Packet Welding seals all thermoplastics — vinyl at every weight, polyurethane, polyester, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, sustainable substrates, and materials not yet in common use. One platform, no hardware changes between materials. Whatever your material specification calls for today — or will call for tomorrow — Packet Welding is already compatible.
Request Sample EvaluationTraditional sealing methods are optimized for a specific material category. When specifications change — a customer mandates a sustainable substrate, a new product line calls for a different thermoplastic — the process has to change with it. New machine, new setup, new operator training.
Packet Welding is designed differently. The platform seals across the full thermoplastic range on the same machine, with the same cycle time, requiring only parameter adjustment between materials. The process doesn't change when the material does.
Switching from vinyl to polypropylene to rPET requires parameter adjustment — not machine changeover or hardware replacement.
Unlike RF welding, Packet Welding does not require materials to have dielectric properties. Compatible with non-polar substrates RF cannot seal.
rPET, polypropylene, and polyethylene — increasingly mandated by end customers — are compatible with Packet Welding without additional equipment.
Seal evaluations are available for your specific material and application. Evaluation cost is credited toward your purchase price.
The primary application for Packet Welding. Standard and heavy-weight vinyl — including 18 oz. and above — seal reliably across the full bar length range with typical cycle times¹ in the 8–12 second range, regardless of bar length. The throughput advantage over hot-air welding is most pronounced with heavy vinyl at long seam lengths, though the speed advantage applies across all seam lengths and seal types.
Seals across all bar lengths. Typical cycle time¹ 8–12 seconds, regardless of bar length. Consistent seal quality across extended production runs without material degradation or discoloration.
Seal types: Lap seams, hem seams, pocket seams, baffle seams
At 18 oz. and above, hot-air welding tops out at 10–12 fpm. Packet Welding delivers 20–187 fpm effective rate depending on bar length. RF welding is also compatible but limited to 6-foot seal lengths before EMI constraints require indexing.
Seal types: Long structural seams, double-welded seams, reinforced hem seams
PVC coating seals consistently under standard Packet Welding parameters. Common in awning and architectural shade applications where long seam lengths and consistent seal quality are both required.
Seal types: Lap seams, structural seams, hem seams
Clear vinyl seals reliably with Packet Welding. Precise heat delivery reduces risk of optical distortion or discoloration common with constant-on methods.
Seal types: Lap seams, overlay seams, enclosure panels
A growing portion of fabrication orders now specify vinyl alternatives — materials with different thermal windows, less tolerance for parameter variance, and behavior that exposes process limitations not visible with forgiving standard vinyl. Packet Welding handles this range without machine modification; parameter adjustment is required between material types.
Seals well across standard Packet Welding parameters. Compatible with both standard and reinforced PU constructions. RF welding also seals PU but is limited to 6-foot seam lengths. Packet Welding removes that constraint.
Seal types: Structural seams, inflatable chambers, bladder seams
TPU's thermoplastic properties allow reliable Packet Welding seals without modification. Also compatible with RF welding, but Packet Welding extends seal length beyond RF's 6-foot EMI constraint.
Seal types: Seam seals, overlay seals, inflatable seams
Coated polyester seals reliably with parameter adjustment. RF welding requires specialized setup for polyester; Packet Welding does not. No hardware change required when switching from vinyl.
Seal types: Structural seams, hem seams, lap seams
Coated nylon is compatible with Packet Welding parameters. RF welding of nylon requires specialized setups; Packet Welding does not. Tighter thermal windows than vinyl — seal trial recommended for new material lots.
Seal types: Structural seams, overlay seams
rPET, polypropylene, and polyethylene are increasingly specified by end customers under sustainability mandates. Impulse and RF welding cannot reliably seal these materials. Packet Welding seals them on the same machine used for standard vinyl — without modification.
Fabricators running standard vinyl today are already receiving requests to quote on sustainable substrates. These materials behave differently — tighter thermal windows, more batch-to-batch variation, and process sensitivity that exposes limitations in traditional sealing methods.
Packet Welding's broad compatibility means operations can accept sustainable material projects on existing equipment — without a separate machine, without a hardware changeover, and without pulling an experienced operator to dial in settings from scratch on an unfamiliar material.
Packet Welding seals rPET substrates. Not compatible with impulse welding. Not compatible with RF welding. For fabricators receiving customer sustainability specifications, this is the primary enabling advantage over traditional sealing methods.
Seal types: Application-specific; seal trial recommended
Compatible with Packet Welding. Not compatible with standard impulse or RF welding. PP's lower melting point requires parameter adjustment; tighter process window than standard vinyl — consistent results across lot variation.
Seal types: Lap seams, hem seams, structural seams
Compatible with Packet Welding. Not compatible with standard impulse or RF welding. PE sealing requires process parameter adjustment for reliable results across lot variation.
Seal types: Structural seams, containment seams
Applications outside standard vinyl and vinyl alternatives may require specific process development. Packet Welding's adjustable parameters — temperature, pressure, and cycle time — provide flexibility for specialty substrates. A seal trial is recommended for any material not previously tested on Novaseal equipment.
Packet Welding seals HDPE substrates with appropriate parameter settings. Particularly suited to applications where long seams and consistent seal integrity are critical.
Seal types: Structural seams, containment seams
Certain PTFE-coated constructions can be sealed with Packet Welding depending on substrate composition and coating weight. Not all PTFE constructions are weldable. Application-specific testing is required before production commitment.
Seal types: Application-dependent; documented trial required
Compatible when the outer sealing layer is a weldable thermoplastic. Layer construction and bonding method affect parameter requirements. Seal trial recommended for new laminate constructions prior to production.
Seal types: Dependent on laminate construction
Packet Welding's adjustable parameters provide a starting point for evaluating thermoplastic substrates not listed above. Weldability depends on melt behavior, coating construction, and substrate thickness. Send material for evaluation before production commitment.
Seal types: Evaluated per application
At-a-glance compatibility across Packet Welding and traditional sealing methods. Packet Welding column highlighted. Follow comparison links for full production data and worked examples.
| Material | Packet Welding | Hot-Air | Impulse | RF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard vinyl (lightweight) | ✔ Compatible | ✔ Compatible | ✔ Compatible | ✔ Compatible |
| Heavy vinyl (18 oz.+) | ✔ Compatible | ✔ Compatible | ✗ Not recommended | ✔ Compatible |
| PVC-coated polyester | ✔ Compatible | ✔ Compatible | Limited | ✔ Compatible |
| Polyurethane (PU) | ✔ Compatible | Limited | Select grades | ✔ Compatible |
| Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) | ✔ Compatible | Limited | Select grades | ✔ Compatible |
| Polyester (coated) | ✔ Compatible | Limited | ✗ Not compatible | Specialized setup |
| Nylon (coated) | ✔ Compatible | Limited | ✗ Not compatible | Specialized setup |
| rPET | ✔ Compatible | Limited | ✗ Cannot seal | ✗ Not compatible |
| Polypropylene (PP) | ✔ Compatible | Limited | ✗ Cannot seal | ✗ Not compatible |
| Polyethylene (PE / HDPE) | ✔ Compatible | Limited | ✗ Cannot seal | ✗ Not compatible |
| PTFE / Teflon-coated | ✔ Compatible — trial recommended for non-film constructions | ✗ Not applicable | ✗ Not applicable | ✗ Not applicable |
Compatibility reflects general material behavior under standard conditions. Specific lot, coating weight, and construction will affect parameters. Seal trial is recommended for any new material before production commitment. View full method comparisons at novaseal.com/comparisons.
Seal evaluations are available for your specific material and application. Evaluation cost is credited toward your purchase price. Every material and application is different — evaluate documented results on your specific substrate before making any commitment.
¹ Cycle times within the 8–12 second range depend on material type, bar length, and machine power output (WPI). Configuration is application-specific. Contact Novaseal to discuss requirements for your material and seam length.