Outdoor Water Meter Endpoints

Lasting Hermetic Seals in Dissimilar Materials, Even in Harsh Environments

The Plastic Welding Challenge

Outdoor water meter endpoints are critical utility devices that house delicate metal transmitters that must function reliably for decades. These housings need to prevent moisture, chemicals, and trauma from damaging the internal components while being exposed to temperature swings and fluctuating weather conditions. To complicate matters, the design required joining dissimilar materials, PC/ABS to TPO, something that conventional welding technologies consistently failed to achieve. Spin, vibration, or laser welding either introduced flash, couldn’t maintain a hermetic seal, or simply wasn’t capable of dissimilar material bonding.

The Outdoor Water Meter Endpoint Required:

Reliable protection for sensitive internal components.
Ability to consistently pass salt fog testing.
Welds strong enough for 20+ years in severe environments.
Hermetic, leakproof seals
Flash-free, distortion-free joints
Lasting results in dissimilar materials.

The Emabond Solution for Hermetic Seals in Dissimilar Materials

Emabond offered the only viable technology that could deliver durable, hermetic welds strong enough to pass salt fog and high-pressure testing while securely bonding PC/ABS to TPO. By applying an Emabond co-injection molded gasket at the weld line, the OEM achieved consistent, flash-free welds that eliminated the risk of leakage or rework and ensured long-term protection of the sensitive internal components, while also being a cost reduction to their assembly process.

Immediate Results with Valuable Benefits:

Proven Strength: Welds strong enough to pass salt fog and high-pressure testing, ensuring decades of outdoor service.
Hermetic Protection: Leakproof, flash-free seals that keep delicate electronics safe from moisture and environmental damage.
Dissimilar Material Bonding: Secure joining of PC/ABS to TPO, a combination that traditional welding methods couldn’t achieve.
Faster Assembly: Co-injection molding simplified production, reducing cycle times and labor costs.
Lower Material Costs: Embedded bond lines eliminated the need for added gaskets while cutting overall plastic use.
- Overall Cost savings of $0.45 per part from cheaper parent material and evolved Emabond processing.
Improved Performance: Clean, distortion-free welds maintained signal quality through the radome and elevated product reliability.

Emabond’s Lasting Impact

For over 15 years, this OEM relied on Emabond formed rings to achieve durable, hermetic welds. By evolving the process with co-injection molding, they not only reduced costs and improved efficiency but also delivered a stronger, longer-lasting product that met stringent utility demands.

Weld Smarter with Emabond Technology

Emabond welding tackles the plastic joining challenges that traditional methods can’t. For high-strength, hermetic bonds across complex designs and dissimilar materials, nothing delivers like Emabond.