Hot-Wedge Welding
Hot-wedge welding joins compatible thermoplastic materials with direct contact heat and pressure. A heated wedge softens the overlapping surfaces, and rollers press them together to form a continuous seam. Forsstrom hot-wedge welding machines are designed for industrial production of films and coated fabrics, including long seams in tarpaulins, tents and truck covers.
What materials can be hot-wedge welded?
Hot-wedge welding is suitable for weldable PVC, thermoplastic polyurethane (PU/TPU) and polyethylene (PE) films and coated fabrics. Applications include thin films and reinforced technical textiles with compatible thermoplastic surfaces. Material thickness, coating, wedge temperature and welding speed influence the result. Forsstrom can help assess your material and seam design to select a suitable configuration.
Why use hot-wedge welding?
Continuous seam production
The heated wedge and pressure rollers form a seam as the material moves through the welding zone. This makes the process useful for long overlaps and repeated panel joining.
Controlled seam formation
Wedge temperature, roller pressure and welding speed work together to control the joint. Matching these settings to the material helps produce consistent seams along the welding path.
Direct contact heating
The wedge transfers heat directly to the joining surfaces. This supports targeted heating without a hot-air jet at the seam, with energy use depending on the material, machine and production conditions.
Guides for different seams
Suitable guides and tooling support overlap seams, hems, pockets and reinforced edges. Wedge width and roller selection can be configured to suit the seam and material.
Flexible production layouts
Forsstrom offers stationary HW-WS and travelling HW-WT hot-wedge welding machines. The choice depends on panel dimensions, material handling and how the welding operation fits your production flow.
How does hot-wedge welding work?
Hot-wedge welding combines direct contact heating and roller pressure in five steps.
Align the overlap
Position the material layers and guide them to maintain the required seam width.
Set the welding conditions
Select the wedge temperature, roller pressure and speed for the material and seam.
Heat the joining surfaces
The heated wedge sits between the layers and softens the surfaces as they pass over it.
Press the layers together
Pressure rollers bring the heated surfaces together immediately behind the wedge.
Cool the continuous seam
The joined material moves beyond the rollers and cools as welding continues along the seam.
Who uses hot-wedge welding?
Manufacturers use hot-wedge welding for tarpaulins, truck and trailer covers, tents, membrane structures, banners and technical textile enclosures. It is particularly useful for long overlap seams and panel joining. Share your materials, panel dimensions and seam requirements with Forsstrom to discuss a stationary HW-WS or travelling HW-WT welding solution.