When Polaris Pool Systems (Vista, CA), a manufacturer of automatic pool cleaners, was experiencing gear jam-ups due to loose-fitting bearings, they turned to the SureWeld 20 ultrasonic plastic welder from Sonobond Ultrasonics (West Chester, PA) to weld the bearing securely in place.

Now, the bearing doesn't move within the assembly. Jamming and slippage have been eliminated, and the welded parts are perfectly aligned.

With the success of ultrasonic welding in assembling the turbine wheel, Polaris is also looking at ultrasonic welding to produce the wheel and pulley assembly. Tim Herlehy, vice president of manufacturing, explained, "Using adhesives to join the wheel to the pulley is labor intensive and time consuming. The adhesive is slow to dry, and the process must be done by hand. Converting to ultrasonic welding will reduce costs and production time." The welder allows for easy setup and quick operation, allowing for an average weld time of 0.3 to 0.4 seconds.

For more information on ultrasonic welding, call Sonobond Ultrasonics at 610-696-4710, visit www.SonobondUltrasonic.com.