An inductor coil for induction welding of a packaging material having at least one layer of metal foil is disclosed. The inductor coil can be configured to induce an alternating current in the at least one layer of metal foil for inductive heating of the packaging material. In some embodiments, the inductor coil comprises a base layer material and a top layer material bonded to the base layer material to form an irreversible bonding interface comprising a mixture of the base layer material and the top layer material. An induction sealing device comprising at least one inductor coil and a method of manufacturing an inductor coil for induction welding of a packaging material is also disclosed.

A low mass staking module includes a punch having a cavity on a first side, a contact surface on the second side opposite the first side, and a circular flange extending about an outer edge thereof, the punch formed of a thermally-conductive material, an annular housing engaged with the punch about the circular flange at a first end, and a heating element located inside the annular housing. The heating element has an output side in contact with the contact surface of the punch, the contact surface having a shape conforming to a shape of the output side of the heating element. The punch is desirably a low thermal mass punch, while the heating element may be a high power (watt) density, solid state, ceramic, resistant heating element (e.g., aluminum nitride or boron nitride heaters).

Methods of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure are provided. A polymeric patch may optionally be disposed over a defect on a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure having the defect. A heating element that defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of the first contoured surface is applied over the polymeric patch. The heating element includes an electrically conductive layer that includes a fabric and a thermoset polymer. The polymeric patch is heated with the heating element, where the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface so that the polymeric patch fills the defect. Methods of making the customized heating elements and the customized heating elements are also provided.

A metal-resin joining device joins a thermoplastic resin plate (12) to a metal plate (13) by melting the resin plate (12) in contact with the metal plate (13) through heating an exposed face of the metal plate (13) by one-sided resistive heating. The metal-resin joining device has a center electrode (24a) that is brought in contact with the metal plate (13) and a peripheral electrode (24b) that is brought in contact with the metal plate (13) to annularly surround the center electrode (24a) and to which a current flows from the center electrode (24a) via the metal plate (13), wherein the peripheral electrode (24b) is made of a metal material having a higher electrical resistance than the center electrode (24a).

A metal-resin joining device joins a thermoplastic resin plate (12) to a metal plate (13) by melting the resin plate (12) in contact with the metal plate (13) through heating an exposed face of the metal plate (13) by one-sided resistive heating. The metal-resin joining device has a center electrode (24a) that is brought in contact with the metal plate (13) and a peripheral electrode (24b) that is brought in contact with the metal plate (13) to annularly surround the center electrode (24a) and to which a current flows from the center electrode (24a) via the metal plate (13), wherein the peripheral electrode (24b) is made of a metal material having a higher electrical resistance than the center electrode (24a).

A low mass staking module includes a punch having a cavity on a first side, a contact surface on the second side opposite the first side, and a circular flange extending about an outer edge thereof, the punch formed of a thermally-conductive material, an annular housing engaged with the punch about the circular flange at a first end, and a heating element located inside the annular housing. The heating element has an output side in contact with the contact surface of the punch, the contact surface having a shape conforming to a shape of the output side of the heating element. The punch is desirably a low thermal mass punch, while the heating element may be a high power (watt) density, solid state, ceramic, resistant heating element (e.g., aluminum nitride or boron nitride heaters).

Methods of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure are provided. A polymeric patch may optionally be disposed over a defect on a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure having the defect. A heating element that defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of the first contoured surface is applied over the polymeric patch. The heating element includes an electrically conductive layer that includes a fabric and a thermoset polymer. The polymeric patch is heated with the heating element, where the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface so that the polymeric patch fills the defect. Methods of making the customized heating elements and the customized heating elements are also provided.

An induction sealing device for heat sealing packaging material for producing sealed packages of pourable food products, the sealing device comprising: an inductor configured to induce a current in the packaging material, the inductor comprising conductor elements; a polymer insert holding the conductor elements; and a supporting body holding the polymer insert; wherein the polymer insert comprises a polymer matrix into which graphene particles are dispersed.

A system for welding an elongate element along a longitudinal direction to a component including a support element comprising a support surface, a magnetic field generating arrangement generating a predefined magnetic field, a carriage comprising contacts supporting an elongate element against movement along the surface of the component in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a superconducting element being fixedly connected to the carriage, an element cooling device for cooling the superconducting element below its transition temperature, a mover operable to linearly move the carriage, and a welding device for welding the elongate element to the component. The predefined magnetic field defines a linear path along the support surface for the superconducting element when the superconducting element has a temperature below its transition temperature.

An exemplary air cushion inflation machine includes: a first terminal connected to a direct current input; a second terminal; a reference resistor powered by the direct current input; an op-amp; and a transistor. The first terminal of the op-amp is connected to a variable voltage source and the second terminal of the op-amp is connected to the reference resistor. The transistor has a base connected to an output of the op-amp, an emitter connected to the reference resistor, and a collector connected to a first terminal of a sealing band apparatus having first and second terminals. A meltable material placed between the first and second terminals is melted by resistance of current flowing between the first and second terminals. The variable voltage source changes voltage based on a voltage drop measured across the first and second terminals by a voltage measurement device and the constant current.