Open-source modular resistance welding equipment for thermoplastic composites
Abstract
This paper presents an integrated open-source platform for resistance welding of thermoplastic composites, developed as a low-cost, self-contained alternative to expensive industrial welding stations. The system combines automated pressure control, real-time instrumentation, and automated data logging within a modular hardware architecture consisting of an aluminum frame and an electrically insulating wooden base that minimizes current leakage, complemented during operation by external ceramic insulator plates, not a permanent component of the equipment, positioned at the sample-electrode interface, where they act as the thermal barrier at the joint and protect the wooden structure from direct exposure to weld interface temperatures. Pressure is regulated through a closed-loop feedback system using an Arduino-controlled linear actuator and load cell. A dedicated Python-based graphical user interface provides high-fidelity process control and monitoring, featuring real-time visualization of voltage versus time, continuous acquisition of temperature (Type-K thermocouple), voltage, current, and power, and on-the-fly calculation of power density and heating element resistance. Power is supplied by a Huawei R4850G2 rectifier and JUNTEK DPM8624 converter, fully integrated into the control logic. At the end of each welding cycle, the software automatically generates a comprehensive PDF report (including process parameters, specimen dimensions, and the voltage-time graph) and a…
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