Welding and sealing systems: product lines reviewed.

A&A ELECTRONIC DIE CO. DIV. U.S. STEEL RULE DIE CO.

Builds dielectric welding equipment and supplies electronic sealing dies, tooling, and equipment for welding supported and unsupported PVC films, urethane, and coated fabrics. The latter include heat-sealing dies, articulating seal-and-cut dies, 360|degrees~ tube sealers, pushbutton automatic trays, Colpit and Kiefel dies, capping fixtures, and vacuum-form and applique dies. Typical applications are medical supplies, protective clothing, packaging, looseleaf binders, automotive interiors, furniture, luggage, life-support equipment, inflatables, and sales promotion.

ABLE ELECTRONIC DIE CORP.

Manufactures electronic heat-sealing dies and fixtures for the medical, advertising specialty, looseleaf binder, and handbag trades.

AIN PLASTICS

Offers hot-air welding equipment for use in fabrication, along with noncorrosive welding rods.

AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY INC.

Offers the ST40, a 40-kHz ultrasonic tube sealer. System adapts to most filling machines, is said to seal over 80 tubes/min, and includes a date-coding and trimming station.

ARMAC INDUSTRIES, LTD.

Company's Model 1216 blister sealer automatically feeds blisters into nesting trays, picks and places cards, provides a positive seal and ejects the finished package. The Camco six-position drive reportedly assures greater index accuracy with smoother acceleration and deceleration than a conventional Genevera drive. A toggle activated seal head affords higher pressure for a more uniform seal. Model 1216 accepts standard tooling for other six-station blister sealers. Cycle rates to 20 cpm are claimed.

ASHLAND CHEMICAL CO.

See Emabond Systems

ATLAS-VAC MACHINE DIV. PLANET PRODUCTS CORP.

Manufactures equipment for heat-sealing plastic materials to each other or to coated paperboard. Machinery ranges from basic semi-automatic versions to fully automated equipment. Two sealing methods are used: 1) applying heat and pressure to the back of the lidding material or paperboard and 2) applying heat and pressure to the face of the plastic material. Typical applications are conventional blister packages and lidded trays. Also available is a complete line of thermoforming equipment and automatic loaders to be used with company's heat-sealing equipment.

BRANSON ULTRASONICS CORP.

A wide range of 20-kHz ultrasonic systems with 150- to 3200-w power handle most thermoplastic assembly requirements, including welding, staking, swaging, spot welding, inserting, and degating. Each unit contains an electronic programmer that automatically controls power output, ultrasonic exposure, and pneumatic sequences. Dynamic triggering reportedly ensures that optimum conditions are reached before weld cycle begins. A system protection monitor is designed to safeguard components and ensure optimum results. Microprocessor-controlled 20-kHz systems enable constant-time or constant-energy welding and precise weld control. An ultrasonic trim knife and hand-held units are also available.

Company also offers a line of modular 40-kHz equipment with the same features as 20-kHz equipment. The higher frequency results in lower amplitude and more gentle vibration that can be beneficial for certain applications involving small, delicate parts. Component systems are available for automated production lines.

The Series 900M microprocessor-based power unit/controller for ultrasonic welding features multiple operational modes: conventional time welding, time welding with energy limits, energy welding with time limits, time/energy compensation welding, continuous and multiple-distance welding. The units are used with 20- and 40-kHz actuators. Integrated units are also available. Company offers software packages for external control of welders and statistical process control.

BYM ELECTRONICS

Ultrasonic welders for low- to medium-power plastics applications are offered. A 100-w, 40-kHz, or 50-kHz "Gentle Touch" system is designed for small, delicate parts. A 125-w, 40-kHz "Model Shop 40" is available for plastic model building, as is a 450-w system that can accommodate medium-sized assembly applications. A 900-w system is also available for larger units. An ultrasonic analyzer for testing systems and horns is also available. Company also manufactures horns and automatic assembly systems.

CALLANAN CO.

Manufactures RF sealing equipment from 0.9 to 60 kw. Turnkey systems include appropriate generator and press best suited to the customer's application, together with production tooling. Company builds equipment for fabricating medical disposables, for clamshell and blister packaging, and for welding seams and letters for back-lit signs, awnings, automotive, and industrial products.

COHERENT GENERAL

Supplies industrial C|O.sub.2~ lasers for sealing, cutting, and drilling materials such as nylon, acetal, PE, PS, rubber, acrylic, silicone, and PP.

COSMOS ELECTRONIC MACHINE CORP.

Manufactures RF heat-sealing equipment, which can be built to user specifications for various applications. Optional equipment to increase productivity such as shuttles, turntables, indexers, material feeders and board loaders is available. Company has its own in-house die facility for manufacture and repair of tooling. Carmo vinyl heat-sealable components, such as snap fasteners, medical fittings, grommets and valves are also available.

DIEMATIC MFG. CORP.

Supplies impulse or optional straight heat-sealing machines for blister packs and food or pharmaceutical trays. Most can be equipped with card feeders and product unloaders. Models include:

* SOCI four-station rotary machine with two heads that seal with each machine cycle.

* HAJ4 four-station machine for peel packs, blister packs, and lidding applications where reel-fed systems are not possible.

* ILSI impulse or optional straight heat sealer.

DRADER MFG. INDUSTRIES LTD.

The "Injectiweld" system is a hand-held welding gun that continuously feeds and melts a rod of thermoplastic (HDPE, ABS, PP, PS) and extrudes it under pressure as a continuous bead in the weld zone. The hot tip of the gun melts the surface of the substrate to be joined (of the same polymer as the welding gun), and the extrusion pressure causes an intimate joining of the bead and substrate in what the company calls a "true weld."

DUKANE CORP. ULTRASONICS DIV.

Company's ultrasonic plastic assembly systems weld, stake, seal, seam, and degate plastic parts and products. Dukane 20- and 40-kHz ultrasonic welding systems, ranging in power output from 350 to 2000 w, are said to consume less energy, improve quality, and eliminate need for fasteners or adhesives. Company's extensive line of ultrasonic equipment, recommended for applications in automotive, appliance, biomedical, electrical, textile, toy, and aerospace industries, includes rugged microcomputer-controlled press and thruster systems, SRT series rotary parts-handling systems, ultrasonic hand-gun and probe systems, and precision-machined ultrasonic horns and fixtures.

The Ultra-Com microcomputer for controlling and monitoring ultrasonic welding operations enhances the performance, accuracy, and productivity of company's heavy-duty thruster/press systems. It allows processors to ensure that the same amount of material melts in the joint each time for fewer rejects.

EMABOND SYSTEMS ASHLAND CHEMICAL INC.

The Emaweld system for electromagnetic welding uses inductive energy to create fusion bonds between thermoplastic parts. The system consists of a generator, water-cooled coils and special, magnetically active preforms. Preforms are fitted between parts and heated electromagnetically by the generator and coils. Fusion temperatures are reached in seconds. The system reportedly can weld most thermoplastics, including reinforced grades, quickly and cleanly, and is said to be especially effective in attaining reliable pressure-tight structural bonds. It also handles large or irregular shapes and is built as a turnkey operation, widely used in the medical, consumer, automotive, filter, battery and container markets.

ENERCON INDUSTRIES CORP.

Offers its Compak induction cap sealer, a noncontact system which establishes a magnetic field that heats the foil in the cap liner and creates a hermetic seal. Company's systems are solid-state for high reliability and low maintenance and are reportedly effective and efficient with their "instant on" capability and an automatic frequency control, which provides constant flux density, unaffected by the number of caps under the sealing head. Various unique coil designs handle virtually any application, regardless of container material, size, shape or product fill. Compak's design allows mounting of cap sealer directly over conveyor, saving floor space.

ENGINEERED INSERTS & SYSTEMS

Equipment offered includes:

* Heat equipment to stake together pieces of dissimilar materials using heat, pressure and time.

* Ultrasonic heat equipment for manual, pneumatic, semi-automatic or fully automatic assembly/installation of metal inserts in thermoplastics.

* Automatic assembly equipment, which can put together any number of plastic or metal parts, electronically inspect individual parts or finished assemblies, and move them to a packaging station.

FORWARD TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES HYDRA SEALER DIV.

Offers its Hydra Sealer line of hot-plate welding equipment for sealing plastic parts. High strength, hermetic seals, high production rates and ability to weld unusual part designs are reported advantages. Equipment ranges from small, low-production table models to high-production machines capable of welding parts up to 4 sq ft. Applications include such parts as appliance pumps, air-conditioning ducts, automotive batteries, automotive reservoirs, taillight assemblies, gas tanks and other containers.

FORWARD TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES MECASONIC DIV.

Offers a complete line of ultrasonic and spin-welding units. Microprocessor or standard ultrasonic bench welders are available in 20, 30 and 40 kHz with power ranging from 900 to 2700 w. Probe systems are available in 20 and 30 kHz with power supplies of 900 to 1800 w. Hand units are 30 kHz with power of 600 w. All bench welders are microprocessor-controlled and equipped with a head that levels to the part, as well as pretriggering, dynamic triggering, electronic bottom stop and factory-installed wiring for semi- or automatic plug-in operation.

The continuous-welding ultrasonic system for fabric and film sealing has a rotary horn, which seals at speeds up to twice that of conventional methods, while maintaining a consistent quality seal.

The Mecasonic Spin Welder seals circular-axis parts made of PP, PE, PVC, nylon and most other thermoplastics.

GTE SYLVANIA

Offers a complete line of high-temperature hot-air tools, including hand-held benchtop systems. Company's Serpentine heating-element design results in a hot-air tool capable of extremely high temperatures--up to 1600 F.

HARWIL CORP.

Specializes in lightweight, low-cost hand tools for heat-sealing plastic film and bags in thicknesses from 1/4 to 10 mil. Sealing lengths extend from 7 to 36 in. Adjustable temperature is controlled over a range from 150 to 475 F. Simple operation and one-step sealing are claimed. TFE-coated sealing edge is easily changed by loosening two screws.

HELLERBOND DIV. ALFRED F. LEATHERMAN CO.

Equipment, bonding agents, and technology are offered for high-speed induction bonding of thermoplastics and metal to plastics. Plastics welds are achieved by magnetically generated heat produced when magnetic particles in the bonding agent are exposed to an RF field. The bonding agent is applied as a liquid, hot melt, die-cut film, powder, ribbon, filament, or coextrusion. Welded bonds are achieved in TP polyester, polycarbonate, PP, HDPE, nylon, PPO/PPE blends, FEP fluoropolymer, ABS, PVC, and many TP elastomers, among other materials.

HERRMANN ULTRASONICS INC.

Offers fully computer-controlled ultrasonic welding machines with built-in quality-control systems. Single-head and multihead systems are available with sound enclosure and various automation features such as simple menu-driven keypad programming, complete memory-resident welding programs, graphic display of the welding process, alphanumeric fault-message display, indexed quick-changeover tool system, and power output levels up to 3000 w.

HIGH FREQUENCY TECHNOLOGY CO.

Markets RF high-frequency plastic welders/sealers in models ranging from 1-kw to 150-kw output with pneumatic or hydraulic presses. A complete line of accessory materials-handling equipment, such as rotary indexing turntables, side-to-side shuttle slide tables, and automatic roll-feed indexing mechanisms, is also available.

In addition, company supplies pre-machined brass electrode/die rule and diemaking apparatus for in-house fabrication of RF heat-sealing dies/electrodes and RF sealing dies for users who require professional diemaking services.

Company imports other machinery and die-supply products associated with plastic sealing.

HYDRA SEALER DIV.

See Forward Technology Industries.

ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION

Welding equipment available from Italian companies includes:

* Heat sealing for film (bagmaking, wrapping).

* High-frequency welding (for stationery, packaging, automotive parts, medical items, and inflatables).

* Ultrasonic welding for assembling molded and/or extruded parts.

Contact office for information on suppliers.

KABAR MANUFACTURING CORP.

Offers a line of RF heat sealers from 1 to 50 kw. Units can be custom-designed for a specific application such as medical products, protective clothing, awnings, truck tarps and waterbeds. Auxiliary equipment offered includes shuttles, turntables, in-line automatic indexers, plus automatic robot units such as material feeders, board loaders and printing units. Company's electronic die shop is available for fabricating heat-sealing dies. Electronic die rule kits and Carmo vinyl precuts such as medical fittings, grommets, snap fasteners, and valves are also offered. Complete turnkey systems are available.

KAMWELD PRODUCTS CO., INC.

Hot-air welders are supplied for tack and hand welding of all weldable thermoplastics, including high-temperature materials. Standard hand-held models require compressed air and 110-v AC (350 to 900 w). Portable models have a built-in air compressor. Units and their electric heating elements are made of stainless steel.

Company supplies a complete set of standard tips and tools for tack welding or welding with round or triangular rods and flat strips, and a heating device for bending thermoplastic sheets.

KENSOL-OLSENMARK, INC.

Air-operated heat-sealing and welding units with electrically controlled dwell time are available in pressure ranges from 1/2 to 10 tons. Presses have thermostatic control; heated heads range from 2 x 4 in. to 20 x 30 in.

KIEFEL SYSTEMS

Manufactures a wide range of contact welding, high-frequency (RF) heating-sealing, and combination RF/contact sealing machines for use in automotive, packaging, stationery and medical industries. Machines include:

* Double-shuttle tables for small-scale production of blister packs, folded boxes, videocassette cases and holders. Equipped with an automatic shuttle-table system and maximum welding areas of 900 x 1300 mm (RF) and 400 x 700 mm (contact-heat).

* Two-, four- and six-station turntables for small- to medium-scale production (RF and contact-heat) of blister packs, folded boxes, videocassette cases and holders. Can be used in semi-automated or fully automated production in combination with thermoforming machines.

* Indexing machines for large-scale production of blister packs and videocassette cases with a maximum welding area of 610 x 670 mm.

* RF and contact-heat indexing machines with sheet inserter for large-scale production of folded boxes. Used in RF embossing for PVC and thermocontact embossing for PET or PP.

* Contact-heat indexing machines for large-scale production of disposable liquid packs in sizes from 3 to 20 liters. Equipped with automatic material unwind, hole punch for filling tubes, automatic tube feed, crosscutter and stacking device.

Company conducts welding courses and seminars, training in both theory and practical applications.

LARAMY PRODUCTS CO., INC.

High-speed hot-gas welders feature six interchangeable "located-heat" elements with welding temperatures of 450-1150 F. Wattages are 250 to 750 with heat concentrated at the tips for easy barrel handling. Company also offers portable air compressors, extra-long barrels for high-heat applications, and a wide variety of tip configurations. Specially engineered nitrogen-saving units are available that can reportedly cut nitrogen consumption by 50%. Company makes equipment to bend and weld thermoplastic sheets for fabricating tanks, hoods, etc.; and specialized contact welders for plastic pipe.

Also offered is the hand-held 7-lb X-True-Weld welder for thick thermoplastic sheets. Unit employs a single-tube heating system, which continuously feeds standard plastic welding rods into a melting chamber through a motor-driven wheel-feeding mechanism. The molten stream is forced out by the incoming cold plastic rod, resulting in one-pass welding. The PTFE welding "shoes," which are available in four thicknesses and three configurations for flat, inside-corner and outside-corner welds, automatically size-match molten plastic for the correct amount and shape of weld, according to the company. Unit can weld forward or backward and converts to right- or left-handed operation.

LEPEL CORP.

Supplies induction heating power supplies and work-handling systems for bonding. Also offered are induction cap-sealing generators for hermetically sealing membranes to plastic containers.

BRIAN LYTTLE, INC.

Manufactures its Sur-Bon Seamer, a hot-wire seamer, which can join most thermoplastics and trim waste. Widths from 12 to 75 in. can be accommodated. Company also offers the Engel line of heat-cutting and heat-sealing units, ranging from small hand-held units to large slitting and sealing models.

MAGNUM SONICS INC.

Offers its hand-held, 20-kHz ultrasonic welder that incorporates an automatically controlled pneumatic clamp. Unit weighs 5 lb and is powered by a 500-, 1000-, or 1500-w generator. An assortment of welding tips, anvils, timing and energy-control options is available. The welder can be retrofitted to existing ultrasonic systems.

MASTER APPLIANCE CORP.

Offers an all-purpose industrial heat gun for applying shrink tubing and solder preforms; welding plastics; and bending, softening and forming thermoplastic materials and curing epoxies. Gun is available with an optional pinpoint attachment for welding plastic. A built-in stand is standard. Master Model HG510A heats to 750 F, VT750C variable-temperature heat gun to 1000 F.

MASTERSONICS, INC.

Builds ultrasonic welding equipment and related tooling. Standard line consists of a 20-kHz welding press with power supplies from 350 to 1200 w. A hand-held model or tabletop press is available with a 100-w power supply, thruster capabilities, and 50 kHz. A 20-kHz handgun is standard. Automated systems can be made to order. A standard rotary indexer is available with multiple stations. Company also offers spin-welding equipment, which can handle applications not feasible with ultrasonic welding.

MECASONIC DIV.

See Forward Technology Industries.

MIDTECH SYSTEMS, INC.

Manufactures spin welders for cylindrical and spherical plastic parts, hot-blade fusion welders, 1/2- to 5-ton heat-stake/swage units, and custom-built assembly systems. Spin welders range from 1 to 5 hp with low/high torque, AC and DC drive, and can handle parts from 1/2- to 24-in. diam. Indexing via turntable or lineal conveyor with automatic load/unload turnkey systems is offered.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENT CO.

Manufactures thermal-impulse sealers for thermoplastic film. Sealing length is up to 24 in., producing 2-mm-wide flat seals.

OLSEN MANUFACTURING CO., INC.

Company's line of spin welders ranges from bench-type models for small parts to free-standing machines that weld up to 24-in.-diam. parts. Available options include tachometer, trimmers, and automatic loaders and unloaders, as well as test stations. These state-of-the-art spin welders have dual palm buttons for operator safety when initiating the weld cycle and a solid-state programmable controller to monitor all functions of the machine operation. The basic spin welder is designed as a modular unit, which can be incorporated into automated lines. Company also designs and builds dial-index and in-line machines to automate the welding process.

PILLAR TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Company's induction cap sealer is reportedly the first 100% solid-state, air-cooled generator designed specifically for heating a foil inner seal. This system is said to require only half the water for cooling the unit and about half the power of vacuum-tube equipment and requires no warm-up period.

Built-in feedback circuits are designed to maintain constant output. Units handle closures at line speeds up to 200 ft/min, and the company reports FCC certification for the system.

PLASTICS ASSEMBLY CORP.

Offers custom-manufactured contact heat-welding equipment.

RADIO FREQUENCY CO., INC.

Sells induction and dielectric processing systems. Induction machinery provides localized heating for plastic forming, coating, and foil sealing. Fully automated, turnkey, or manual-handling systems are offered from 1 to 300 kw and 450 kHz to 5 mHz. Dielectric systems feature company's patented Macrowave process. Automated or manual systems are available, ranging from 1 to 200 kw and 12 to 120 mHz. Feasibility studies are also offered.

RADYNE CORP.

A full line of RF heat-sealing equipment ranges from hand-held units to rotary turntables 28 ft in diam. Presses are available to 30 tons. Generators are frequency-stabilized, FCC-certified, and available in power outputs from 500 w to 100 kw. Individual presses and generators are offered, and the company specializes in tray-type shuttles, roll-feeding, and rotary systems. These systems are usually sold as an integrated unit to ensure reliability and accuracy. All generators incorporate a completely solid-state arc-sensing unit. Other accessories are available that match generator output to the workload. Integral electric and seal-checking units, which alert operators when sealing quality deteriorates, are also available.

S.P. INDUSTRIES

Manufactures RF heat-sealing and thermal heat-sealing equipment and accessories. RF heat sealers are available from 4 through 30 kw. Accessories include side-to-side shuttles, rotary and in-line indexers, and heated platens. Company offers its "Current Monitor," which uses current, not time, to control the welding cycle. The device prevents under- and over-welded parts.

Company will design and build special systems to customer's specifications.

SEELYE INC.

Manufactures electrical plastic welding equipment for industrial and automotive applications. Equipment includes a hot-air welding gun, assorted tips and elements, welding rod stock, four models of heat guns, and a lightweight heat gun said to have an almost indestructible element that can heat to temperatures of 1100 F with no cooling cycle. The welders, with a variable heat range of 400-900 F, are said to be capable of bonding PVC, ABS, PP, or PE at speeds of 4 ft/min. A portable, self-contained unit is available.

SENTINEL MACHINERY

Formerly Packaging Industries Group, product line includes laboratory heat sealers and formers, high-frequency sealers, in-line and turntable systems for stationery and office supplies, medical devices, blister sealing, inflatables, and other plastic-to-plastic heat-sealing applications.

SERVICE TECTONICS, INC.

Offers a versatile fusion-bonding machine. Side platens are accessible so that tooling can be moved in and out of the equipment easily. Setup is said to be easy, and changes from one tool to another can be kept to a minimum.

Company also offers a hot-air staking machine in various sizes that reportedly makes heat staking more efficient and simpler. Tooling for this machine is also available.

SERVPAK

Equipment for heat-sealing plastic covers on containers can handle either roll stock or individual cover feed. Equipment is said to be easy to adapt to different shapes.

SONIC EASE, INC.

Manufactures ultrasonic horns, tooling equipment, and a microprocessor controller, the RX 1000, which is retrofittable and can be installed on any manufacturer's ultrasonic welder. Company also manufactures complete systems that can include index tables, shuttles, hot stamping, pad printing, automatic loading and unloading, spin welding, heat sealing, and automatic insertion.

SONICS & MATERIALS, INC.

Manufactures a complete line of ultrasonic plastics assembly systems capable of welding, inserting, staking and reforming thermoplastic components. Equipment is available in three frequencies (15, 20, and 40 kHz) and power outputs from 200 to 4000 w. Microprocessor-controlled systems are available that monitor and report conditions during each process cycle and compensate for variables to give consistent results. Operating parameters such as time, energy and trigger force are easily entered through the microprocessor keypad. Up to nine jobs can be stored and sequenced. Options include CRT monitor, hard-copy printer, linear encoder (which allows accurate welding by distance), and SPC and PC interface capabilities. Welders with conventional timer controls also are available.

In addition to bench-top welders, company offers the 1096S slimline actuator, which is designed for use in automated systems where space is at a premium. Compact hand-held welders, available with many accessories, are suited to assembling large parts or those with hard-to-reach joint surfaces.

SONOBOND ULTRASONICS, INC.

Ultrasonic assembly equipment for welding, staking, and inserting is available. The Sureweld series includes a four-year warranty on 1000-, 900-, 600-, 400-, 200- and 50-w systems. All are adaptable to company's built-in microcomputer controller and can be modified for automated operation. The Cavitron 800- and 1600-w units have automatic frequency and power control.

Applications include welding thermoplastics, inserting mechanical fasteners, degating parts, and cutting and sealing fabrics. The Lacemaster 20 series combines cut and seal operation and is available in 900- and 1200-w models. Custom design and feasibility recommendations are available for tooling.

SPIROL INTERNATIONAL CORP.

Produces a full line of heat and ultrasonic inserts for use in plastics, as well as heat-insertion equipment for cost-effective installation. Free application engineering services ensure specification of the best part and system for each application.

STRAUB DESIGN CO.

Offers an automatic plastic heat-riveting machine for sealing up to 50 rivets simultaneously. Unit automatically feeds parts on a powered conveyor, then separates, locates, rivets up to 50 projections simultaneously, and discharges items on the conveyor to the next operation. Machine cycle time is 24-30 sec. Automatic web unwind/rewind stands, weld/scrap winders and automatic splicing machines with speeds up to 800 ft/min are also available.

T.A. SYSTEMS INC.

Builds special machinery for its hot-air staking ("hot-cold upset") process. A hot-air gun blows flow-controlled air across the plastic boss, which is then upset with a cold rod that extracts the heat from the plastic to form any shape head desired. Because the boss is thermally reformed with hot air and not mechanically formed, there reportedly is no tendency to delayed stress-cracking, as may be caused by ultrasonic staking or orbital riveting. Higher strength assemblies are said to result, since material around the boss reportedly is undamaged by the assembly process. Machinery cost is said to be 40-60% less than for ultrasonic staking and 10% less than for conventional heat staking. Any number of bosses on various planes and/or angles can be upset at the same time. Assembly time is said to be less than 10 sec, regardless of the number of bosses.

THERMEX THERMATRON INC.

High-frequency dielectric heat-sealing equipment from 1 to 100 kw is designed for welding, heat sealing, embossing, and die cutting supported and unsupported vinyls and other thermoplastics. Solid-state, harmonic-free units, custom or standardized, are frequency stabilized to meet and surpass FCC requirements. Accessories include board feeders, indexers, inserters, shuttles, turntables, quick-disconnect features, temperature-controlled platens and tools, dies, and fixtures. Looseleaf binders and disposable medical products reportedly can be produced at rates up to 80,000/day with one operator. F-series models feature circuitry said to require an average of 32% less energy than comparable heat sealers.

TOOLTEX INC.

Offers custom built hot-plate welders featuring spool-fed teflon foil platen protection system to eliminate buildup of molten material. Crystalline and amorphous thermoplastic parts as large as 12 x 18 in. requiring temperatures as high as 700 F are within the scope of machine's capabilities. Temperature and sequence are controlled by a microprocessor-based controller. The spool-fed teflon foil, which shields the platen, can be manually or automatically advanced so that a fresh surface makes contact with each pair of parts.

ULTRA SONIC SEAL CO.

Manufactures a full line of ultrasonic welding equipment, as well as tooling for welding, staking, forming, spot welding, inserting, tube sealing, and continuous film sealing. Equipment ranges from small hand-held units to large automated systems. Welding can be continuous, timed, depth-controlled, or microprocessor-controlled with q-c functions. All power supplies incorporate a variable power control for fine amplitude adjustment between normal booster ranges.

VALAD ELECTRIC HEATING CO.

Manufactures electric impulse heat sealers with 14- and 18-in. jaws, manual heat sealers with 6-in. jaws, heat-sealing irons with heat controls, and heating elements for specialized sealing applications.

VERTROD CORP.

Manufactures a line of semi-automatic thermal-impulse sealing machines for films, foams, fabrics, and laminates used in both packaging and fabricating. Sealing capacity ranges from 4 to 240 in. and seal widths extend from 1/8 to 4 in. Over 250 models of 13 basic machine types are built, with modified and custom equipment also available. Sealers can be integrated into automatic packaging systems. Units can seal contours and trim in various shapes, open or closed, symmetrical or irregular.

VINTON INC. SUB. OF BRANSON ULTRASONICS

Manufactures linear vibration welders, hot-plate welders, and tooling for joining thermoplastic assemblies. Both technologies provide strong, repeatable structural bonds and hermetic seals. Cycle times generally range from 6 to 30 sec, depending on size or complexity. Vibration welders feature variable high frequency, small amplitude (|+ or -~30 mil), and hydraulic clamping for parts up to 55.5 x 25 in. Hot-plate welders feature smooth, controlled motions for delicate assemblies, complex parting lines, or flexible components. Parts to 24 x 48 in. can be accommodated. Both processes can be fitted to conveyors, rotary tables, or pick-and-place robot loaders.

WELLTEC INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

Now Cosmos Electronic Machine Corp.

WEST COAST PLASTICS EQUIPMENT

Distributes 1) Vertrod Corp.'s thermal impulse sealers and welders for plastic film and sheet, 2) Packaging Aids Corp.'s impulse heat sealers for film and bags and 3) Heat Sealing Equipment Co.'s heated jaw sealers and simple packagers. Full stocks of spare parts and complete repair services are maintained.

WESTERN SUPPLIES CO.

A line of dielectric heat-sealing equipment is offered. Company also manufactures supplementary equipment, including dies, fixtures, and loading trays.

BRIAN R. WHITE CO., INC.

Company is the sole U.S. representative of Leister (Switzerland) hot-air tools--from hand-held, electronically controlled hot-air tools for welding PE, PP, HDPE, LDPE, PVC and ABS, to automatic hot-air welders for in-house and field applications. Also available are heat sources, blowers and accessories for building into other machinery. The electronically controlled hot-air tools are rated from 260 w up to 39 kw, from single hand-held tools to complete industrial systems.

ZED INDUSTRIES

Blister heat-sealing machines are offered with platen areas ranging from 10 x 10 in. to 25 x 50 in. Over 36 different types of blister sealers are available, ranging from manual-feed units to completely in-line automatic heat sealers, rotary-type heat sealers, belt and tray sealers, and special units that heat seal and trim at the same station. Seal and Trim machines are offered up to 160 tons with platen areas from 8 x 10 in. to 36 x 48 in. Company also offers complete in-line, form-fill seal units with platen areas from 5 x 7 in. up to 25 x 25 in.