Heat-sealing tech, also called "Drop stitch welding tech". Does it is the most advanced and no short coming? No, it has shortcoming. Let us say slowly.
01. Background:
Traditional SUP sealing process is glued by workers, after heat-sealing machine created, some brand begin preaching how heat-sealing tech is advanced.
In order prove this tech is exclusived by their brand, the heat-sealing tech is called many different name by different brand, for example: "TFT tech" "Welding tech" "AFT tech....
02. What's the advantage of Heat-sealing tech?
-1. It can withstand higher air pressure than manual sealing, if handwork sealing max can hold 20PSI, Heat-sealing max can hold 25-28PSI.
-2. Machine work product, it can avoid air leakage to the greatest extent.
03. What's the shortcoming of Heat-sealing tech?
-1. Heat-sealing board have higher chance twist or deform than handmade sup board, because heat-sealing belong to one time molding, can not repair the shape and flatness; Handmade board if find board don't flat, workers will repair it ensure finally board is flatness. As below picture shows.
-2. It suits for quantity order only. Open a new metal mould need 1 thousand USD. Quantity under 1 container no need to think about it.
-3. It can't make racing board(Norrow point head), only can make round head SUP.
04. Does heat-sealing more environmental than handwork sealing?
Not environmental, although heat-sealing do not use glue during whole process, but heat-sealing consume a lot of electricity, generate harmful chemical fumes and big noise. Pls check this video of heat-sealing working:
05. In conclusion:
For normal paddle boards for entertaiment which do not need high pressure, do not suggest heat-sealing tech, by handwork sealing, you will have perfect shape and flatness board on water.
For those inflatable racing paddle board which need high pressure, yes, that is the best option for safety and speed performance.
06. How to identify whether your SUP board adopt heat-sealing tech?
If you wanna know whether your SUP board adopt heat-sealing tech, you can check whether have a 3cm pvc stripe under the side rail PVC band.
Why? because heat-sealing need use a 3cm pvc to heat welding between pvc and board body, so you can see the trace of 3cm pvc stripe slightly.
If you can't see any trace outside, you can peel out the outside PVC on side rail to check inner sealing pvc stripe, if whole pvc has melting trace, with extra 3 cm pvc stripe, yes, it is adopt heat-sealing tech.
If no melting trace, no extra 3cm pvc stripe, only 1 layer, it does not adopt heat-sealing tech.
Pls see attached picture as below shows：
