System and method for simultaneous welding of plastic bags using a carrier film

A laser welding method for simultaneously joining respective film layers of a plurality of bags, the method comprising:

• positioning a plurality of film layers adjacent to and in an overlapping manner with each other, the plurality of film layers including a first film layer adjacent to a second film layer and a third film layer adjacent to a fourth film layer, each layer of the plurality of film layers being made of a thermoplastic material that absorbs laser radiation having a wavelength of about 2 microns;
• separating the second film layer and the third film layer with a non-absorbing carrier film layer, the non-absorbing carrier film layer being made of a material that transmits substantially all energy of the laser radiation;
• directing the laser radiation onto the first film layer and the second film layer to melt irradiated portions of the first film layer and the second film layer to one another forming a first bag;
• transmitting substantially all the energy of the laser radiation not absorbed by the first film layer and the second film layer through the non-absorbing carrier film interposed between the second film layer and the third film layer;
• directing the transmitted energy of the laser radiation onto the third film layer and the fourth film layer to melt irradiated portions of the third film layer and the fourth film layer to one another forming a second bag, the second bag being formed generally simultaneously with the first bag;
• and
• turning off the laser radiation and allowing at least the irradiated portions of the first film layer, the second film layer, the third film layer, and the fourth film layer to solidify.