taking apart ultrasonic welded parts

[crazycanuck]

high all crazycanuck is back with a problem .
I am thinking of making battery packs for cordless drills and other battery
type packs .
problem is not all drill batterys are screwed together, some are ultrasonic welded .
Question -- how do i take them apart without damaging the casing so i can install new battery pack and rejoin casing

 

[JohnD]

you have to cut them

once two parts have been welded together they are no longer two parts but one

 

[crazycanuck]

thanks for the reply john D
I thought maybe a good heat gun might make it plyable enough to force apart I want to save the boby for reuse.

 

[JohnD]

you might find a hot knife tool works (I think soldering equipment manufacturers make them) or a diamond cutting disk in a dremel but it is thermoplastics engineering.

 

[crazycanuck]

the body is ABS plastic , do you think acetone or the like might soften it enough to work.

 

[Richard C]

On the odd occasion I've wanted to get into one I’ve found the hot knife method works very well & allows you to stick it back together again afterwards. All I use is stanley knife blade over the gas but if you plan on doing it on a regularly basis, a proper electric knife as John suggests would probably be a good investment.