Instructions / Assembly

7 | P a g e
Usage and Fabrication Guidelines
WELDING There are several methods for welding plastics. The most common are
butt welding and hot air welding or gas welding. Note that welds on
expanded PVC foam are usually not as strong as those of solid PVC
Butt Welding Butt welding is recommended for gauges 4mm and over. This method
allows fusion by simply joining two ends together under pressure after
ends have been heated to an optimum bonding state. This pressure
must be maintained until the material is completely cooled. (see
illustration 6)
Hot Air Welding Hot air welding is accomplished with the use of a hot air gun and a
welding rod. (see illustration 7) The temperature can be regulated and
this method allows great flexibility. Rods made of Type I PVC are
preferred, but Type II can also work well. Welding is accomplished by
feeding the rod through the gun and applying pressure on the rod as the
sheet and rod are heated simultaneously.
For best results, the temperature of the air at the tip of the rod should
be 680 degrees F. Welding pressure should be approximately 2 to 3lbs.
depending on rod diameter. Under optimum conditions, welding 10 to
18 inches per minute can be accomplished.
INSTALLATION Foam PVC is a low-density material that can be compressed relatively
easily. When securing the material in place, make sure the clamping
force is spread evenly over a large area.
All extruded products have grain determined by the direction of the
extrusion which is the length of the sheet. The grain direction offers
greater flexural strength when compared to the cross grain direction.
Because of this characteristic, make sure the grain direction is parallel to
the floor when making flag-type signs.
Note:
Most thermoplastics tend to become hard and brittle in cold
temperatures just as exposure to wide variations in temperature and