How to stick 2 pieces of plastic using heat?

J

J_Nichols

Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #1

I would like to know how can I stick 2 pieces of plastic using some kind of hardware that produces heat.

I have 3 components: 1 flat copper coil and 2 flat pieces of plastic (I have to decide the material). The question is how is it possible to join the 2 plastics using heat. I know there are devices that are used to plastify ordinary sheet of paper, so I think I would be able to find a similar solution.

Here you have a picture to get an idea: (in the photo there are 2 pieces of flat copper coil), but in the practise I need only 1 piece of flat copper coil

 

ronsimpson

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #2

 

alec_t

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #3

A lot depends on the type of plastic. Two methods that spring to mind are hot melt glue and ultrasonic bonding.

 

dknguyen

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #4

Can't you just put the metal strip through a laminating machine? Why do you need a similar solution rather than that exact same solution?

But yeah, it's really dependent on the plastic. You have to pick the kind of plastic you want to use with the heat bonding in mind. To my understanding, it's a very particular process.

 

S

shortbus=

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #5

Why use heat? There are a lot of good bonding materials out there today that can bond many metals and plastics together strongly, commercial airplane building does it all the time. Things that used to be riveted are now glued/bonded.

 

alec_t

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #6

shortbus= said:

commercial airplane building does it all the time

Click to expand...

Reminds me of an air trip to Italy some years ago. My wife and I noticed that a partition between crew and passenger compartments had a strip of duct tape sealing the partition to the fuselage. Didn't inspire confidence that the wings were securely attached .

 

audioguru

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #7

Years ago before they determined that solvents are toxic I used acetone to stick plastic together. Now they removed acetone from nail polish remover.
New flexible kinds of plastic refuse to be joined with acetone or any kind of glue that I tried.

 

K

KeepItSimpleStupid

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #8

Are you looking for something like this product:

 

joeyd999

New Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #9

audioguru said:

Now they removed acetone from nail polish remover.

Click to expand...

Are you sure you don't mean acetonitrile?

 

H

hyedenny

Active Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #10

joeyd999 said:

Are you sure you don't mean acetonitrile?

Click to expand...

I don't know if that's what he meant, but he's correct! It used to be acetone. However, acetone alone would be a lousy solvent for most plastics. Methyl ethyl ketone is more commonly used or blended with acetone and tetrahydrofuran.

PVC or ABS pipe cement or primer (a blend of the above) would work great and is easy to get.

If the material is thin, I'd use a laminator. I've made flexible PCBs with a laminator, copper tape, and a plotter machine, and it worked great.

 

ronsimpson

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 9, 2018

• #11

Are you trying to make this?