining methods, are also conducted at the Wixom facility to allow FRIMO to determine the technical and most economical optimal solution for each customers' intended application.

About FRIMO
The FRIMO Group includes global production and sales locations with more than 1,200 employees in Europe, Asia and America, and numerous representatives around the world. FRIMO is one of the worldwide leading developers and providers of system solutions for the manufacture of high quality fiber-reinforced plastics and supplies tooling and machinery, as well as the respective automation and finishing, e.g. with flexible trimming, joining and assembling. FRIMO's portfolio for the plastics processing industries also covers an extremely wide range of technologies: PU processing along with flexible trimming, punching, pressing and forming, as well as thermoforming, laminating, edgefolding, joining and gluing. FRIMO offers its customers tailor-made tools, machinery and systems as separate or turnkey solutions from a single source. FRIMO North America is headquartered in Wixom, Mich.

SOURCE FRIMO Inc