Hermetic Sealing of Electronic Components Using Laser Welding

Complex Path Contouring – Synchronized Laser Control – High Throughput

When confronted with health problems, medical technology today makes it possible for implants, for example pacemakers or insulin pumps, to perform important functions. Such implants are highly complex systems consisting of electrical and electronic components. Hermetic sealing, which keeps the microsystem and the surrounding tissue reliably separated from each other, is necessary for safe and reliable use in the human body. Components depend on hermetic sealing in order for them to function properly and reliably in other industries as well, for example sensors and electronics in the semiconductor industry or battery encasings need to be protected against vapor or foreign particles.

Laser welding is one method used for sealing. For this purpose, the laser spot is focused on the rotating workpiece. In order to achieve a uniformly high seam quality, the size of the laser spot must be maintained by keeping the distance between the laser and the workpiece the same during welding. In addition, the laser beam must must hit the surface of the workpiece at the correct angle. Holding or alignment errors of the workpiece must also be considered and corrected by the control of the laser welding path.

Hexapods, which can move in six degrees of freedom and allow for the definition of reference systems for workpiece and tool ("work", "tool" coordinate systems), can perform all these tasks reliably.

Business Development Manager Rolf Ellerbrock explains the advantages of the motion solution

Key Features of the Positioning Solution

EtherCAT®-based control of hexapod and rotation stage simplifies system integration
Full and continuous rotation of the device
Laser Control Module for controlling the laser source directly with full synchronization to the motion path
Simplified cable management for a long lifetime of operation compared to traditional stack systems
Low profile design provides motion in six degrees of freedom in a compact package with high stiffness
Motion Controller offers G-Code scripting commands or direct automation from CAD/CAM software

360° Rotation Axis θZ

Orientation of electronic component according to the required laser weld path:

High velocities and accelerations due to PIMag® magnetic direct drives
Flexible adaptation of drive force and dimensions due to in-house developed ironless torque motors/li>
Smooth and precision operation w/o cogging
Highly accurate and repeatable rotation without backlash

Workpiece Positioning

Maintaining laser distance, laser angle, and laser spot size for constant seam weld quality:

Parallel kinematic hexapod
Six degrees of freedom
Freely definable center of rotation for both tool and work piece coordinate systems
Precision tracking of complex motion profiles

Motion Control

ACS SPiiPlus EtherCAT® network motion controllers and drive modules for optimum synchronization of the axes and simultaneous control of the laser:
Laser Control Module for controlling the laser source directly with full synchronization to the motion path
Hexapod Controller with EtherCAT® provides connectivity to any standard EtherCAT® platform

Hermetic Sealing of Electronic Components Using Laser Welding

Complex Path Contouring – Synchronized Laser Control – High Throughput

Business Development Manager Rolf Ellerbrock explains the advantages of the motion solution

Key Features of the Positioning Solution

360° Rotation Axis θZ

Workpiece Positioning

Motion Control

Further Industries and Applications that Benefit from this Motion Solution

Semiconductor: Wafer inspection and placement

Electronics Manufacturing: Component sealing e.g. for telecommunications and automotive, sensor welding

Automotive: Battery pack welding

Metrology: Surface measurement of 2D and 3D parts