Connecting lightweight thermoform parts in an aircraft

The company: a small business in civil engineering and thermoforming

Plastika Balumag AG is a Swiss family business, employing 70 people. Their two main business areas include civil engineering, selling pipes and fittings for the construction industry, as well as thermoforming, where they produce high-tech thermoform parts for the aviation, medical, transportation and machinery industries.

Plastika Balumag’s aim is to provide the optimal solutions and services for their customers, which they pursue with passion and a constant drive towards innovation.

The application: easy and reliable installation of thermoformed parts in an airplane

Thermoforming is a well-known and established process to create flexibly shaped and quality fitting parts. In this field, Plastika Balumag has versatile production capabilities and an excellent reputation in the aviation and aircraft industry. Here, the tailor-made parts do not only need to fulfill high quality standards, but also allow for easy and reliable installation in the final airplane application.

Thread carrier systems are the usual means of choice here, since they offer simple assemble / disassemble properties. In order to establish such connection points in an efficient and reliable way, today´s possibilities have particular limitations, however. The integration of metallic thread systems demands either a certain thickness of the polymer material or through / insertion holes.

This solution is neither ideal nor doable at all in most cases, when lightweight and aesthetics also matter, which is quite obviously the case for Plastika Balumag´s aircraft application.

The solution: adapting an innovative technology to the customer’s specific needs

To solve this challenge, Bossard suggested the innovative MultiMaterial-Welding technology, which had already proven its superior properties in the automotive industry. MultiMaterial-Welding (MM-Welding®) is a fastening process that uses ultrasonic energy to partially liquify thermoplastic materials. When hardening again, they create a strong functional connection in lightweight materials – all within fractions of a second.

In a process and design partnership between Plastika Balumag, Bossard and MultiMaterial-Welding, the Swiss engineering team adapted the novel technology to Plastika Balumag´s specific demands and requirements.

The InWWerse® Fastener for a strong, reliable connection without using adhesives

The InWWerse® Fastener creates a strong form-locking bond with the polymer matrix of the aircraft parts, without leaving any marks or visual evidence of the threaded carrier system on the aesthetic side of the connection.

Another advantage of this solution is that no adhesive bonding is necessary. This means Plastika Balumag avoids time-intense flammability testing and complex manufacturing processes that come with using adhesives on an aircraft.

The results are optimized production efficiency as well as much faster production cycle times.

The outcome: a significant technological and competitive advantage

Based on the innovative proprietary MultiMaterial-Welding process, the InWWerse® Fastener technology takes the industry proven advantages to another exciting field of applications. The novel fastening system allows for the establishment of an immediately loadable connection point onto thermoplastic substrates.

Plastika Balumag benefits from the optimizations in many areas that come with it, giving them a significant technological and competitive advantage.

Learn more about MultiMaterial-Welding