Heatstake Guide Lines

Heat stake-Design guide lines
Dash Mat Heat staking Close up

Large machine configured for:
120/240V, 80 PSI dry air & 20 heat
Staking probes
What is Heat stake ?.
In manufacturing of Interior and exterior parts with thermoplastic resins, it is often necessary to join
parts of dissimilar plastic, or other material.
Heat stake is an assembly method that uses the controlled melting and reforming of a plastic stud or
boss to capture or lock another component of a assembly in place. The plastic stud protrudes trough a
hole in the component to be locked in place. Heat and Pressure from the horn is applied on the top of
the stud, which melts and fills the volume of the horn cavity to produce a head, locking the component
in place. The progressive melting of the plastic under continuous Light pressure forms the head.
What are the advantages of heat staking assembly?
•Elimination of consumables such as screws and rivets.

•Tight assemblies with no tendency for recovery (memory)
•Minimal stress in the formed plastic (due to the process)
•Design Simplicity.
•Low cost Process & Noise
What are Technologies available for heat staking assembly?
*Thermal Heat stake

*Sonic weld stake
Thermal Heat Stake
1.-The basic cycle starts preheating the tip to the Temperature

Specified depending of the Staking post material.
2.- The trigger position is set at the point the probe tip contacts
the top of the post it creates a localized heated volume. As the
boss melts, light pressure from the tip forms the head Into a
shape determined by the tip configuration.
3.- The step of Staking Dwell time is the time allowed for the
Head to be fully formed and some heath soak of the material
occur so that any material memory is overcome. Typically Dwell time in a staking operation is 1 to 5 seconds but
may vary depending of the application.
4.-The Staking post cool time is used to bring the temperature of the plastic below the glass transition so that
the newly formed head remains tight and is not damaged upon tip restriction.
At its most basic level, the thermal press is a pneumatic press with the facility to heat tooling. When the machine
is actuated, the upper platen containing the heated tooling Is brought into contact with the work piece.
Coil Heathers 350W

Excessive post cool time can result in poor process repeatability as overcooled tips may not recover
To operating temperature before the next cycle.
Sonic Stake
• The Principle of ultrasonic assembly involves the use of high frequency mechanical vibrations transmitted
through thermoplastic parts to generate a frictional heath build up at the interface.
Why Thermoplastic parts?
Remain that Thermoplastic materials, after being formed, with the reintroduction of heath and presure are
Melted and reformed making them suitable for ultrasonic (also heat) stake assembly.
Are there another factors in the material that affect ultrasonic stake process?
a. Polymer Structure.
Amorphous polymers. Due to their random molecular arrangement they have a broad softening temperature
Range that allows the material soften gradually, so these polymers are efficient to transmit ultrasonic
Vibrations.
Semi-crystalline Polymers. Due to their molecular arrangement they have a sharp melting point so molecules,
When in solid state, absorb a percentage of the high frequency mechanical vibrations, like spring behavior.
This make more difficult to transmit ultrasonic energy so higher amplitude are required.
b. Melt temperature. For Higher melt temperature of a polymer more ultrasonic energy is required.
c. Stiffness. The stiffer is a material the better is the transmission capability.
d. Regrind. If regrind is to be used the percentage should be regulated +/- 10% for proper control.
Sonic weld equipment.

Stacking Design Guidelines :
In order to design the joint correctly, a number of questions must be answered:
1. What material is being used?

2. What are the available dimensions to package studs?
3. What loading must the stake resist (e.g. tensile, shear)?
4. Is appearance important?
5. Will multiple staking be necessary? If so, what is the distance between the studs?
6. Are the stakes recessed in the part and, if so, is there clearance for the horn?
These questions must be answered to determine the requirements of the application, these
requirements and the physical size of the stud(s) being staked that determined the type of design to
utilized.
1. What material is being used?
Heat stake covers the need to join parts of dissimilar plastic, or other material.
Best results are achieved when the material to be held in place has a higher melt temperature than
The plastic post at least 50° C.
Parts to perform under load and temperature must take in consideration that Plastic Mechanical properties
change with the temperature.
What Best Practices or Design Guidelines are available? :

BP 112473 HEAT STAKE FOR AIR INLET EXTENSIONS
BP 113187 HEAT STAKE ATTACHMENTS FOR MULTI PIECE GRILLES- HEAT STAKE TABS
2. What are the available dimensions to package stakes?
Dimensions to package stakes are determined by Stud/post size, Manufacturing clearances and strength
of the joint required.
.
There are few recommendations like:
-A good Design practice forms the finished head to at least
twice the diameter of the staking post
-The Height of the stud should be between 1.5 to 2 times

stud diameter.
But Are they enough to design a stake stud/post?.........

First Let’s review stake shapes in the Table 1.
Stud Standard Dimensions
HEATH STAKE STUD

DIMENSIONS
Table1. Typical Post Stud Geometry

HOLLOW STUD PREFFERED – BASIC DIMENSIONS Heat stake-Design guide lines
HOLLOW STUD PROFILE STANDARD EJECTOR SLEEVE – BASIC DIMENSIONS Heat stake-Design guide lines
Stake studs Profiles- Dimensions Heat stake-Design guide lines
V Hemisphere = ⅔π r³
V Hemisphere shell = 2π r² c
Manufacturing Considerations:
Manufacturing Considerations (Cont):
Figure 1. Figure 2.
-To avoid sink marks on appearance Panels with long studs that root wall stock is bigger than recommended
Ratio for the material used sink pads can be added.
-Stake studs should not be used as locators for multi-stake assembly locating pins should be used. Dimensional
Study should be performed to validate hole size in the panel vs stake stud. Recommended clearance between
Stud and hole in the panel is 0.15 to 0.25 mm per side. (see figure 2)
-To ensure tighten joints it is recommended add 1x1 mm recess in the intersection between the support
ribs to stud. (see figure 2)
BACK UP
trouble shooting
reference
Standard Probe vs Multi adjustable Probe

Heatstake Guide Lines

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Heatstake Guide Lines

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Heat stake-Design guide lines

Dash Mat Heat staking Close up

What is Heat stake ?.

What are the advantages of heat staking assembly?

•Elimination of consumables such as screws and rivets.

What are Technologies available for heat staking assembly?

*Thermal Heat stake

1.-The basic cycle starts preheating the tip to the Temperature

Coil Heathers 350W

Why Thermoplastic parts?

c. Stiffness. The stiffer is a material the better is the transmission capability.

Sonic weld equipment.

1. What material is being used?

What Best Practices or Design Guidelines are available? :

-The Height of the stud should be between 1.5 to 2 times

But Are they enough to design a stake stud/post?.........

Stud Standard Dimensions

HEATH STAKE STUD

Table1. Typical Post Stud Geometry

Standard Probe vs Multi adjustable Probe

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