"Can you weld clothes together? The Navy thinks so" Topic

"The U.S. Navy could be turning to ultrasonic welding to make its uniforms lighter, stronger and cheaper. And if the project by a Rhode Island company and the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility is a success, it could help bring manufacturing back from overseas.

Welded seams – created when two pieces of fabric are essentially melted together by sound waves – are already used in some clothing that some Americans have in their closets. Patagonia and North Face both sell models of jackets with welded seams. But so far, most, if not all, of that manufacturing is done overseas.

Propel LLC is trying to figure out how to make one of the Navy's more expensive and challenging garments to assemble – the Navy parka, which it buys for $190.50 USD each – without stitches. It has spent the past year testing welded seams, adhesive techniques and other bonds using a federal grant from the Navy…"
full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Here, here!

A set of the Navy blue cammies (NWUs) runs about $750 USD bucks for a pair of the sea boots, 2 pair of pants, 2 blouses, 4 blue t-shirts, a fleece liner, the Gortex parka shell, and a cover. Aside from the discussion about the Navy's infatuation with camo, this is a very tough, durable uniform that has kept me dry, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. All that said it sure does cost a bundle.

Lost Pict

PS – the wife calls it "floataflage" and Sailors call it "blueberries" or "aquaflage"

Is this stuff fire resistant? Does it melt when exposed to a flame? Back in my day the big discussion was whether we should be going with cotton fabrics. Yes they burn but they don't melt onto your skin.

No, not fire retardant but these don't melt the same way that Certified Navy Twill (CNT) did. My last sets of wash khakis were cotton/poly so they were about like these for fire resistance. Ships still issue fire retardant coveralls to the crews for wear in engineering spaces. I wore this uniform almost constantly for the last five years and in my experience, they have definitely been an all around better working uniform for officers compared to wash khakis. Putting on Service Khakis or SDBs or Whites feels like dressing for church after you get used to them. On the enlisted side, most of my Sailors prefer these to the dungarees and chambray shirts of the past.

Lost Pict

When I saw this all I could think of was the story from my distant past. I was the Repair "R" Division Officer on my ship (think welders, pipefitters, repairmen, damage control). As I was walking past the division spaces I noticed that the hatch to the division spaces was down (normally it was latched up while we were underway). I heard some noise from down below so I went through the scuttle that was open and noticed that all of my division was standing around doing nothing (the sure sign they were doing something wrong). As I walked further into the spaces I noticed 2 guys at the back of the spaces one with a welding line in hand the other standing next to the wall in a very weird position. As I walked closer I realized what was going on. Apparently the stitching on the dungarees of my PO2 was torn and the brass/steel zipper of his pants was sticking out. My brilliant repairmen decided this was an opportunity to see if they could weld the zipper to the bulkhead with my PO2 was still in them. As many of you know welding is not something to trifle with but apparently they were successful. I walked over, looked at the zipper and told them to chip him off the bulkhead. I then turned around and started back up the ladder. I paused and said to them, you guys have no idea what kind of paperwork I would have to fill out if you had injured the PO2, I then went on to say that it was also probably the best welding bead they had laid all deployment. I then went up and out the hatch, and I could here them all break out laughing. My PO2 was ok, the SR Chief took care of the "this will never happen again", and I realized yet again why I love and at the same time hate the Navy. BTW, that is not the reason I got out of the active Navy, that story can only be told over beers, but needless to say I stayed in 28+ years, retired as an O-6 and have never regretted it.

That is a great sea story! I also think pretty much every Sailor has a similar love-hate for it. Often in the same day! I have not had any regrets either although some of the worst days of my life and the best have come of the experience.

Lost Pict