English translation: fusing (or fusion bonding) vs. welding
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08:26 Sep 10, 2008
Japanese to English translations [PRO] Law/Patents - Materials (Plastics, Ceramics, etc.)
Japanese term or phrase:溶着 ｖｓ。 溶接
I understand that both can be translated as "welding", but I am working with a patent where they are both used to refer to something different, or they are being compared. This leads me to translate 溶接 as welding, and then 溶着 as something different such as "adhere" or "bond". But I am not sure that "adhere" or "bond" fully encompass the meaning. Does anyone know the difference, and the proper translation for when both are used in the same document?
Explanation: I don't know if there is always a distinction between the two, but if your particular patent application is maing a distinction, I guess it is a use or non-use of a third material in between two objects to be put together: If the two objects are melt to bond to each other, it is 溶着 (fusing), and if you use a third material and melt the joint together with this material, it is 溶接 (welding). Does this make sense in your context?
For instance, Webster has fuse as:
transitive verb
1: to reduce to a liquid or plastic state by heat
2: to blend thoroughly by or as if by melting together : combine
3: to stitch by applying heat and pressure with or without the use of an adhesive
intransitive verb
1 a: to become fluid with heat bBritish : to fail because of the blowing of a fuse
2: to become blended or joined by or as if by melting
Thanks everyone for their answers! After considering my document, I felt that just "bonding" wouldn't quite get the point across, and that "fusion bonding" includes the both concepts of 溶 and 着. Thanks Yuki! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Actually the materials in question are synthetic resin molded articles, so I guess non-metals. But both words are used with respect to methods regarding these kind of materials.
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Answers
40 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +3
welding vs.bonding
Explanation: In view of the subject referring to various materials, I believe the term 溶接 is usually related to welding in the contect of metal joining, but when discussing joining of non-metalic materials, we usually say 'bonding', and although sources appear to equate the two Japanese terms, it may be worth checking with which material they are being used, and I would favour 溶着 when talking about non-metals.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 44 mins (2008-09-10 09:10:35 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Welding normally assumes the same material being used to join two surfaces, whereas with non-metals, the "bonding agent" is normally a different material.
However this is further confused when discussing joining alloys!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2008-09-10 12:27:33 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Mr. Millar's additional note that the items to be joined are synthetic resin products suggests that 'bonding' could be inferred for both terms. I feel uncertain about 'melt', but this would depend upon whether the resin is a thermosetting type or a thermoplastic type. ie thermosetting resin parts would probably need a separate bonding material, whereas a thermoplastic resin may be able to be bonded by simply heating both parts and applying pressure. Many variables I believe!
Derek Newport Local time: 04:12 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
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peer agreement (net): +3
