A system and method for thermoplastic composite welding comprising a cooling means and a heat source. The cooling means cools a heat-side laminate so as to create a thermal gradient in the heat-side laminate. The heat source heats the heat-side laminate after the cooling step is initiated but before the thermal gradient dissipates so that a first side of the heat-side laminate closer to the heat source does not deform as faying surfaces of the heat-side laminate and another laminate farther away from the heat source are welded together.

An apparatus and method for joining pipes includes a plate for melting mating surfaces of the pipes to be joined. Additionally, the apparatus utilizes a vacuum in order to push the first and second pipes together in lieu of hand or mechanical pressure which may be inconsistent. Additionally, the vacuum allows the pipes to be joined to settle on each other in order to create a pressure about a periphery of the end of the pipe being joined to the other pipe. The consistent pressure creates a very strong joint between the first and second pipes.

An apparatus and method for joining pipes includes a plate for melting mating surfaces of the pipes to be joined. Additionally, the apparatus utilizes a vacuum in order to push the first and second pipes together in lieu of hand or mechanical pressure which may be inconsistent. Additionally, the vacuum allows the pipes to be joined to settle on each other in order to create a pressure about a periphery of the end of the pipe being joined to the other pipe. The consistent pressure creates a very strong joint between the first and second pipes.

An apparatus and method for joining pipes includes a plate for melting mating surfaces of the pipes to be joined. Additionally, the apparatus utilizes a vacuum in order to push the first and second pipes together in lieu of hand or mechanical pressure which may be inconsistent. Additionally, the vacuum allows the pipes to be joined to settle on each other in order to create a pressure about a periphery of the end of the pipe being joined to the other pipe. The consistent pressure creates a very strong joint between the first and second pipes.

An apparatus and method for joining pipes includes a plate for melting mating surfaces of the pipes to be joined. Additionally, the apparatus utilizes a vacuum in order to push the first and second pipes together in lieu of hand or mechanical pressure which may be inconsistent. Additionally, the vacuum allows the pipes to be joined to settle on each other in order to create a pressure about a periphery of the end of the pipe being joined to the other pipe. The consistent pressure creates a very strong joint between the first and second pipes.

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.

A welder for joining two polymeric sheets together using a wedged heating element allows for a heating profile on opposite faces of the heating element to be varied by controlling where each of the polymeric sheets contacts the corresponding face.

In a manufacturing method of an assembly, the assembly including a metal part and a pipe, the pipe including a material containing a resin, an adhesive is first adhered to an outer circumferential surface of the pipe and a metal part covering at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the pipe. Here, an area to which the adhesive is adhered on the outer circumferential surface of the pipe is defined as an adhesion area. Next, by a heat source provided inside the pipe, a target area is heated without interposing the metal part. The target area is located radially interior to the adhesion area and located on an inner circumferential surface of the pipe.

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes laser welding together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

An assembly to repair a thermoplastic composite. The assembly includes a heating device positioned on opposing sides of the thermoplastic composite. The heating device includes one or more susceptor with a Curie temperature to heat the thermoplastic composite. A pressure device applies a compressive force to the heating device. A pressure distribution device is positioned between the heating device and the thermoplastic composite. The pressure distribution device distributes the compressive force from the pressure device over areas of the opposing sides of thermoplastic composite.