WhyNot?

Laser sewing machine

Category: Fashion
Responses: 3 (3 in support, 0 neutral, 0 in opposition)
Number of views: 1596
Tracking: Track this idea
Community Rating:Average AverageYour Rating:

Many synthetic plastics used in fabrics are thermoplastic which means that they melt under extreme heat. It may be possible to construct a threadless sewing machine using a laser that melts the fabric in the plastic in tiny dots to simulate the join made by thread so that the fabric is welded thereby eliminating the thread. The dots must be extremely small to maintain the flexibility of the fabric.

Another possibility along the same line is a thermoplastic glue dispensed by a hollow needle which is heated and can create the welding dots in fabrics not amenable to welding by the fabric itself.

sand, Jan 06 2005

What do you think of this idea or comment?
(You can change your vote at any time)

agree I agree no opinion No opinion disagree I disagree

Users who liked this idea also liked:

Other ideas in category (Fashion):

Womens clothing w/ measurement (1 votes) Average
Bra Stretcher (1 votes) Average
The open fly (1 votes) Average
Winter Electric Slippers (1 votes) Average
Digital Tie (4 votes) Average
Airbag Jacket (5 votes) Average
Automatic Pant Zip (3 votes) Weak
100% Cotton Socks (18 votes) Very strong
Complete Wedding Shopping (2 votes) Average
Tada! Lightbulb hat! (1 votes) Average
personal refrigeration vest (2 votes) Average
Talking Underpants (3 votes) Average
SHIRT STRETCHER (4 votes) Average
Mix & Match (0 votes) Very weak
Handle with built in scale (7 votes) Strong
Friction strap (2 votes) Average
Button with switch (1 votes) Average
Neck Warmer (1 votes) Average
Lighting for Clothes (6 votes) Average
Eco-friendly Sunglasses (2 votes) Average
Cellphone Pocket (4 votes) Average
Cool Cap (3 votes) Average
Buy tailored clothing online (1 votes) Average
adjustable-hem pants (3 votes) Average
shaker light shoes (1 votes) Average
Automatic buttons (6 votes) Strong
Stylish contact lens kit (2 votes) Average
Universal Women's Sizes (11 votes) Very strong
Bright colours inside handbags (2 votes) Average
Everlasting Collar Sleeves (1 votes) Average
Fashion and Beer (3 votes) Average
Revive One-Piece Snow Suits (1 votes) Average
Fur-Less (1 votes) Average
Unbreakable Button (0 votes) Very weak
Blacksocks.com (3 votes) Average
Tolerate Face Disfigurements (2 votes) Average
Never Iron Again! (1 votes) Average
Electric Clothing (3 votes) Average
Mens Open Zipper Alarm (2 votes) Average
T-Shirts and Sweatshirts Logo (1 votes) Average
Porn: Win-Win Solution (10 votes) Very weak
Detachable Shoe Soles (8 votes) Average
wet diaper sensor (2 votes) Average
Microwaveable Clothing (32 votes) Very strong
Combination shoes (6 votes) Average
Removeable/Custom High Heel (2 votes) Average
Illuminated Eye Glass Frames (4 votes) Average
fleece tights (3 votes) Average
Gym Bag (2 votes) Average
Watch with a mirrored back (10 votes) Average
Interchangeable strappy shoes (1 votes) Average
Earmuff headsets (2 votes) Average
Retractable Heels (5 votes) Strong
"Shake & Dance" Protector (4 votes) Average
Shirt pockets inside and outsi (4 votes) Average
Road Rash Jacket (2 votes) Average
Telescoping high heels (8 votes) Strong
Clothes tag (2 votes) Average
All-over tan bikini (2 votes) Average
'New baby smell' perfume (5 votes) Strong
Modified sandals (2 votes) Average
Faraday Cage Suit (3 votes) Average
Traffic Shoes (2 votes) Average
Handicapped Bra (17 votes) Very weak
Full mask face hat (1 votes) Average
Virtual Body Scan (4 votes) Average
Skunk bomb for underwear (2 votes) Average
Kevlar disposable suits (2 votes) Average
Sized Models & Clothing (1 votes) Weak
Laser sewing machine (3 votes) Average
Ties with Dresses (5 votes) Strong
Shoe size tracking (2 votes) Average
Custom made clothes (1 votes) Average
Noisy Shoes (8 votes) Average
Designer Diapers (10 votes) Strong
color changing shirts (2 votes) Average
Black light t-shirts (1 votes) Average
Ginger Trombone (7 votes) Average
socks that find each other (3 votes) Weak
Upgradable Shoes with Subscrpt (2 votes) Average
Power Laces (1 votes) Average
Easy-on socks (1 votes) Average
Wetsuit w/ camera & cell phone (1 votes) Average
Quality Std- Mine or Theirs (1 votes) Average
Shining Faces (1 votes) Average
Non-slip pants (2 votes) Average
TSA approved garment labels (8 votes) Weak
changeable eyeglass frames (8 votes) Strong
Pants that DryClean as Shirts (3 votes) Average
Self-cleaning glasses (8 votes) Average
Shirt/Tie Protector (7 votes) Average
Comments from other members:

Add your comment

This makes it difficult to undo a change. Say you made a mistake, how do u unsew the clothes? With a thread, u can just use a hook to pull it out.

But on the whole, this beats the thread from breaking while trying to sew something!

viz, Jun 23 2005

Adding a surger extension would be nice too - sealing the frayed edges so it could be a clean edge.

Possibly, this might go along with the "custom tailored" clothing idea - people go into a store, choose a fabric, get measured and then purchase their goods. While they wait, an industrial machine cuts and sews the fabric with a laser (and assistance from a seamstress or not).

My concern would be the fabric feel - natural fibers feel the best while synthetics are nice, but not as good.

Also, I have seen some travel bags with melted seams, though this idea retains the flexibility of the material by dot sewing.

Pojken, Jun 23 2005

Plastic rain coats are made by a similar process, although I think they simply use heat.

There may be another means of threadless sewing called "ultrasonic welding." High-frequency sound is used to precisely melt materials without using expensive laser equipment or excessive heat.

Beaugrand, Aug 28 2005