SBIR-STTR Award

A technology has been developed whereby a polymer (plastic) is delivered through a nozzle onto an area to be seamed causing the polymer to bond to the substrates to which it has been applied. This is accomplished by coaxially delivering laser energy in the plastic as it is being applied. The laser energy coaxially delivered in this way is referred to as Laser Enhanced Bonding (LEB). This process is patented (Patent #5348604). The name of the technology is copyrighted and is referred to in the textile industry as LightSeam. The resulting seam is impermeable, flexible, environmentally safe, long lasting, and aesthetically pleasing. Butt seams generated utilizing LEB demonstrate impermeability approaching or exceeding parent material strengths. This impermeability extends from helium and other gasses to blood pathogens, chemicals, water, and any other characteristics the parent material has been engineered to achieve. The technology allows for the use of virtually any polymer, to be used in conjunction with virtually any complex substrate construct. LEB allows common off-the-shelf polymers to be used in applications previously reserved exclusively for solvent based technologies (neoprenes, rubbers, leather, etc.). This is an incredibly significant environment opportunity. No comparable seaming technologies exist today!

Benefits:
Laser enhanced bonding (LEB) technology utilizes readily available polymers to create a seam which has substantial benefits over the existing technologies (ie. sewing, gluing, and fusion welding) in the sewn products industry. The laser energy, in driving the polymer into the fabric, creates a seam, in one pass, that is significantly stronger than the fabric itself. Additionally, the resulting seam is impermeable, flexible, environmentally safe, long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing. When compared with other seaming technologies; LEB does not leave holes in the fabric, the fibers are not broken by the needle, eliminates thread weaknesses and deterioration, eliminates material waste at seam, creates an impermeable seam, utilizes only environmentally safe adhesives, does not require any environmentally hazardous solvents, eliminates structural damage to material at seam, effective on all types of substrates and materials (dissimilar and similar). LEB is revolutionary technology most beneficial to markets requiring strong, environmentally safe, impermeable seams. LEB can be used in the manufacturing of numerous products such as: tentage/tarps, CP liner, rain-suits, parachutes, air beams, waterproof bags, hazmat suits, surgical gowns, automotive airbags, footwear, etc.

Keywords:
Stitchless-seams, laser welding, impermeable-seams, environmentally protective, LightSeam, laser enhanced bonding (LEB), waterproof-seams, dissimilar materials

The goal of Phase II will be to develop modular manufacturing methodology for "laser enhanced bonding" (LEB) that is scaleable, adaptable and allows evolution. Typical textile manufacturing methods required specific manufacturing steps to be treated as a cell. Whereby one cell does the cuff, one the sleeve, and another joins the two. Complex garments could require 50 steps, any one of which could fail quality control (QC). It is this complexity and cost that drive manufacturing off shore, labor means nothing. LEB promises to allow modular manufacturing means with higher throughput speeds fully automated manufacturing and higher performance seam construction. The modular manufacturing system would allow a single point of attachment. This standard drive/attachment point allows any product or component to be fixtured and seamed with no change physically to the LEB delivery machine. This system is based on an extrusion. We have quotes from several vendors with proposed delivery dates (6 to 8 weeks). This modular system allows multiple loading stations, not five ladies running 5 machines, but 5 ladies loading fixtures to feed one station allowing high throughputs and fully automated manufacturing. One single station could run circles, crotches, sleeves, and straight seams of any length with minor changes, making adaptable manufacturing to become a reality. Maximum size and production variability in piece pattern handling is a benefit of this modular system. This system will achieve instant commercial value with materials and products such as, neoprene/wetsuits, byutal rubber, bio suits, tyvek, hazmat, and protection uniforms of all kinds, just to name a few.

Keywords:
Stitchless-Seams, Laser Enhanced Bonding, Adhesive Applicator, Waterproof Seams, Dissimilar Materials, Butt Seams, Curved Seams, Environmentally Prote