Plastic welding specialist Dukane Corp., St. Charles, Ill., has acquired all the assets and intellectual property of KVT Bielefeld GmbH, Bielefeld, Germany, a move that gives Dukane a larger presence in Germany and access to KVT's proprietary hot-gas welding technology.

Dukane made the news public during a news conference at NPE. Hot-gas welding produces particulate-free strong bonds of thermoplastic components, the company said. It is well-suited for welding parts with complex geometries and/or demanding cosmetic requirements.

With the acquisition, Dukane's key bonding offerings include servo-ultrasonic, hot gas, vibration, infrared pre-heat vibration, convectional hot plate, infrared hot plate, rotational, heat staking, two-phase thermal forming, electromagnetic resistance and induction inserting.