Hot air welding is a widely used process for bonding thermoplastics. It is a fast, efficient, and cost-effective way to join materials, and it offers benefits over other welding techniques. Hot air welders are designed to heat and melt the surfaces of two plastic sections to be joined, allowing them to fuse together without using any additional glue, adhesive, or filler.
Johnston Plastics has been supplying hot air tools for over 35 years, providing a variety of tools and accessories to help in many applications. Their products cater to diverse industries such as plumbing, roofing, automotive, and marine. With their extensive experience, Johnston Plastics has made it their mission to educate clients about the advantages of hot air plastic welding.
Benefits of Hot Air Plastic Welders
Hot air plastic welding provides several benefits over other welding techniques, including:
1. Stronger Bonds: Hot air welding creates a stronger bond since the melted plastic intermingles and solidifies. The material forms a chemical bond, making the joint more reliable, durable, and resistant to mechanical stresses.
2. Aesthetically Pleasing: Welded joints will have a smoother and more aesthetically pleasing appearance since there are no external fasteners, screws or bolts holding the two materials together.
3. No Chemicals Required: Hot air welding allows for bonding without using any additional adhesive, solvent or chemicals. This eliminates the need for extra supplies, cutting costs and reducing environmental impact.
4. Versatility: Hot air welders can work with a wide range of plastics, including PVC, CPVC, HDPE, PP, and others.
5. Time-Saving: Hot air welding is quicker than other methods of welding, such as solvent bonding or glueing. With the proper equipment and training, you can finish jobs much faster and more effectively.
Types of Hot Air Welders
At Johnston Plastics, you can find different types of hot air plastic welders depending on your needs. Here are the most popular options:
1. Handheld Hot Air Welder: This type of welder is suitable for small projects or repairs that require low heat settings. Handheld hot air welders are portable, easy to operate, and perfect for welding PVC or other thin thermoplastics.
2. Automatic Hot Air Welder: This machine is ideal for professionals looking to streamline their welding process. Automatic hot air welders have a digital display that lets you set and monitor the heat settings precisely. They can also weld thicker materials and provide a higher output rate for bigger jobs.
3. Extrusion Welder: An extrusion welder is designed for welding large plastic sheets or long seams. This type of welder melts the plastic in a special screw mechanism, forming the weld while extruding more melted plastic to feed the joint continually.
Proper Use and Maintenance
Hot air plastic welding requires attention to detail and practice to achieve the best results. Here are some of the best practices you should follow when working with a hot air welder:
1. Understand the plastic you are welding: Different plastics require various heating and cooling times, so it's essential to know the properties of the material you are welding.
2. Clean the surfaces thoroughly: The pieces you are welding should be clean and dry before welding. Any dirt, residue, or oil can interfere with the bonding process.
3. Keep the gun moving: When welding, keep the hot air gun moving smoothly over the surface, not leaving it in one place for too long.
4. Adjust the temperature and speed: You should adjust the heat and speed to suit the material you are welding.
5. Proper maintenance and cleaning: Always follow the manufacturer's directions when maintaining and cleaning your hot air welder.
Conclusion
Welding with hot air is an efficient and reliable way to bond thermoplastics, proving to be an ideal solution for a wide range of industries. At Johnston Plastics, they have been providing hot air welding tools for over 35 years, catering to diverse industries. The benefits of hot air welders include strong bonds, no use of chemicals, versatility, time-saving, and aesthetic finish. There are different types of hot air welders such as handheld, automatic, and extrusion welder. Developing the necessary skills and following the best practices for using and maintaining the equipment will help you achieve optimum results when working with hot air welders. With the proper equipment and training, you can get the best results in any welding project.