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NORMA Group offers laser-welded joints for additional safety in fuel transportation

· Laser-welded joints that are extremely strong and resistant
· New quick connector designed especially for laser welded joints is more compact
· Higher protection against leakage even at high temperatures in the engine compartment

Maintal, Germany, February 26, 2020 – NORMA Group, a global market leader in engineered joining technology, now offers a new quick connector especially for use in laser-welded connections. The SR Quick Connector Laser Welded is connected to the plastic pipe by applying laser radiation. The resulting connection is approximately 30 percent more resistant and thus even more reliable than mechanical connections. It significantly exceeds the strength requirements specified in the SAE standard for connections in fuel lines.

“The demands placed on joining technology in the engine compartment are constantly increasing, due to ever-tighter engine compartments and higher temperature ranges, for example,” says Dr. Michael Schneider, CEO of NORMA Group. “With laser-welded fuel lines, we exceed the current industry standards and offer our customers even more safety for connections in the high temperature range.”

The connector is ideally suited for the demanding fuel lines in hybrid vehicles and other vehicles with limited engine space. The dual drive system in hybrid vehicles or additional power units in vehicles with combustion engines create ever smaller engine compartments. As a result, heat accumulates and the temperature in the engine compartment rises more strongly. Above a certain temperature, conventional plug connections may no longer be able to guarantee the usual strength and tightness. The laser-welded connection offers greater safety because it is particularly strong and resistant.

The interface between the SR Quick Connector Laser Welded and the tube is shorter than that of connectors with fir tree profile to accommodate the limited space in engine compartments. Due to the welding technology, no additional O-ring is needed either. Thanks to the material savings, the connector is more compact and lighter than comparable connectors.

The patented SR Quick Connector Laser Welded is made of laser transparent thermoplastic. With laser welding, two materials are bonded together: The laser radiation is absorbed and converted into heat, causing the two materials to melt together. Such a so-called material-to-material bond offers higher tensile strength than mechanical bonds that use form fit and force fit. Especially at temperatures above 150 °C, this results in a much more reliable connection than conventional plug connections.

The current SAE standard requires connections in fuel lines to withstand a pull-off force of up to 300 Newton. NORMA Group’s laser-welded connection with the SR Quick Connector Laser Welded considerably exceeds this requirement.

NORMA Group offers its customers both, the SR Quick Connector Laser Welded alone and complete laser welded systems. The connector can be manufactured by NORMA Group in France, China and Mexico.