Droplet Deposition Equipment

• Contactless
• Fast
• Alternative process to lead free soldering
• Flexible
• Fluxless
  

Abbreviated DDE, the machine is a joint development between MacGregor Welding Systems and Philips Centre for Manufacturing and Technology based in Eindhoven. A revolutionary new method for precision metal joining, the DDE is a highly advanced welding system. Capable of producing two welds per second, the process works by creating a precisely controlled molten droplet from a wire feed. Fully automated, the molten droplet can be accurately projected to almost any joint. A wide range of feed wires can be utilised including copper, molybdenum, nickel, aluminium and tungsten.

Droplets can be pre-programmed, typically between 0.7 and 2.5 mm in diameter, to cover a wide range of joining applications. The DDE offers new possibilities in joining applications and is an excellent alternative to certain hot bar soldering applications. DDE is a contactless process offering an ideal alternative to resistance welding for the joining of conductive materials such as copper wire to terminals.

We also manufacture automated micro welding systems and a range of other precision welding equipment including precision closed loop DC micro resistance spot welding power supplies and associated equipment, Micro TIG welding for the coil termination industry.

Key Advantages of DDE

• Higher quality joints
• Lead and Flux free joining process
• Reduced process time compared to traditional technologies
• Faster production rates
• RS232/485 interface
• Full integration into turnkey systems possible

The Process

A gas discharge is generated between three tungsten cathodes and a copper anode - the plasma nozzle. Plasma from the discharge virtually fills the whole internal cylinder of the nozzle. The plasma's temperature is approximately 10,000°K, enabling the space in the internal cylinder to become an electrical conductor. When a wire feed is axially inserted into the plasma, an electrical current is sent through it. This is achieved by connecting a DC source between the contact tube that guides the wire and the three tungsten electrodes. The wire is the anode and the tungsten electrodes are the cathode.

The system uses a secondary MIG process to heat the droplet and detach it from the wire feed. The droplet then accelerates from the plasma chamber to the product being welded below.

The Equipment

The equipment included with the DDE package consists of

• DC Current Sources
• Cooling Unit
• Wire Transport Mechanism
• Process Control Unit

Specification