Ultrasonic welding

In ultrasonic welding, energy is delivered to the joint area in the form of high-power ultrasound. This type of welding is used to build assemblies that are too small, complex, or delicate for more common welding techniques to be appropriate.

It is also used to weld plastics and materials that are dissimilar.

For joining complex injection molded parts, ultrasonic welding requires expensive custom equipment specially designed for the parts being welded. The parts are sandwiched between shaped mandrel and the horn. One of the plastic parts has spiked energy director which contacts the second plastic part. The ultrasonic energy melts the point contact between and the parts and they are joined. This process replaces a glued joint.