We’ve all become more familiar with wearing masks in our ventures out and about in this Coronavirus pandemic. Surgical masks are now common sights as we go to work, shopping and other places.
Typically these masks are three-ply and made up:
…of a melt-blown polymer, most commonly polypropylene, placed between non-woven fabric.
A MD+DI (Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry) article, Emerson Responds to Face Mask Needs and More Supplier News, shares a story of how Emerson ultrasonic welding technology helped Australia’s MedCon:
…produce 58 million Level 3 surgical masks in just eight months…
MedCon was challenged by Australia’s Department of Defense to meet massively increased demand, which was:
…a 29-fold increase in annual production.
To meet this demand with their production machinery, they sought from Emerson:
…34 Branson welding units to equip the eight mask-making machines (four welding stations each) with two spares. Each unit would require a 20 Hertz Branson DCX power supply, a matched converter and booster, and a custom-fabricated sonotrode.
Ultrasonic welding technology safely and securely affix the 3 layers in the mask and the mask strap. Specifically, on:
…each of MedCon’s mask-making machines, two Branson welders continuously “stitch weld” multiple layers of nonwoven fabric into mask laminates trimmed with fabric tape. The third welder bonds nonwoven tie straps to each side, while the fourth embosses a MedCon logo.
Read the article for the full story of one example of how Emerson is helping medical suppliers in battling this global pandemic. Visit the Branson section on Emerson.com for more on ultrasonic welding technology and its use in a wide range of applications. You can also connect and interact with other ultrasonic welding experts in the Welding, Assembly & Cleaning group in the Emerson Exchange 365 community.