Laser Transmission Welding of Aluminum Film Coated With Heat Sealable Co-Polyester Resin With Polypropylene Films For Applications In Food & Drug Packaging
Abstract The present work deals with the high-power diode laser joining process of aluminum films coated with a polyester resin with polypropylene (PP) films. The first part of the work focused on analyzing the coating process of aluminum films with a polyester resin, using an automatic applicator. The second part of the work was focused on the analysis of the laser joining process of coated aluminum films with plastic counterparts made of PP. Different thicknesses and colors of the PP parts were tested in order to analyze the joining process under a wide range of different conditions. The experimental plan involved the study of the influence of the laser joining parameters, in particular the scanning speed and beam power, on the joints. The joints between aluminum and PP films were subsequently tested by means of tensile and peel-off tests. The results allowed the detection of the best processing conditions, stating the high potential of laser systems in the joining process of aluminum and PP films for food packaging applications.