New developments in the field of laser and infrared welding, which have made traditional clamping devices redundant, were showcased at two prestigious international exhibitions last year, Plastics USA in Chicago and K2004 in Düsseldorf. Other innovations include the increased use of servo drives for laser, hot plate and vibration welding, a computer control system capable of controlling up to four ultrasonic welders simultaneously and equipment for optically measuring the weldability of plastic parts by laser. According to Leicester Process Technologies of Switzerland, their new Globo laser welder is the first of its kind that does not require the use of a device to clamp the parts together.