Shrink wrap is a wonderful packaging material for various products including food. This packaging solution is highly versatile and can serve various purposes including protection from moisture and dust, and bundling products together. However, you need to equip yourself with enough knowledge about using this packaging solution. To make this easier, here are things you should know about using shrink wrap machines.
Shrink wrapping unstable products
There are various ways to shrink wrap unstable items. The use of secondary packaging such as cardboard trays for collated unstable products increases stability. The cardboards create a flat and square surface at the bottom of the pack making it more rigid. Stacking wrapped items like birdseed sacks encourage instability. This is because of the uneven weight distribution during stacking.
Slowing the speed of the wrapping machine ensures that unstable products get stability. Poor shrink wrapping of drink bottles might make them topple and wobble over. The 24 collated bottles can cause chaos on a production line when they begin collapsing. Slowing the wrapping machine speed ensures accuracy and control of the whole process.
Shrink wrapping irregularly shaped products
When you buy heat shrink machine shrink wrapping products with irregular shapes is a breeze. However, this requires addressing some issues. It is very important to ensure accurate pack detection by the shrink wrap machine to trigger film placement around the item. A standard machine detects each item using a light beam while traveling through the machine. This understands that a product is fully packed when the beam is broken.
The ideal shrink wrap machine is made to adapt to irregular shaped items with features including multi-pack detection to compensate for troughs, gaps, and dips in product dimensions. Shrink film performance and strength matters significantly when wrapping irregular shaped items with sharp edges and corners. Puncture resistant shrink film is required to avoid compromising performance and aesthetics.
Shrink film also needs burn resistance since irregularly shaped objects are likely to have air pockets and gaps. The combination of air and heat flow inside the shrink tunnel heats and expands to create a tight pack. The pre-perforated film is necessary with tiny holes to limit expanding air from escaping. Additionally, this feature limits scorching damage and burn holes.
Shrink wrapping non-rigid products
Calendarsand other non-rigid items can be shrink-wrapped without curling and bending. This requires the addition of cardboard stiffeners at a minimal cost. The stiffeners are inserted into the item like packs of paper at intervals to maintain shape. Additionally,the use of low energy shrink film protects bendy items from rolling up and misshapen.
The film stops at an earlier resistance stage of the product compared to regular shrink film specifications. This film requires lower energy for a lower shrink force to deliver a similar shrink ratio. A flat-pack roller in the shrink tunnel protects non-rigid items from quashing. The series of rollers sit directly above the tunnel belt. This makes curling up of shrink-wrapped items impossible as they go through the tunnel.
Shrink wrapping food that melts or spoils
Various food items are shrink-wrapped by distributors and producers. There are concerns regarding the exposure of items cold like ice cream, chocolate, and milk to heat during the shrinking process. Fortunately, these food packs spend only seconds in the tunnel so heat does not affect them whatsoever. The best thing about using shrink film for wrapping food items is exceptional protection.
Shrink wrap comes in various colors
There is shrink film in various colors thanks to the use of additives o match your packaging needs. Shrink film undergoes through special corona treatment to customize it with images and logos. A reputable supplier will have printed shrink film to match your applications. High definition flexo printing through options allows giving shrink film various color combinations.
Use of traditional clear shrink film for packaging has significant benefits. However, custom printed film enhances the visibility of wrapped items by giving it an eye-catching shine. The enhanced branding and increased availability of product information visible on printed shrink film eliminate use of printed inserts and labels. The most significant benefit of printed film is protection from counterfeit products.
Benefits of investing in shrink wrap machinery
Investing in a heat shrink machine speeds up the production line. An automatic machine eliminates the tedious and time-consuming process of packaging items. This gives you time to accomplish more meaningful tasks. Additionally, using a shrinking machine saves film costs for the efficiency of wrapping each item compared to the use of hands. So, the shrink wrap machine saves you a significant amount of time and money in the long run.
The most significant benefit of investing in a shrink wrap machine is inventory control. Using this equipment ensures products are wrapped securely to limit exposure to dust, dirt, moisture, and damage. You always enjoy peace of mind that your stock is ready for shipping. Additionally, using a shrink wrap machine ensures consistent packaging. This allows knowing how much material to use for each production period. Understanding this makes budgeting easier and encourages space utilization.
Wrapping up
Shrink film is a wonderful packaging solution. The use of a shrink wrap machine makes completing larger orders faster, more efficient and guarantees consistent packaging.
