TOSS® Technology with the PIREG® Impulse Heatseal Temperature Control System | Heat Seal and Cut Bands

For optimum production the heatseal band, or element, must be able to be heated and cooled rapidly. It must be durable and available in 100’s of sizes and shapes. And, most critical of all, it must be able to transmit an accurate temperature signal to the PIREG® Impulse Heatseal Temperature Controller that monitors the temperature of the heating element at sixty (60) times per second and concurrently controls the power being supplied. The heating element must constantly inform the controller of its actual temperature with virtually zero lag. This means that the heatseal band must not only be strong, durable and formable, it must be made of a material that can be monitored to determine its temperature without the use of an intermediate sensor such as a thermo-couple or an RTD.

The use of any intermediate sensor has an inherent and unavoidable time lag, an induced error in its ability to produce instantaneous feedback and absolute control.

In response to market demands the TOSS Companies have developed thin heat sealing elements made from an alloy that meets the extraordinary demands of the application. TOSS Alloy-20® Heatseal Bands, when stretched across the length of the heat seal jaw, will heat up and cool down rapidly and uniformly. TOSS Alloy-20® Heatseal Bands are durable in service and can monitor their own temperature for feedback to the temperature controller.TOSS Alloy-20® Heatseal Bands are available in many shapes and sizes as well as custom contoured configurations to seal or seal/cut virtually any shape.

The design and fabrication of TOSS Heatseal Bands is critical to achieve the desired performance. Many years of experience contribute to the design of heatseal bands that produce seals of maximum strength to endure the stress of high speed cycling. In order to attain maximum life longevity, bands must be designed to allow and compensate for both physical and thermal stress caused by rapid heating and cooling. Concurrently, the band temperature must be instantly and accurately transmitted to the PIREG® Impulse Heatseal Temperature Controller to assure perfect temperature control.

To achieve optimized precision sealing of plastic materials, it is important to select a heatseal band configuration that is most suitable for the task at hand. These scientifically designed heatseal bands are available in over 300 different sizes and shapes. When selecting a band, the width is usually determined by the nature of the application. The thickness, however, is more often related to the nature of the film or object to be sealed. Thicker bands will heat-up and cool-down slower but they are more durable and they will store more heat to be delivered to the work piece. Thicker films or thick fitment flanges will seal better by using a thicker band. In the case of thin materials, a thinner band will heat and cool more rapidly and allow a higher production rate. Cutting wires or cut/seal bands are also available to seal the edges of films while concurrently cutting away an adjacent part or scrap edge.

The Heatseal Band

Seal and Cutting Bands	See Videos...
	Custom Seal-Cut Band (CSC) This special band is a combination of a Tapered Band and a Cutting Wire and is custom made to suit the specific needs of the application. The cut wire can be placed on the centerline of the band or along one edge, depending upon the desired result. (This technique of attaching a cutting wire can also be used on our TOSS custom contoured bands).
	T-Profile Band This band, available in four (4) sizes, is made from solid extruded stock. It has a greater mass per unit of length than the Beaded Band and a sharper cutting edge. It is relieved in the back to minimize contact with its underlayment backing. This band retains its heat and is excellent for concurrently sealing and cutting multi-layers of film or thick film.
	Trim Band Not unlike the T-Profile band, the trim band is drawn from solid stock. Offered in three (3) different sizes its cutting edge is formed on the very edge of the band. This band functions well to seal and trim the edge of thicker materials or multi-layers of material where a sharper cutting action is desired.
	Beaded Band This very popular band is used for cutting the film layers and concurrently sealing along both sides of the cut line. It is made with tapered edges as well and comes in a wide variety of sizes. The space behind the bead does not come in contact with the underlayment backing material. As a result heat is not lost from the beaded area; the bead becomes hotter than the adjacent edges, thereby, effecting a cutting action without overheating the sealed edges of the film.
Cutting Bands
	Cutting Wire Round cutting wire is often used as an inexpensive means of cutting of polymer films, these wires are available in sizes from 0.3 mm to 1.2mm both in rolls and made up into pre-cut lengths with, or without, copper plating at the ends. As with bands, best performance it is obtained with brass end connectors brazed to the ends. When cutting through two or more layers, the layers of film will be sealed with a very narrow seal along the edge.
	Half Round Wire Half round wire is another variation on the round cutting wire. Though rarely used, it is available in two (2) sizes and function much the same as the oval wire except that it has a better cutting action than the Oval Profile Wire.
	Oval Profile Wire The Oval Profile Wire, available in two (2) sizes is larger in cross section than the round Cutting Wire. It is most useful for making narrow seals on thick or stacked materials. It is not very effective as a cutting wire.