In the field of new energy vehicles, high-voltage charging piles and high-performance batteries, ultrasonic welding technology is quietly leading a manufacturing revolution with its unique advantages. We have also found through the industry conference held in recent years, more and more ultrasonic welding companies to participate in the General Assembly and share technology, and more traditional wire harness processing companies began to enter the field of ultrasonic welding equipment.
01 Technology frontier: from “alternative program” to “must option’’of the three major breakthroughs
Breakthrough one: high-performance welding head to improve process stability
Traditional welding head in high-frequency use is prone to amplitude drift and yield decline. However, the new high-performance welding head through the advanced material strengthening technology, the service life will be significantly improved, the amplitude fluctuations are controlled within a very small range. The application of this technology makes a well-known automobile manufacturer in the production of high-voltage wiring harnesses, welding yield significantly increased, quality claims significantly reduced, for the industry to set a new benchmark.
Breakthrough two: multi-material welding to break the traditional limitations
In the past, the welding of different metal materials has been a problem in the industry. Now, ultrasonic welding technology through high-frequency modulation and dynamic pressure control, successfully realized the efficient welding of copper and aluminum and other multi-materials, interface shear strength has increased significantly. In addition, the welding of ultra-thin materials has also made a breakthrough, providing strong support for the improvement of battery energy density and the lightweight of the wiring harness. Meanwhile, some innovative welding processes, such as welding with adhesive, have further improved production efficiency.
Breakthrough three: AI-enabled welding process
In the wave of intelligent manufacturing, ultrasonic welding technology has also ushered in new development opportunities. Through neural network algorithms, welding equipment is able to monitor data such as vibration, pressure and temperature in real time to achieve precise control. Even in the case of fluctuating material size, the welding strength can still remain stable. In the face of oxidized layer, oil and other impurities, AI is able to automatically switch modes and remove obstacles to ensure welding quality. This intelligent welding process brings a brand new change to traditional manufacturing.
02 Scenario Reconstruction: Innovative Practices in Three Major Fields
Scene 1: the transformation of wiring harness manufacturing
The traditional wiring harness manufacturing process has problems such as high cost and complex structure. The emergence of ultrasonic welding technology directly simplifies the process, eliminating copper terminals and plastic shells and other components, significantly reducing costs. In a well-known battery manufacturer's sampling harness, through ultrasonic welding technology, the cost of a single line has been significantly reduced, while the welding space has also been optimized.
Scene 2: Efficient welding of power batteries
In the field of power batteries, laser welding was once the mainstream, technology, but its heat-affected zone problem limits the improvement of battery life. Ultrasonic welding technology has successfully solved this problem with its low temperature and high efficiency. By optimizing the welding process, the tensile strength and cycle life of the battery lugs have been significantly improved, providing a strong guarantee for the safety and reliability of power batteries.
Scene 3: Reliability improvement of charging pile
With the development of supercharging technology, the liquid-cooled wiring harness of the charging pile faces higher requirements. Ultrasonic welding technology realizes the seamless connection between copper tube and wire through integrated welding process, and the airtightness is greatly improved, which can easily cope with extreme working conditions. Meanwhile, the efficient production of fully automatic welding equipment also supports the rapid manufacturing of charging piles.
03 Trend prediction: technology explosion tipping point in 2025
Trend one: Nano-scale welding precision opens a new era
With the continuous progress of technology, the precision of ultrasonic welding is moving towards the nanometer level. This high-precision welding technology will bring new solutions for the packaging of electronic components and power modules, and drive the industry in the direction of higher performance.
Trend two: Intelligent production line has become the industry standard
The future welding production line will be more intelligent. Through digital twin technology and self-learning algorithms, welding equipment can monitor and predict process parameters in real time to achieve precise control. This not only improves production efficiency, but also reduces spare parts inventory, bringing significant economic benefits to enterprises.
Trend three: green manufacturing to promote process upgrading
In the context of increasing global environmental awareness, green manufacturing has become an inevitable trend in the development of the industry. Ultrasonic welding technology with its non-additive, non-polluting characteristics, will become the preferred choice for future manufacturing processes, helping the industry to achieve sustainable development.
With the rapid development of new energy vehicles and intelligent driving technology, ultrasonic welding technology is gradually popularized from high-end manufacturing to the whole industry. In the future, equipment manufacturers will reduce the technical threshold through modular design, to promote the application of ultrasonic welding technology in more small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, cross-industry collaborative innovation will accelerate the technology iteration, to enhance the overall level of the industry. In addition, the gradual improvement of the standard system will also provide a strong guarantee for the healthy development of technology.
It is foreseeable that when the process parameter library, failure models and adaptive algorithms and other core technologies to achieve industry-level integration, ultrasonic welding technology will become a key force in reconstructing the manufacturing ecology of automotive electrification, injecting new vitality into the development of the industry.