When sealing problems kept a packager of energy bars from meeting their production requirements, they contacted Greener to see if we could help develop a solution. They explained to one of our technical experts that rejects and downtime due to split or unsealed packages had reached the point of crisis. Read more
Easy Seal
Package Diagnostics: Case 1 – Sealing Jaw Design
This Greener Tech Bite is the first in a series of case studies on the Package Diagnostic Process.
When we work with clients, sample packages provide vital diagnostic clues for troubleshooting problems on flow wrappers or vertical baggers. And even when clients don’t report problems, we use sample packages to help them discover and implement improvements that they may have overlooked—from new knife, sealing jaw, and former designs to machine adjustments that optimize the whole packaging process.
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Standardizing Knives & Sealing Jaws on Flow Wrappers & Vertical FFS Baggers
Do you run different makes or models of flow wrappers or vertical form-fill-seal baggers? If you do, you probably use a variety of knife and sealing jaw styles that you need to keep in stock. With different knife or sealing jaw designs, the seal quality and appearance of your packages may vary, depending on which machine, line, or facility produced them. Read more
Sealing Over Extra Layers of Film at the End Seal (part 4 of 4): Optimizing Crimper & Sealing Jaw Design
NeedThere is no one-size-fits-all solution for the design of crimpers and sealing jaws on horizontal flow wrappers and vertical baggers; they should be specified according to the packaging film, products, and conditions of your packaging operation.
This post, the last in our four-part series, reviews design options for crimpers and jaws. The optimal combination of serration patterns, materials, and special features can dramatically improve seal quality and productivity when sealing across extra film layers at the end seal. Read more
Troubleshooting Intermittent Seal Quality Issues
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
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.
Case Study: Packaging Material Cost Reduction
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.