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.

A fencing material includes a border material including a first polymer and having an interior surface; and a mesh material having a front and a back, a portion of at least one of the front and the back being bonded to the interior surface of the border material.

A method for minimizing the time to form a polyethylene pipe e joint comprises the steps of performing a butt-fusion process until the beginning of the full cooling cycle; holding an interfacial pressure through a minimum cool time calculated using a formula based on the wall thickness of the pipe e, the initial bulk temperature of the pipe e, and a heat soak time; and releasing the interfacial pressure from the fused pipe e joint at the end of the calculated minimum cool time.

A method for joining at least two joining partners includes performing a plurality of ultrasonic joining operations in direct succession, wherein performing an individual ultrasonic joining operation includes, with a second joining tool, applying pressure to a second joining partner arranged adjacent to a first joining partner, thereby pressing the second joining partner against the first joining partner, and, with the second joining tool, applying high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations to the joining partners. The method further includes, during at least one intermediate time interval between two directly successive ultrasonic joining operations, at least one of actively cooling and heating the second joining tool.

A portable conveyor belt splicing apparatus is provided that includes an upper press assembly and a lower press assembly which include, respectively, upper and lower platen assemblies. The upper and lower press assemblies may each include a forced air cooling system for rapidly cooling platens of the platen assemblies. The upper and lower press assemblies may include insulating assemblies with resilient members that support the upper and lower press assemblies. The resilient members provide structural support and insulate the platens from the frame which reduces the power required to heat the platens. In one form, the apparatus includes a power supply circuit that can alternate between providing power to upper and lower heaters in response to the apparatus being connected to different types of standard power supplies. Further, the power supply circuit permits the use of a single recipe for a particular belt irrespective of the type of power supply.

A system to re-configure an input material into an output material includes an input material feeder reconfigurable to accept and feed an input material, an output material spooler, the input material feeder re-configurable relative to the material cutter to cut the input material at a re-configurable cut angle to produce a first intermediate cut section of material, a positioning and alignment system to position and align a leading edge of the first intermediate cut section of material with a trailing edge of a second intermediate cut section of material, a welder having a configurable position to weld the first intermediate cut section of material to the second intermediate cut section of material, and a control system comprising logic to set at least intensity of the welder, a contact pressure of the welder, temperature of the weld-table surface, and a tension applied by the output material spooler.

A pill sorter with bag sealer designed for the dispensation and storage of easily transportable packages of medication. The pill sorter has one or more independent chambers that can store pills or other medication. The pill sorter dispenses medication through a funneled lid, allowing the user to dispense a single chamber's medication into a plastic bag. The plastic bag is placed into a bag sealer having an activation button, light-emitting diode (LED), battery, microprocessor, and sealing element. The activation time of the sealing element is adjusted by the microprocessor based upon the measured level of charge present in the battery, providing a one-touch sealing solution to the user. The sealing element seals the plastic bag, which has a perforated seal, allowing for easy opening of the plastic bag when the medication is needed.

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 present invention relates to a method and to a system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine. The present invention also relates to a device for characterizing a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film, said device comprising: a punch; a heat source for heating at least a tip of the punch to a given temperature; an actuator for pressing the punch against the pouch precursor made of heat-sealable film, with a given pressure; a measurement device for measuring the penetration of the punch in the pouch precursor, under the given conditions of temperature and pressure.

An adjustable sealing apparatus and corresponding method of use is disclosed. The sealing apparatus has a variable range of motion programmed to accommodate multiple types of sealing motion, including the reciprocal motion and rotary motion. The proposed design uses two sealing jaw units with each sealing jaw unit located on opposing sides of a continuous layered film. Each sealing jaw unit has a sealing jaw coupled to a distal end of extendable linkages. The sealing jaws are extendable to allow the sealing surfaces to engage one another at a plurality of sealing locations along a plurality of sealing paths. Moreover a control unit is communicatively coupled to each of the sealing jaw units and controls movement of the sealing jaw units to engage one another at one or more of the plurality of sealing locations which enables sealing of the film to produce bags.