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.

Welding apparatus (10; 30) having a safety feature comprising: two electrodes (11, 12; 21, 22), whereof at least one of said two electrodes is movably arranged in relation to the other electrode. The electrodes are in non-contact with each other and define a gap (13) in which an object (14) provided with an electrically non-conductive surface to be sealed may be inserted. The welding apparatus comprises an actuator (15; 25) configured to move at least one electrode when activated to squeeze the object, a detector (16; 26) configured to determine a clamping force when the inserted object (14) is squeezed between the electrodes, a distance sensor (17; 23) configured to measure the distance between the electrodes. There is also a conductance sensor (24) configured to measure the conductivity of an object located between the electrodes (11, 12; 21,22) when the object (14) is squeezed, and optionally a position sensor (19b) configured to detect the position of the object (14) inserted between the electrodes. The welding apparatus further comprises a processor configured to process the input from at least one of the detector (16; 26), the distance sensor (17; 23) and the conductance sensor (24) to provide an output that indicates if there is a blood bag tube inserted between electrodes, or if it is a foreign object.

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.

Welding apparatus (10; 30) having a safety feature comprising: two electrodes (11, 12; 21, 22), whereof at least one of said two electrodes is movably arranged in relation to the other electrode. The electrodes are in non-contact with each other and define a gap (13) in which an object (14) provided with an electrically non-conductive surface to be sealed may be inserted. The welding apparatus comprises an actuator (15; 25) configured to move at least one electrode when activated to squeeze the object, a detector (16; 26) configured to determine a clamping force when the inserted object (14) is squeezed between the electrodes, a distance sensor (17; 23) configured to measure the distance between the electrodes. There is also a conductance sensor (24) configured to measure the conductivity of an object located between the electrodes (11, 12; 21,22) when the object (14) is squeezed, and optionally a position sensor (19b) configured to detect the position of the object (14) inserted between the electrodes. The welding apparatus further comprises a processor configured to process the input from at least one of the detector (16; 26), the distance sensor (17; 23) and the conductance sensor (24) to provide an output that indicates if there is a blood bag tube inserted between electrodes, or if it is a foreign object.

A method and apparatus for performing induction welding. A number of protective layers are positioned between a susceptor layer and at least one of a plurality of workpieces at a weld location. An undesired current path is prevented from forming at the weld location during induction heating of the plurality of workpieces by the number of protective layers.

A pipe fusion data management system, including: a data receiving interface for receiving data directly or indirectly from at least one remote source, the data including at least one data field representing at least one of the following: fusion data, pipe data, parameter data, operation data, configuration data, condition data, measurement data, entity data, user data, or any combination thereof; an input for facilitating user input; a storage device for storing received and/or input data; and a processor for generating a visual user interface to display received, input, stored, and/or processed data relating to the fusion, joining and/or installation process.

A frictional weld joint couples first and second body portions of an article together. The frictional weld joint comprises a first bead extending from the first body portion of the article and a second bead extending from the second body portion of the article. The second bead has an interior stem and an exterior stem space from the interior stem defining a cavity therebetween. The first and second beads are placed in contact with each other with the centerline of the second bead offset from the centerline of the first bead. A force is applied to either the first or second body portions to generate friction between the first and second beads to plastically displace the first and second beads. The force is removed for fusing the first and second beads together to couple together the first and the second body portions of the article.