TECH BITES

Technical posts and videos from Greener Corporation that help you solve problems and optimize your entire packaging process on horizontal flow wrappers and vertical form/fill/seal baggers. Learn how to improve:

• Part Designs for Sealing Jaws, Knives, Formers, & more
• Problem Solving & Preventative Maintenance
• Training
• Quality Improvement & Cost-Saving Projects

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Horizontal Flow Wrappers

TECH BITES

Publicaciones técnicas y videos de Greener Corporation que lo ayudan a resolver problemas y optimizar todo su proceso de empaque en envolvedoras horizontales y envasadoras verticales de formado / llenado / sellado. Aprenda a mejorar:

• Diseños de piezas para mordazas selladoras, cuchillas, formadores y más
• Resolución de problemas y mantenimiento preventivo
• Entrenamiento
• Proyectos de mejora de la calidad y ahorro de costos

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Troubleshooting Extra Layers of Film at the End Seal (Part 2 of 4): Refining and Eliminating Wrinkles and Creases on Vertical Baggers

Andrew Dennis forming, sealing, vertical FFS baggers April 24, 2017forming set, forming tube, leakers, mooning, packaging film, productivity, seal quality, sealing over extra film layers, vertical bagger, wrinkles & creases

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.

Package Quality Issues_vertical baggers_Greener Corp

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

Troubleshooting Extra Layers of Film at the End Seal (Part 1 of 4): Refining and Eliminating Wrinkles and Creases on Horizontal Flow Wrappers

Matt Wojtech forming, horizontal flow wrappers, sealing February 14, 2017crimpers, fin wheels, flow wrapper, heat, leakers, packaging film, pressure, seal quality, sealing jaws, sealing over extra film layers, serrations, wrinkles & creases

Varying thicknesses of film at the end seal can cause sealing problems, especially at the transition point between two and four layers created by the fin seal, gussets, wrinkles and creases, as well at the corners. Applications of pressure and heat (if applicable) must be great enough to cause the sealant layer to flow into and seal off these voids. 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.

Package Quality Issues_Greener Corporation

The operating window for creating quality seals can be elusive, resulting in packages that leak, are distorted, and have little appeal to consumers.

An important step in troubleshooting these issues is to eliminate unintended wrinkles and creases. This post, the first in a four-part series, will examine this process on horizontal flow wrappers; Part 2 considers these issues on vertical baggers.

Troubleshooting Intermittent Seal Quality Issues

Mark Green cutting, horizontal flow wrappers, sealing, vertical FFS baggers December 7, 2016backlash, cleaning, clearance, crimpers, Dura-Therm, Easy Seal, flexible sealing face, heat, kevlar scraper, leakers, pressure, seal quality, sealing jaws, serrations, temperature

When end seal issues such as leakers or splitting occur, an important initial step is to determine where, and how often, the trouble shows up. For problems that occur inconsistently—perhaps leakers on every other package, or splits only on the top or trailing end seals of the package—you need to determine if the bad seals show up randomly or according to a pattern. Do the problems occur on every package? On both ends of the package?

Start out by collecting a series of packages produced by the machine during production conditions. Number the packages sequentially and mark the machine flow direction. If you are working on a horizontal wrapper with multiple crimpers, label each pair (ex: A, B) and mark each seal according to the set of crimpers it came from. Now you can trace the problem seals back to the place they occur.

Optimizing Knife and Anvil Set-Up on Horizontal Wrappers

Matt Wojtech cutting, horizontal flow wrappers September 21, 2016anvil, cleaning, clearance, downtime, Easy Seal, flow wrapper, heat, knives, pressure, shim stock, training

Set-up procedures for knives and anvils can vary according to the make and model of the packaging machine, knife adjustment style, and other factors. There are, however, some general principles that make these adjustments more effective and efficient, reducing downtime and parts costs.

♦ Optimize Knife Design

Knives ground on a diagonal, or bias–whether they have a zig zag or a straight cutting edge—require less pressure to cut so they are easier to set up and typically last longer.
Zig zag knives with smaller (more) teeth are also easier to set up and provide longer life.

♦ Set Up the Crimpers First

Clearance and Pressure Adjustments required to create a good seal can impact the knife and anvil set-up.

HEAT: Improving Seal Quality and Consistency

Matt Wojtech horizontal flow wrappers, sealing, vertical FFS baggers June 22, 2016crimpers, Dura-Therm, flow wrapper, heat, mooning, seal quality, sealing jaws, temperature, vertical bagger

For heat seal applications, each packaging film structure has a Seal Initiation Temperature (SIT), at which the sealant layer is heated enough to flow into and seal off gaps in the end seal and provide a minimally acceptable seal, and a Maximum Temperature, beyond which the film distorts, fractures, or has inadequate hot tack (seal strength and integrity while the seal is still warm). The temperature range between the minimum and maximum is the film’s Operating Window.

For a number of reasons, regulating heat is not as straightforward as simply adjusting the temperature setting within the operating window for the film you are running.

♦ The sealing face of crimpers and sealing jaws is often hotter in the middle than at the ends, where heat dissipates more quickly. These inconsistencies are readily apparent in the thermal profile shown below:

Stainless Steel Crimper Thermal Profile

Assessing Crimper and Sealing Jaw Set-Up

Mark Green horizontal flow wrappers, sealing, vertical FFS baggers March 4, 2016carbon impressions, clearance, crimpers, downtime, flow wrapper, pressure, productivity, seal quality, sealing jaws, sealing theory, vertical bagger

How do you know your adjustments are correct?

This “Tech Bites” video and blog post from Greener Corporation explains how carbon paper can help you optimize seal quality on horizontal wrappers and vertical baggers.
Read more

Case Study: Packaging Material Cost Reduction

Matt Wojtech horizontal flow wrappers, sealing January 1, 2016anvil, collaborations, crimpers, Easy Seal, flow wrapper, fractured end seal, knives, packaging film, productivity, projects, seal quality, seal reduction profile, sealing jaws

Project Goals

The corporate engineering department at a large, international company commenced a project to reduce material costs for a variety of products that are individually packaged on horizontal flow wrappers. Greener Corporation was invited to participate in a series of meetings that defined the project’s initial goals:

To reduce the cut-off length for each package by reducing the overall seal width, thus allowing the product envelope to remain unchanged.

To achieve material savings without degrading seal integrity or productivity levels.

To achieve a project payback period of twelve months or less.

Clearance and Pressure on Horizontal Wrappers: What’s the Difference?

Mark Green cutting, horizontal flow wrappers, sealing August 10, 2015clearance, crimpers, flow wrapper, knives, pressure, productivity, seal quality, sealing jaws

Greener’s latest “Tech Bites” video explains how proper clearance and pressure adjustments optimize horizontal flow wrapper performance.

Keeping Your Packaging on Track

Andrew Dennis forming, vertical FFS baggers June 30, 2015downtime, drive belt, forming set, forming tube, vertical bagger

Side to Side Misalignment

Even experienced users of forming sets can, over time, become conditioned to accept the hidden costs and preventable constraints of their packaging equipment. As with all waste, however, careful diagnosis of the root causes will lead to implementation of effective solutions.

One such root cause is forming tube misalignment. This can occur if the forming set has been accidentally mishandled and damaged or if the forming set has not been properly designed and fabricated in the first place. Read more

Cleaning to Improve Package Quality & Productivity

Mark Green cutting, forming, horizontal flow wrappers, sealing, vertical FFS baggers March 31, 2015cleaning, crimpers, downtime, Easy Seal, flow wrapper, forming set, kevlar scraper, knives, seal quality, sealing jaws, serrations, vertical bagger

The newest video in Greener Corporation’s “Tech Bites” series demonstrates the benefits of proper cleaning procedures for crimpers and sealing jaws on horizontal flow wrappers and vertical baggers.