Apparatus and a method for bonding webs of non-woven plastic material

An apparatus having two or more treatment modules positionable relative to each other, wherein at least one of the treatment modules includes a joining device for treating one or more workpieces during a treatment operation, the apparatus comprising:

• a controller configured to:
• determine a force applied to at least one portion of each of the one or more workpieces during each bond in a plurality of bonds of the workpiece;
• analyze the force to determine a force characteristic value for each bond;
• calculate a force adjustment value based on the force characteristic value for at least one of the plurality of bonds;
• and
• apply the force adjustment value to at least one of the treatment modules,
• wherein the controller is further configured to:
• receive at least one of an ultrasonic amplitude signal, an ultrasonic power signal, and an ultrasonic frequency signal;
• and
• calculate at least one of a bond period and a bond duration based on the at least one of the ultrasonic amplitude signal, the ultrasonic power signal, and the ultrasonic frequency signal.

A method for treating one or more workpieces during a treatment operation comprising two or more treatment modules positionable relative to each other, the method comprising:

• determining a force applied to at least one portion of each of the one or more workpieces during each bond in a plurality of bonds of the workpiece;
• analyzing the force to determine a force characteristic value for each bond;
• calculating a force adjustment value based on the force characteristic value for at least one of the plurality of bonds;
• and
• applying the force adjustment value to at least one of the treatment modules,
• wherein the force characteristic value for each bond is determined based on, for a predetermined period of time, at least one of
• a peak of force values,
• an average of force values,
• a median of force values,
• a range of force values,
• a variance of force values, and
• a standard deviation of force values.