5 Radio Frequency Welding

5.1 Process Description of current dissipated into heat to current transmitted.

The amount of dipole polarization is dependent on fre-
Radio frequency (RF) welding, also called high quency and temperature. At low frequencies, the power
frequency welding, HF welding or dielectric welding, lost by the electric field is low due to dipole alignment
uses high frequency (normally 27.12 MHz) electro- with the electric field. At high frequencies, field rever-
magnetic energy to generate heat in materials by virtue sal is so rapid that dipole alignment becomes out of
of their electrical properties; the material to be welded phase, and power losses increase. Eventually, a maxi-
must be able to convert the alternating electric field mum in power loss is reached, so that further frequency
into heat. Polar molecules in an electric field tend to increases result in decreased power loss. Dipole polar-
orient in the field direction so that the positive (or nega- ization is low at low temperatures but increases with
tive) end of the dipole aligns to the negative (or posi- increasing temperature [1].
tive) charges in the electric field. This process is called Typically, an RF welding machine has two platens—
dipole polarization. Nonpolar molecules in an electric an upper, moveable one and a lower, fixed one, also
field displace electron clouds to align with the field called a bed. The upper platen is connected to the RF
(electronic polarization), so that centers of positive and generator, whilst the lower platen is connected to elec-
negative charges no longer coincide. Electronic polariza- trical earth. Tooling, known as the electrode or welding
tion is instantaneous and does not result in heat genera- rule, is attached to the upper or lower platen and defines
tion. Dipolar polarization, however, is not instantaneous the shape and dimensions of the weld.
at the high frequencies used in RF welding; as the The parts to be welded are placed between the plat-
dipoles try to align with the rapidly alternating electric ens and a press then lowers the upper platen so that a
field, orientation becomes out-of-phase. The imperfect preset amount of pressure is applied to the joint area.
alignment causes internal molecular friction and results Once the parts are clamped, the RF energy is applied
in the generation of heat. for a preset time, called the heating time. Once the
The delay between changes in electric field direc- heating time has elapsed, the electrodes continue to
tion and changes in dipolar polarization is shown in clamp the parts until the weld solidifies. This is called
Fig. 5.1. An oscillating electric field E generates an the hold or cooling time. The press then opens and
oscillating current I within the polar material. At high releases the welded assembly.
frequencies, the two curves are out of phase by the RF welding is normally only used for joining films
phase angle θ; the loss angle is defined as 90 – θ or δ. and thin sheets. This is because a sufficiently strong
The amount of energy absorbed per cycle from the electric field to produce material melting can only be
electric field is represented by the power factor and the achieved when the gap between the electrode and the
dissipation factor; the power factor is defined as cos θ, opposing platen is less than around 1.5 mm (0.06
and the dissipation factor or loss tangent is tan δ, a ratio inches).

E
I
Amplitude, V or A

Time

q d

Figure 5.1. Electrical representation

of dipole polarization resulting in heat
generation due to imperfect alignment.

57
58 JOINING PROCESSES

Table 5.1. Advantages/Disadvantages of RF Welding

Advantages Disadvantages
Fast cycle times Limited joint thickness
Economical Material limitations
Ideally suited to flat and thin components Limited joint complexity
Capable of welding multiple layers simultaneously Component size limitations
Easily automated
Repeatable
Good weld appearance (minimal flash)
Tool runs cold

5.2 Advantages and Disadvantages

RF welding uses simple, compact equipment and
requires only electricity and compressed air. In addi-
tion, no solvents or adhesives are introduced into the
joint, minimizing sources of contamination and assist-
ing recyclability of the welded parts. Also, cycle times
are fairly short (up to 20 parts per minute).
In addition, RF welders can also be used to produce
more than just welds. Electrodes can be fabricated to pro-
duce what is commonly called a ‘tear/seal’, which allows
the sealed part to be pulled away from the surrounding
material without the need for a secondary cutting opera-
tion. A hinge or folds can also be introduced in a product
without material distortion by producing score marks.
The major disadvantage of RF welding is that it is
only suitable for materials containing polar groups in
the molecular structure. Nonpolar plastics can be welded
but this requires a conductive-composite implant at the
joint interface [2]. Figure 5.2. RF welded blood bag (Source: TWI Ltd).
A summary of the advantages and disadvantages of
RF welding is shown in Table 5.1.

5.3 Applications
RF welding is commonly used in sealing thin sheets
and films of plasticized PVC for stationery products,
such as loose-leaf binders, checkbook covers, credit-
card holders, and book covers. Another large market is
in inflatable products, such as beach balls, airbeds, life
jackets, and inflatable dinghies.
Other applications include medical items, such as
colostomy and blood bags (Figs. 5.2 and 5.3), disposable
clothing, and inflatables, such as blood pressure cuffs,
inflatable beds, and cushions (Fig. 5.4). Clamshell-style
blister packs and other types of packaging also utilize Figure 5.3. RF welded dialysis fluid warmer bags (Source:
RF welding [3, 4]. Dielectrics Inc.).
5: RADIO FREQUENCY WELDING 59

converts incoming alternating current to high-voltage

direct current using solid state rectifiers; an oscillator
then converts this to high-voltage alternating current.
The power level is displayed on an output power meter.
The operator can therefore check if a satisfactory weld is
made by monitoring the output power during the welding
cycle. Safety and overload protection devices automat-
ically shut down the system if a large amount of energy
becomes concentrated in a small working area [3, 4].

5.5.2 Control Unit

The control system ensures that the machine can be
started, stopped, and operated efficiently. Machine
control systems typically range from simple mechanical
Figure 5.4. RF welded inflatable wheelchair cushion controls to complex electrical systems on large auto-
(Source: Dielectrics Inc.). mated machines, which typically contain software
controlled devices, such as microprocessors and pro-
grammable logical controllers (PLCs). These systems
5.4 Materials enable operating parameters to be accurately imple-
mented with excellent repeatability.
To ensure weldability with the RF process, the To compensate for material thickness variations,
materials must have the following properties: current detectors monitor the current during the weld-
• High dielectric loss. ing cycle; when the optimum current is reached rap-
idly, the current detector ends the cycle, preventing
• High dielectric constant.
overwelding or burning. If the optimum current is not
• High dielectric breakdown. reached, the detector will extend the welding cycle and
Such materials include PVC, thermoplastic poly- prevent an underweld occurring.
urethanes, nylons, PET, cellulose acetate, EVA, PVDC,
and some ABS resins.
Materials generally considered not compatible with 5.5.3 Press
this method of welding include PTFE, PC, acetal, PS, The press or actuator provides pressure during the
and rigid materials with high melt temperatures. Stan- welding process and usually contains one fixed and one
dard grades of PP and PE are also not possible to join moveable platen. Pneumatic presses are most common,
with this method. However, special grades are avail- although hydraulic presses up to 50 tons are necessary
able that are RF weldable. for larger equipment or welding applications. Presses
have adjustable guide rods with bushings for accurate
movement and are normally constructed of heavy-duty
5.5 Equipment tubular steel for stabilization and ruggedness.
There are two main types of press: a “C” type and a
RF welding machines typically consist of six major bridge press. The “C” type press resembles the letter C in
components: an RF generator, a control unit, a press side view. Since the main body of the press is at the rear of
unit, an RF enclosure, a workpiece handling mecha- the machine, the working area is unobstructed (Fig. 5.5).
nism, and tooling. In the bridge press, the upper platen is supported from
both sides of the working area. This type of press is more
symmetrical but access to the working area is limited.
5.5.1 RF Power Generator
Generators commonly provide powers ranging
5.5.4 RF Enclosure
from 1 to 25 kW. Power requirements are determined
by the weld area and the thickness and type of material A cage or enclosure is mounted around the fixtures
being welded. The power supply in the generator and electrodes to protect the operator from the high
60 JOINING PROCESSES

Figure 5.5. “C” type RF welding machine (Source: TWI

Ltd).

voltages emitted from the electrodes and to reduce RF

radiation emissions in order to comply with Federal
Communication Commission (FCC) and electromag-
Figure 5.6. RF welding machine with metallic mesh RF
netic compatibility (EMC) regulations.
enclosure (Source: Sealectric Corp.).
The enclosure is often fabricated from a metallic
mesh, which allows proper shielding of the RF energy
without obscuring the view of the operator (Fig. 5.6).

5.5.5 Handling Mechanism

The handling mechanism transfers the parts to be
welded to the press, locates them in the correct position
under the electrode, and removes them after welding.
There are four main types of handling mechanism:
manual, rotary, linear, and rail.
In manual machines, such as those operated using
a foot pedal, the parts to be welded are fed into the
machine, positioned for welding and removed after
welding by hand.
In rotary machines (Fig. 5.7), a circular table con-
taining a number of workstations is used. The parts are
manually assembled in the workstations by one or more
operators and the table rotates to bring the parts to the
press. After the welding operation, the table rotates
again and the welded parts are removed manually while
the next parts are welded.
In linear machines, the parts to be welded are fed to Figure 5.7. Rotary RF welding machine (Source: Cosmos
the press using a conveyor belt. The belt stops at the Kabar).
5: RADIO FREQUENCY WELDING 61

correct position for welding and then moves on to

remove the parts after welding. Plain seam welding rule
Rail systems are used where the parts are too big to
be accommodated in a fixed machine (e.g., swimming
pool liners and tarpaulins). In these systems, the parts
to be welded are held fixed while the welding press is
moved on a rail system to carry out repeated welds.
Welded films

5.5.6 Tooling
Lower platen
The tooling (or electrode) is the part of the machine
that is pressed onto the parts to produce the weld. It is
made of brass, copper or bronze sheet metal, typically Figure 5.8. Plain seam welding (Source: TWI Ltd).
2–4 mm (0.08–0.16 inches) thick, and is mounted on
an aluminum tool plate, which is normally bolted to the
top platen. The electrode is machined into the particu- Tear/seal welding rule
lar shape needed for the application. In applications
where aesthetics is considered an important factor and
the geometry of the part does not allow for a flat lower
fixture, the lower fixture may also be profiled. This
type of welding setup defines the electric field better Welded films
and results in a more defined weld area. Barrier material

Lower platen
5.5.7 Barrier Materials
Figure 5.9. Tear/seal welding (Source: TWI Ltd).
Materials with high dielectric properties (referred
to as barrier materials or buffers), such as phenolic
laminates, electronic fish paper or polyester film are
often placed between the parts to be welded and the the parts to be welded to prevent the welding rule from
lower platen. They serve two purposes: firstly, they touching the lower platen, which would generate an arc
provide a thermal barrier, reducing the heat loss to the and also blunt the rule.
lower platen, and secondly they prevent the electrode One of the problems with a tear/seal weld is that the
touching the bottom platen and causing an arc during integrity of the joint is not high due to the narrow weld
cut/seal operations. width. Therefore, to produce a high strength weld that
can be easily separated without a secondary cutting oper-
ation, electrodes can be designed to produce a tear seal
5.6 Joint Design next to the welded edge, by putting a knife edge a short
distance from a flat ended welding rule (Fig. 5.10).
Various types of joint can be produced by RF weld-
ing depending on the shape of the electrode, or welding
rule, including plain seam welding, tear/seal welding, 5.7 Welding Parameters
and combined plain and tear/seal welding.
In plain seam welding (Fig. 5.8) a flat-ended weld- The main parameters in RF welding are:
ing rule is used. This type of weld is used to produce
folds and can also be used to produce patterned welds, • power
by machining the face of the rule. • heating time
In tear/seal welding (Fig. 5.9) a knife-edged welding • cooling time
rule is used to produce a very thin welded seam that can
• weld depth
be torn after welding to enable the welded part to be
separated from the surrounding material. For this appli- • pressure
cation, a barrier material must be placed underneath • platen temperature
62 JOINING PROCESSES

Combined plain and

tear/seal welding rule

Welded films

Barrier material

Lower platen Figure 5.10. Combined plain and

tear/seal welding (Source: TWI Ltd).

5.7.1 Power 5.7.3 Cooling Time

The power required to produce a weld depends on This is the length of time for which the parts are
a number of factors, including: held under pressure after the RF power is switched off.
Since the electrodes are normally operating cold, the
• Type of material: the higher the loss factor, the
cooling time is quite short (typically around 20% of the
lower the power requirement.
welding time). However, this time may need to be
• Thickness of material: the thicker the material, increased during a production run since the tools will
the lower the power requirement (due to reduced become hot over time.
heat losses).
• Area of weld: the larger the weld area, the higher
the power requirement. 5.7.4 Weld Depth

• Required heating time: the shorter the required The weld depth controls how far the tooling pene-
welding time, the higher the power requirement. trates into the parts during welding. This is more impor-
• Seam length: the longer the seam length, the higher tant when using plain seam welding.
the power requirement (a long, narrow seam
requires more power than a short, wide seam of 5.7.5 Pressure
the same area).
• Barrier material: the use of a barrier material nor- The welding pressure should be sufficient to allow
mally results in a lower power requirement (due the tooling to penetrate into the parts to the required
to reduced heat losses). weld depth. A higher pressure can result in shorter
welding times; however, too high a pressure should be
Typically, a weld area between 10 and 30 cm2 avoided, especially for tear/seal welding.
(2–5 in.2) is achieved per kilowatt of RF power.

5.7.6 Platen Temperature

5.7.2 Heating Time
As mentioned above, if the temperature of the
The heating time is the length of time for which the platen is not controlled, this may result in having to
RF power is applied. The optimum heating time can be increase the cooling time during a production run due
determined by monitoring the power during the heat- to the gradual increase in the temperature of the tooling.
ing phase; as soon as the power reaches a plateau or Having a thermostatically controlled platen tempera-
starts to fall, it indicates that the temperature at the ture will result in a constant cooling time throughout a
weld is no longer increasing, and the power should production run. It will also allow a larger area to be
therefore be switched off. welded for a given power, due to reduced heat losses.
5: RADIO FREQUENCY WELDING 63

In addition, some materials, such as nylon and PET, 2. Leighton J, Brantley T, Szabo E: RF welding of
cannot normally be RF welded unless the platens are PVC and other thermoplastic compounds. ANTEC
heated. 1992, Conference proceedings, Society of Plastics
Engineers, Detroit, May 1992.
3. Besuyen JA: Bonding and sealing. Modern Plastics
References Encyclopedia 1992, Reference book (M603.1.2),
McGraw-Hill, 1991.
1. Litman AM, Fowler NE: Electrical properties. Engi- 4. Thompson R: Assembly of fabricated parts. Modern
neered Materials Handbook. Volume 2: Engineering Plastics Encyclopedia 1988, Reference book
Plastics, Reference book, ASM International, 1988. (M603.1), McGraw-Hill, 1987.