Plastic Welding Rod & Plastic Welding Guide
Learn about plastic welding rod, plastic welding, hot air welding, extrusion welding and thermoplastic fabrication for HDPE, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, PVDF, ABS, PETG, TPU and other thermoplastics.
HotAirWelder.com provides practical information for plastic fabricators, repair technicians, maintenance departments, distributors, OEMs and industrial users selecting welding rod, equipment and plastic welding processes.
Plastic Welding Resource Center
Start with one of the main plastic welding guides below. Each guide covers a specific part of thermoplastic welding and connects to detailed material, equipment and troubleshooting information.
Plastic Welding Rod
Learn how to select thermoplastic filler rod by material, diameter, profile and welding process.
Plastic Welding Rod Guide →Plastic Welding
Complete introduction to welding thermoplastics including hot air, speed and extrusion welding.
Plastic Welding Guide →How to Weld Plastic
Step-by-step guidance covering material identification, preparation, welding rod, heat, pressure and inspection.
How to Weld Plastic →Hot Air Plastic Welding
Learn how hot air plastic welders, welding guns, nozzles and filler rod work together.
Hot Air Welding Guide →Extrusion Welding
Learn about plastic extrusion welders, preheating, filler feedstock and larger thermoplastic welds.
Extrusion Welding Guide →Thermoplastic Welding
Compare thermoplastic welding processes including hot air, extrusion, hot wedge and fusion methods.
Thermoplastic Welding →Plastic Welding Rod by Material
Plastic welding rod should be selected according to the actual thermoplastic being welded. Different polymers can look similar but may not weld together.
HDPE Welding Rod
HDPE filler rod for compatible high-density polyethylene fabrication and repair.
HDPE Welding Rod →Polyethylene Welding Rod
Learn about LLDPE, LDPE, MDPE, HDPE and HMWPE welding rod and polyethylene compatibility.
Polyethylene Welding Rod →Polypropylene Welding Rod
PP welding rod for polypropylene tanks, sheet, ductwork, fabrication and repair.
Polypropylene Welding Rod →PVC Welding Rod
Rigid and flexible PVC welding rod, material selection, profiles and hot air welding.
PVC Welding Rod →PVDF Welding Rod
PVDF filler rod for compatible industrial, chemical-resistant and specialty fabrication.
PVDF Welding Rod →PETG Welding Rod
PETG welding rod, hot air welding, fabrication and material compatibility.
PETG Welding Rod →TPU Welding Rod
Flexible thermoplastic polyurethane welding rod and TPU welding information.
TPU Welding Rod →Rod Sizes & Profiles
Compare 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, round, triangle and custom plastic welding rod.
Welding Rod Sizes →How to Weld HDPE, Polypropylene & PVC
Material-specific welding guides provide more focused preparation, filler selection, temperature and troubleshooting information.
How to Weld HDPE
Learn HDPE material preparation, HDPE welding rod selection, hot air welding, speed welding and repair.
How to Weld HDPE →How to Weld Polypropylene
Learn how to identify, prepare and weld polypropylene using compatible PP welding rod.
How to Weld Polypropylene →How to Weld PVC
Learn rigid and flexible PVC welding, filler selection, heat control and troubleshooting.
How to Weld PVC →Plastic Welding Temperature, Tools & Troubleshooting
Plastic Welding Temperature Chart
Approximate hot-air-tool starting ranges for HDPE, polyethylene, PP, PVC, PVDF, ABS, PETG and TPU.
Temperature Chart →Plastic Welding Tools
Hot air welders, plastic welding guns, speed nozzles, welding tips, scrapers and preparation equipment.
Plastic Welding Tools →Plastic Welding Troubleshooting
Diagnose welding rod that will not stick, weak welds, overheating, cold welds and equipment problems.
Troubleshooting Guide →Why Does Plastic Welding Rod Melt but Not Stick?
One of the most common plastic welding problems occurs when the welding rod becomes soft or molten but does not properly bond to the parent plastic.
Possible causes include:
- incorrect welding rod material
- incorrectly identified parent plastic
- insufficient heating of the parent material
- surface oxidation
- oil, dirt or other contamination
- poor joint preparation
- travel speed that is too fast
- incorrect heat or airflow
- insufficient welding pressure
Melting the filler rod by itself is not enough. The parent thermoplastic must also reach suitable welding conditions at the joint interface.
Plastic Welding Rod Sizes
Round plastic welding rod is commonly produced in several metric diameters. Triangle and custom profiles are also used for specialized fabrication.
| Rod | Approximate Inch Diameter | General Description |
|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 0.1181 in. | Smaller round welding rod |
| 4 mm | 0.1575 in. | Common general-purpose round welding rod |
| 5 mm | 0.1969 in. | Larger round filler cross section |
| Triangle | Profile dependent | Fabrication and specialty applications |
| Custom | Customer specification | Special equipment, joints and OEM applications |
Industrial Plastic Fabrication
Thermoplastic welding is used in the manufacture and repair of tanks, sheet assemblies, ductwork, containment systems, liners, process equipment and other fabricated plastic products.
Tank Fabrication
HDPE, PP, PVC and PVDF can be used in suitable tank and process-equipment applications.
Sheet Fabrication
Thermoplastic sheet can be cut, formed, machined and welded into custom assemblies.
Plastic Repair
Some cracked or damaged thermoplastic components can be repaired when the material and service requirements are properly evaluated.
Plastic Welding Rod Manufacturer & Supplier
HotAirWelder.com is operated by New Image Plastics Manufacturing, a U.S. manufacturer of thermoplastic welding rod and custom extruded plastic products.
Welding rod materials include:
Standard & Specialty Materials
- LLDPE
- LDPE
- MDPE
- HDPE
- HMWPE
- Polypropylene
- Rigid PVC
- Flexible PVC
- PVDF
- PETG
- ABS
- TPU
Manufacturing Capabilities
- 3mm welding rod
- 4mm welding rod
- 5mm welding rod
- round welding rod
- triangle welding rod
- custom profiles
- custom colors
- spool packaging
- OEM production
- private-label manufacturing
Complete Plastic Welding Guides
Welding Rod
How-To & Equipment
Plastic Welding FAQ
What is plastic welding rod?
Plastic welding rod is thermoplastic filler material used in many welding processes to join compatible thermoplastic parts.
How do I choose plastic welding rod?
Identify the parent thermoplastic first. Select filler compatible with the actual polymer and grade rather than choosing rod based only on appearance or color.
What plastics can be welded?
Common examples include HDPE, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, PVDF, ABS, PETG and certain TPU materials.
Why won't my plastic welding rod stick?
Common causes include incompatible filler, insufficient base-material heat, contamination, poor preparation, excessive travel speed or incorrect welding conditions.
What sizes does plastic welding rod come in?
Common round diameters include 3mm, 4mm and 5mm. Triangle and custom profiles are also available.
What is extrusion welding?
Extrusion welding uses an extrusion welder to plasticize thermoplastic filler material and deposit it into a prepared, preheated joint.
Need Plastic Welding Rod?
New Image Plastics Manufacturing produces plastic welding rod for professional fabricators, distributors, OEMs, repair companies and industrial customers.
Standard and custom thermoplastic welding rod is available in multiple materials, diameters, profiles and colors.
New Image Plastics Manufacturing
Canal Fulton, Ohio, USA
Phone:
330-854-3010
Email:
newimageplastics@sbcglobal.net