Flashless welding method and apparatus

A method for welding ends of two separate articles or a single article to form a single welded article comprising the steps of:

• spacing first and second ends of one or two articles to a prescribed distance;
• advancing an infrared heater within said spacing between said first and second ends;
• energizing said infrared heater for a prescribed period of time;
• altering the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time to achieve increased electromagnetic radiation penetration into the body of said one or more articles beyond said first and second end;
• and
• contacting said first and second ends together to form a single welded article;
• wherein the step of altering the power supplied to the infrared heater further comprises the step of decreasing the frequency of said electromagnetic radiation.

A method for welding ends of two separate articles or a single article to form a single welded article comprising the steps of:

• spacing first and second ends of one or two articles to a prescribed distance;
• advancing an infrared heater within said spacing between said first and second ends;
• energizing said infrared heater for a prescribed period of time;
• altering the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time to achieve increased electromagnetic radiation penetration into the body of said one or more articles beyond said first and second ends;
• contacting said first and second ends together to form a single welded article;
• and
• monitoring a surface temperature of at least one of said ends, the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation being adjusted in response to the monitored surface temperature.

A method for welding ends of two separate articles or a single article to form a single welded article comprising the steps of:

• spacing first and second ends of one or two articles to a prescribed distance;
• advancing an infrared heater within said spacing between said first and second ends;
• energizing said infrared heater for a prescribed period of time;
• altering the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time to achieve increased electromagnetic radiation penetration into the body of said one or more articles beyond said first and second ends;
• contacting said first and second ends together to form a single welded article;
• and
• rotating one of said ends to place the infrared heater in a parallel relationship with the other of said ends.

A method for welding ends of two separate articles or a single article to form a single welded article comprising the steps of:

• spacing first and second ends of one or two articles to a prescribed distance;
• advancing an infrared heater within said spacing between said first and second ends;
• energizing said infrared heater for a prescribed period of time;
• altering the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time to achieve increased electromagnetic radiation penetration into the body of said one or more articles beyond said first and second ends;
• contacting said first and second ends together to form a single welded article;
• and
• concomitant rotation of one of said ends while translating the other of said ends in order to place said infrared heater in parallel relationship with the said ends.

An apparatus for welding ends of two separate articles or a single article to form a single welded article comprising:

• first and second molds for supporting and clamping first and second ends of at least one article;
• an infrared heating element for thermally energizing over a prescribed period of time said first and second ends of said at least one article to a welding condition;
• a regulator for altering the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time to achieve increased electromagnetic radiation penetration into the body of said at least one article beyond said first and second ends;
• and
• an actuator for advancing said first and second ends into a contacting position to form a single welded article;
• wherein said regulator decreases the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time thereby increasing the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation penetration emitted into the body of said at least one article beyond said first and second ends.

An apparatus for welding ends of two separate articles or a single article to form a single welded article comprising:

• first and second molds for supporting and clamping first and second ends of at least one article;
• an infrared heating element for thermally energizing over a prescribed period of time said first and second ends of said at least one article to a welding condition;
• a regulator for altering the power supplied for energizing the infrared heater over at least a portion of said prescribed period of time to achieve increased electromagnetic radiation penetration into the body of said at least one article beyond said first and second ends;
• an actuator for advancing said first and second ends into a contacting position to form a single welded article;
• and
• a rotational actuator coupled to said first mold and a catwalk translator coupled to said second mold such that concomitant rotation of said first mold supporting said first end with a translating of the second mold supporting said second end in order to position said infrared heater in parallel relationship with the extrusion ends.