Kerry Ultrasonics Ltd of Hunting Gate, Hitchin, Herts, has built ultrasonic transducers using Langley HIDURAX aluminium bronze and Hiduron® 130 (DIN 2.1504, DTD900/4805, Hidurax Special) high-strength cupronickel for many years, chosen for their high acoustic transfer efficiency, high mechanical strength, good wear resistance and high thermal conductivity compared with other materials.
Ultrasonics in industry
Kerry Ultrasonics pioneered industrial applications of ultrasonics. One of its original developments is the "sonorode" system for machining hard, brittle materials such as tungsten carbide, ceramics, germanium, silicon, and semi-precious and precious stones. With ultrasonics it is possible to emboss, engrave, slice, trepan and drill intricately shaped holes in a single pass.
The transducer's role
A high-power use of ultrasonics is plastics assembly. The process generates high-frequency vibrations by converting an electrical impulse into mechanical energy, which is done using transducers. The illustration shows the "plastison" plastics assembly system, which covers welding, inserting, staking and despruing, and removes the need for adhesives, solvents, dielectric heat or thermoplastic materials.
