A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic composite product includes: providing a first and second thermoplastic composite component made from a consolidated stack of thermoplastic composite plies, said first and second component having a first and second ply drop off, respectively. The first and second components are positioned such that the first ply drop off and the second ply drop off are aligned, and the first and second components are fixedly connected by means of heating. The stacks of plies for the first and second components are constructed by stacking the plies in a stacking direction wherein the plies are arranged such that plies at a different position along the stacking direction are laterally offset relative to each other for the purpose of forming the first ply drop off and the second ply drop off, respectively, before consolidating.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic geomembrane components in which a first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a second thermoplastic geomembrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces, with one or more of the complementary molding surfaces being defined by an electrically conductive metal susceptor. Heat is generated in the metal susceptor and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal susceptor to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components to locally melt and coalesce a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic geomembrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint.

A stitchless highly oriented polypropylene fabric bulk bag of the type that can hold 500 to 5000 pounds (226.7 to 2268 kilograms) of bulk material includes a highly oriented polypropylene fabric top, body and bottom, with a heat fused joint providing an air tight connection between the top and body, and another air tight heat fused joint connecting the body and bottom. A fill spout and discharge tube may also be provided with an air tight heat fused joint connecting the fill spout to the top and another air tight heat fused joint connecting the discharge spout to the bottom. Heat sealing machinery include heat seal bar assemblies that can self-align during heat-sealing to apply even pressure to all areas being heat sealed. A heating element is of single piece construction and can include end coupler portions as part of the single piece construction. Carrier plates used in a heat-sealing assembly line guide parts placement, provide quality checks for parts placement, and tooling set-up for machinery.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic roofing membrane components in which a first thermoplastic roofing membrane component and a second roofing membrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces. Heat is generated in a metal substrate and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal substrate to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic roofing membrane components to locally melt and coalesce a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic roofing membrane component and a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic roofing membrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic roofing membrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic geomembrane components in which a first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a second thermoplastic geomembrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces, with one or more of the complementary molding surfaces being defined by an electrically conductive metal susceptor. Heat is generated in the metal susceptor and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal susceptor to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components to locally melt and coalesce a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic geomembrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint.

A method for manufacturing a welded molding made of liquid crystal polyester as a formation material is provided, the method including: a step of heating each of a first ridge portion of a first member made of the liquid crystal polyester as a formation material and a second ridge portion of a second member made of the liquid crystal polyester as a formation material to a temperature equal to or higher than a flow start temperature of the liquid crystal polyester; and a step of abutting the first ridge portion and the second ridge portion to each other to perform vibration welding while pressing the first ridge portion and the second ridge portion in a direction in which the first ridge portion and the second ridge portion are brought relatively close to each other.

A method for altering polymer properties for the molding of parts comprises exposing, to a scission-causing stressor, a region of a polymer form. The scission-causing stressor is controlled to achieve, in a relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at the region, an amount of scission that results in a reduction in the molecular weight of the relatively higher molecular-weight polymer, thereby forming a relatively lower molecular-weight polymer at the region.

A joint between dissimilar thermoplastic materials comprising a first thermoplastic material layer; a second thermoplastic material layer having a melting point temperature different from a melting point temperature of the first thermoplastic material layer; and an interface layer coupled between the first thermoplastic material layer and the second thermoplastic material layer; wherein the interface layer is configured to join the first thermoplastic material layer and the second thermoplastic material layer together to form the joint, wherein the interface layer comprises a melting point temperature having a value selected from the group consisting of between the melting point temperature of the first thermoplastic material layer and the melting point temperature of the second thermoplastic material layer; or lower than the melting point temperature of the first thermoplastic material layer and the melting point temperature of the second thermoplastic material layer.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses configured to bond elastic laminates together between a rotating drum and anvil. The drum includes a fluid nozzle and a press member. As such, a first elastic laminate and a second elastics laminate may be advanced in a machine direction onto the rotating drum. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to partially melt substrate layers of the first and second elastic laminates. As the drum rotates, the press member shifts radially outward from the drum wherein a length, L, of the pattern surface extends in the cross direction across a plurality of elastic strands of first and/or second elastic laminates. And the partially melted portion of the substrate layers of the first and second elastic laminates and the plurality of elastic strands are then bonded together by being compressed between the pattern surface and the anvil roll.

The present disclosure is concerned with a method of forming a seal with a polyethylene based film structure. The polyethylene based film structure has at least one layer formed with an oriented polyethylene having a predetermined melting temperature (T.sub.m). A conductive heat sealing device provides heat to form the seal, where a first sealing bar of the conductive heat sealing device operates at a first operating temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius (° C.) below the T.sub.m of the oriented polyethylene in the polyethylene based film structure and a second sealing bar of the conductive heat sealing device operates at a second operating temperature of at least 15° C. higher than the operating temperature of the first sealing bar. The seal formed with the polyethylene based film structure retains at least 99 percent of its original surface area prior to forming the seal.