TABLE OF CONTENTS Altuglas International: Tuffak (form: sheet)
Table 27.1 shows an overall comparison of joining methods for Tuffak polycarbonate sheet.
| Method of Joining | Solvent Cement | Adhesive Bonding | Self-tapping Screws | Medium Screws | Rivets | Hot Gas Welding | Hot Blade/Plate Welding | Ultrasonic Welding | Vibration Welding | Spin Welding | Ratings Legends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10= | 1= | |||||||||||
| Tensile strength | 8 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Parent material strength | Poor |
| Speed | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 6 | Fast | Slow |
| Tooling | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | Costly | Inexpensive |
| Labor | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | High | Low |
| Capital investment | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | Highest | Lowest |
| Cosmetic appearance | 10 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | Best | Worst |
| Setup preparation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | Long | Short |
| Part size | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | Unlimited | Small |
| Dissimilar materials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | No | No | Ok | No | ||
| Part design | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 3 | Simple | Limited complex |
| Cost of materials | 9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Most expensive | Least expensive |
Reference: Tuffak Polycarbonate Sheet. Forming and Fabrication, Supplier design guide (ADV980496/APL:ATG-16S/web/6-00), Altuglas International, 2000.
Dow Chemical: Calibre (features: transparent )
Assembly methods for parts made of Calibre polycarbonate are numerous, ranging...
