This invention firstly relates to a method for joining a first component made of a plastic material, in particular a thermoplastic and/or thermosetting plastic material, to a second component by applying a joining element on the first component, wherein the joining element has a supporting plate formed of a thermoplastic and/or thermosetting plastic material and comprising a connecting means and a supporting plate bore. The method comprising the steps ofincorporating a bore into the first component; welding the supporting plate to the first component; and joining the first component and the second component by incorporating a joining means arranged on the second component into the connecting means. Due to welding of the supporting plate to the first component, a rivet joint, otherwise generally required for joining the supporting plate to the first component , can be omitted, whereby the production of a junction by means of the inventive joining means is considerably simplified. Moreover, weakening of the first component as well as formation of corrosion processes due to different materials used for riveting being adjacent can be avoided. In addition, the invention relates to a joining element for creating a junction in accordance with the method. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device, in particular for performing the method.