When solving packaging problems, you’ll achieve the best results when you diagnose one symptom at a time and evaluate the effects of each corrective adjustment. This systematic approach will help you isolate the causes, determine the best solutions, and avoid steps that compound the problem and waste time.
In part 1 of this Greener Tech Bite we diagnose the most apparent problem on this package from a flow pack wrapper—the split in the upper left corner.
This Greener Tech Bite reviews machine adjustments and sealing jaw designs that provide the pressure and heat* required for quality seals. You can consult additional, detailed posts and videos on each topic by clicking the red links or the corresponding images.
Quality seals on flow wrappers & vertical baggers require a combination of time, pressure, and heat, if utilized, that seals across varying thicknesses created by the fin or lap seal, gussets, or other pleats and wrinkles. Read more
Are you planning to test or convert to sustainable packaging films on your flow wrappers or vertical form-fill-seal baggers? Your current machine set-up and components may not provide quality results with these paper-based, recyclable, or compostable materials.
This Greener Tech Bite outlines steps in your packaging process that you should evaluate and adjust before running these new films. You’ll find links to resources for:
• Machine Set-Up
• Sealing Jaw & Former Design
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Training
This Greener Tech Bite, with the help of our partner Kenray Forming, explores six key design and set-up principles to help you identify the source of forming and sealing problems and develop solutions for quality packages. Read more
Optimizing packaging performance requires fine-tuning of the entire product flow process—from the way product is distributed into the measuring system through to the filled, sealed, and cut bag or pouch.
Symptoms of product flow issues on vertical baggers include downtime from product blockages and poor end seals and cutting problems due to product contamination of the sealing jaws and knife. Considered in isolation, as one-time incidents, each problem may only cause a relatively short period of downtime and a small amount of product and film waste. But when the cumulative impact of product flow issues is considered over time, the costs can mount. Read more
The first two parts of this series explored the potential problems created by end seal wrinkles and creases and ways to eliminate or reduce them on horizontal flow wrappers (Part 1) and vertical baggers (Part 2). In some situations wrinkles or creases are unavoidable, and, even without those issues, most packages have the inevitable transition between multiple film layers created by either a fin or a lap seal. This can make it more difficult to achieve quality seals, and attempts to do so can lead to additional issues:
• Excess pressure can easily crush or split the end seal.
• Overheating distorts the seal and can cause poor hot tack, where the film springs back open, or “moons,” before the seal can set.
The operating window for creating quality seals can be elusive, resulting in packages that leak or are distorted and either fail to protect the product or have little appeal to consumers.
This post reviews some of the detailed solutions in Greener Corporation’s Knowledge Center that will help you seal over extra layers of film at the end seal by refining the set-up and adjustment of crimpers, sealing jaws, and knives.
Varying thicknesses of film at the end seal can cause sealing problems, especially at the transition points of multiple film layers created by the fin or lap seal, gussets, wrinkles, creases, and at the corners. Applications of pressure and heat must be great enough to cause the sealant layer to flow into and seal off these voids. However, excess pressure can easily crush or split the end seal, while overheating distorts the seal and can cause poor hot tack, where the film springs back open, or “moons,” before the seal can set.
The operating window for creating quality seals can be elusive, resulting in packages that leak, are distorted, and have little appeal to consumers. Read more
