Laser staking or “riveting with light”
Laser staking is a combination of riveting and laser plastic welding. Unlike conventional joining methods such as ultrasonic or hot gas riveting, the staking tool does not come into contact with the plasticized material. This method is ideal for joining components which cannot be welded directly, such as fastening printed circuit boards or metal lugs in plastic housings.
In the laser staking method, a plastic spike penetrates the component to be fastened on. A transparent joining partner in the form of a small plastic disk is placed on the spike and welded on by transmission laser welding: the laser beam passes through the transparent staking head and melts the spike. A stamp presses down the transparent joining partner with moderate pressure on to the spike. Thermal conduction melts the contact between the rivet head and the spike to create a reliable and strong join after hardening.
The benefits of laser staking:- no contact between the tool and the plasticized material (no cleaning required)
- high tool life and short cycle times
- ideal for mass production
- high quality in terms of strength and optical properties
The areas of application of laser staking are those where a reliable adhesive bond is required between two thermoplastic materials. Laser staking can also be used to firmly fasten non-thermoplastic materials such as metals with the melt blow-out.
