A variety of flexible materials are suitable for hot air welding as it forms a sealable bond in the manufacturing process. This process creates a strong bond that prevents leaks and resists tears, making it ideal for the manufacturing of medical, military, recreational, construction products and others. The hot air heat sealing process is also accomplished faster than radio frequency welding, making it a more efficient overall when manufacturing products in large quantities.
Hot Air Welding: Manufacturing a bond
Hot air welding uses forced air and rollers to heat and seal materials together.
The process of using a hot air weld involves the use of a nozzle to force heated air between two layers of material. The panel edges to be joined are channeled by guides, in this case through a stream of heat and then directly between a set of pressurized rollers to complete the heat sealing process.
As two panels are fed through metal folders, the desired seam width is lapped at the nozzle. The rollers pull the material through as hot air is forced between the layers, just before it goes through a set of pinch rollers. The materials are heated and slightly melted before going through the pressure rollers. After the pressure rollers weld the materials, the product is quickly cooled, resulting in a thermal weld of the two materials. The overlapping seam is equal to or even stronger than the original materials and creates a tight seal that has great tear resistance and is durable against abrasion.
Using Hot Air Welding to Create Irregular Shapes
Hot air welding allows flexibility in how the materials move through the metal folders and pressure rollers. This is not possible with RF welding or wedge welders, lending itself to a more freehand style of bonding materials. Having room to work with the materials offers flexibility in creating shapes such as circles and products that require multiple angles in its design. Call us if you have a project that requires hot air welded seams!
