(Magna Exteriors)
Magna has put a new twist on joining thermoplastic materials in order to help automakers cut weight and costs: torsional welding.
The torsional welding process, developed by Magna for automotive applications at its exteriors plant in Liberec, Czech Republic, presents a new way to join plastics. It features a high-speed twisting motion that creates enough friction-based heat to join a plastic bracket to a thermoplastic fascia.