RF welding is one the most reliable methods of sealing polymer materials for the fabrication of leak-proof, airtight inflatable products. Because of the attributes derived from a welded seam on pliable materials, the potential applications include everything from fluid bags for the medical industry to inflatable bladders for flotation devices.
Tubes inserted into the material becomes a part of the design and the function of a product.
Inflatable boot products are designed with welded chambers to control support for ankle injuries.
Radio frequency welding or heat sealing are the preferred methods for the construction of most inflatable products as a result of the strong seal that is created when bonding the materials. They are used primarily in the industrial and medical industries because of the need for a durable air tight, leak-proof port and seam seal that allows for proper inflation and containment.
RF Welding is used for Tube Insertion and Containment of Inflatable Products
Inflatable products require more than the airtight seam sealing provided by RF welding and heat sealing services–they also need a means to receive pressurized air to become inflated. The RF welding process is used to integrate ports for inflatable devices by joining a flexible, malleable synthetic fabric or vinyl to the plastic nozzle or opening without compromising either one.
RF welding effectively seals coated fabric to the ports without damage to either of the materials.
Ports or Valves are Used to Inflate Products. When creating passage for fluid or air through an existing panel, a port or valve is used. Ports, valves or nozzles typically have a weldable flange that makes them ideal for installation at a mid point in a panel. Sometimes it is advantageous or necessary to create air or fluid passage through a seam. While it is difficult to position a port or valve on a seam, welding a tube into a seam is a common practice. With a tube welded into a seam, compression type fit valves and fittings can now be attached to the tubes to support a wide range of inflation requirements.
How to Make Inflatable Products Airtight
An inflatable item requires an airtight and leak proof seal. A containment item must also be air, vapor or fluid tight. Typically, an airtight product begins with nonporous material and a method of sealing airtight flexible items together, which is achievable using adhesive, electromagnetic welding (rf) or heat sealing processes.
Tooling dies are used to fabricate complex designs that require an insertion tube.
The term ‘inflatable’ usually refers to flexible products. A very high percentage of flexible and fusible materials are some formulation of plastic or resin. Most of those plastics or resins are fusible and a relative percentage of them are radio frequency sensitive, allowing a fusible bond with RF and HF welding processes.
When welding at the seam, the best methods involve temporarily melting the surfaces to be joined and immediately compressing those melted surfaces together to create a fused seam or area. This is achieved using tooling dies and radio frequency welding, high frequency welding, or dielectric sealing.
How are Hot Air, Hot Wedge & RF Welding Processes Utilized to Create Inflation?
RF welding fuses materials together to create a new, monolithic piece.
Hot air, hot wedge and radio frequency plastic welding all utilize the two basic concepts of ‘temporarily melt and squeeze together’ to form a new, one piece unbreakable seal. These methods of vinyl, plastic and polymer fusion all have limitations and advantages. SealWerks utilizes all of these fusion or bonding methods every day in the variety of products that we make. This enables us to be a fabrication and solutions provider for flexible containment products of all types of inflatable products for use in many industries and business applications.
Make the Right Choice for Proper Inflation
Flotation devices require leak proof seams to be effective and safe.
We can help you determine the best process and material to use in the fabrication of your inflatable product. Since every inflatable product serves a particular need or solves a problem, the inflation and containment process used is critical for the long-term success of the product.
Contact us for more information about any one of our inflatable sealing processes and how airtight inflation or vapor-tight inflation can be achieved for your product!
