Technology suitable for both serial and small quantity production
Ultrasonic welding is a solid-state welding process in which consolidation of joining partners is achieved by pressure and friction energy. The components to be welded are clamped between the support bases and tip (sonotrode). The sonotrode is vibrated at a frequency in the ultrasonic range and induce oscillatory stress in the interface between components that disrupt the surface oxides and supply energy for bonding. Ultrasonic welding of wires is called also ultrasonic wire bonding.
Ultrasonic welding can join a wide range of metals and some metal/non-metal combination, including some metallurgical incompatible combinations. Against resistance welding, also high-conductive metals as well as metal with large match of melting temperature could be joined by means of ultrasonic energy. The joint configuration and part geometry for ultrasonic welding show some limitations because they must be customized on the sonotrode geometry. The smallest wire that could be bonded is in the range of a few microns.