An apparatus for manufacturing rectangular frames of plastic material includes an apparatus frame and welding heads. A material clamp cooperates with an associated frame member to hold the associated frame member in a desired location during a frame assembly operation. A heat plate is movably attached to each welding head. The heat plate can be selectively positioned to an operating position. The material clamp positions the associated frame member in close proximity to the heat plate to heat a set of ends of the associated frame member utilizing only radiation and convection of heat developed by the heat plate. The plurality of welding heads exert pressure on adjoining associated frame members after the heat plate is removed from the operating position in order to weld the adjoining associated frame members together to form a rectangular frame.

The utilization of heat in the manufacturing of footwear may be accomplished through microwave energy. The microwave energy is conveyed to the footwear components through a microwave transparent window of a tool. The microwave transparent tool window forms as least a portion of a part-contacting surface of the tool. Another surface of the tool is formed from a microwave reflecting material, such as aluminum. The footwear component(s) are exposed to microwave energy while within the tool such that the microwave energy passes through the tool window to cause a dielectric heating of one or more materials within a tool cavity of the tool.

A method of manufacturing a workpiece includes heating a pre-formed blank of a first fiber reinforced thermoplastic material in an oven. A second fiber reinforced thermoplastic material is heated in an extruder. The second fiber reinforced thermoplastic material is extruded from the extruder, within the oven, to form an extrudate. The extrudate is positioned on the pre-formed blank of the first fiber reinforced thermoplastic material, within the oven, to form a composite blank. The extrudate may be formed into a shape before being positioned onto the pre-formed blank, after being positioned onto the pre-formed blank. The composite blank may then be transferred to a final shaping station.

The utilization of heat in the manufacturing of footwear may be accomplished through microwave energy. The microwave energy is conveyed to the footwear components through a microwave transparent window of a tool. The microwave transparent tool window forms as least a portion of a part-contacting surface of the tool. Another surface of the tool is formed from a microwave reflecting material, such as aluminum. The footwear component(s) are exposed to microwave energy while within the tool such that the microwave energy passes through the tool window to cause a dielectric heating of one or more materials within a tool cavity of the tool.

A packaging machine including a hot plate assembly adapted to fuse a length of heat-sensitive film wrapped around a package. A controller is adapted to calculate a time period the heating element is energized to fuse the length of heat-sensitive film wrapped around the package based on an initial temperature of the heating element. A hot plate status indicator is adapted to indicate at least to different statuses of operation of the packaging machine.

The embodiments described herein provide improved techniques for laser welding. These techniques can provide improved weld strength while reducing the potential for damage at the welding surface. In general, the techniques use a mask to selectively block a portion of the laser beam during welding. Specifically, the mask is made to include at least one laser light blocking feature and at least one laser light passing feature. The mask is positioned to be in contact with the plastic bodies that are to be welded together, with the laser light blocking feature and laser light passing feature proximate to the area that is to be welded. Then during welding the laser beam is operated to simultaneously impact the laser light blocking feature and pass through the laser light passing feature.

A laser welding apparatus is provides that includes: a support member including a heat generation portion which has a size that is limited to correspond to a size of a welding area of a plurality of plastic components and is made from a material that absorbs a laser beam and generates heat, and which generates heat of a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting temperature of the plastic components; a laser beam irradiation unit for converging a laser beam to be transmitted through the plurality of plastic components, and irradiating the laser beam toward the heat generation portion through the plurality of plastic components; and a welding controller for causing a laser beam to be irradiated at the heat generation portion using the laser beam irradiation unit to thereby cause the heat generation portion to generate heat, and welding abutting faces of a welding area of the plurality of plastic components with heat that is generated.

A method of manufacturing a workpiece includes heating a pre-formed blank of a first fiber reinforced thermoplastic material in an oven. A second fiber reinforced thermoplastic material is heated in an extruder. The second fiber reinforced thermoplastic material is extruded from the extruder, within the oven, to form an extrudate. The extrudate is positioned on the pre-formed blank of the first fiber reinforced thermoplastic material, within the oven, to form a composite blank. The extrudate may be formed into a shape before being positioned onto the pre-formed blank, after being positioned onto the pre-formed blank. The composite blank may then be transferred to a final shaping station.

A cooking apparatus includes a non-ferrous cooking vessel configured to receive food. The cooking apparatus also includes a ferrous cooking vessel cover that is configured for placement over a top of the non-ferrous cooking vessel. The cooking apparatus also includes one or more induction heating elements suspended from the ferrous cooking vessel cover, and a radiation source. The radiation source is configured to deliver electromagnetic radiation to the ferrous cooking vessel cover and the one or more induction heating elements such that the ferrous cooking vessel cover and the one or more induction heating elements are heated.

Packaging apparatus comprises two counter-rotatable sealing dies for pressing together two tissue webs to produce pockets for containing a substance for preparing beverages and to seal around the pockets, and two heating drums for heating the sealing dies and each being positioned inside a respective sealing die, wherein a first heating zone of each heating drum comprises a first plurality of circumferentially distributed infrared heating elements, and a second heating zone of each heating drum comprises a second plurality of circumferentially distributed infrared heating elements.