FLIR Ensures Quality of Plastic Automotive Parts

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IR welding is a relatively new technique that is used to assemble plastic components. Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, the world’s leading supplier of instrument panels and cockpit systems, door panels, floor consoles and overhead consoles, has recently adopted this technique in its facility in Louisville, KY, USA, to join parts of the defroster grille of the Ford Escape vehicle. Thermal imaging cameras from FLIR monitor the whole process and make sure that quality of the IR welds is impeccable and repeatable.

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Today, plastic plays an increasingly important role in the automotive industry. A few of the reasons for this are that the light weight of plastics makes for more fuel efficient vehicle and that plastics also allow substantial design freedom and flexibility. One of the first steps in the production process of plastics is the transforming of raw materials, like polymers into plastic parts for cockpit components,
instrument panels, door panels, floor consoles, and many more.

In a next stage, the plastic parts need to be assembled. Some of these parts need to be put together very tightly, and one of the best technologies to do this is by infrared welding. This is a relatively new welding technique used for challenging materials and large part assembly with high strength and hermetic requirements. During an infrared welding process, two part halves are held rigidly in position near an infrared emitting platen to melt the IR welding is a relatively new technique that is used to assemble plastic components. Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, the world’s leading supplier of
instrument panels and cockpit systems, door panels, floor consoles and overhead consoles, has recently adopted this technique in its facility in Louisville, KY, USA, to join parts of the defroster grille of the Ford Escape vehicle. Thermal imaging cameras from FLIR monitor the whole process and make sure that quality of the IR welds is impeccable and repeatable.

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The FLIR A315 is a compact and affordable thermal imaging camera for automation applications, fully controlled by a PC. joining surfaces. The platen is then removed and the part halves are
driven together and allowed to resolidify under pressure.