Laser Welding of Clear-to-Clear Resin
Additive-Free Direct Welding of Transparent Resin
——No absorbers. Welded, while remaining transparent.
Direct welding of transparent resins to each other — a challenge long considered difficult with lasers. This process technology uses the physical properties of light to support strong, optically clear bonding without relying on additives or adhesives.
Challenge: Constraints Inherent to Transparency
Laser welding relies on the principle that materials absorb light and generate heat. Because transparent resins transmit most of the light, joining two transparent pieces traditionally required applying an absorber (e.g., black pigment) to one surface, or using an adhesive.
However, these approaches introduced contamination risk and loss of optical clarity — issues critical in medical devices and optical components.
Solution: Selective Interface Heating
While transparent resins transmit the fundamental wavelength (1064 nm), they absorb mid-infrared light (~2 µm). By leveraging our process control and integration capabilities, we established a process that concentrates energy absorption at the interface — enabling welding without any absorbers.
Benefits
- Design freedom: Supports product designs that make use of transparency.
- Clean bonding: Eliminates outgassing from adhesives and application process variability.
- Medical & bio-compatible: Ideal for medical devices, microfluidic channels, and sensor components where optical clarity is essential.
Our Technology
System Integration
Process-Driven Design
