There are many different purposes of packing by shrinking.
Purposes of the shrink machine are;
– To make the smallest packages a larger and more complete package.
– To ensure that a product is packaged and kept clean.
– To ensure that the seal is maintained for the product’s lifetime.
– To prevent redistribution or resale of a product.
– To provide durability by protecting the product against lubrication, dampness, water, and other factors.
– To deliver the product to its real owner by sticking the address label without any worn out on the products such as paper, leather, catalog etc.
– To put advertising, instructions, barcodes, warning and various graphics with printed film method in case it will be needed.
– To provide moisture shield for some food products (bread, vegetables, fruits, etc).
– To ensure the delivery of the product with its first state.
– To present a tense and visual aesthetic by taking the shape of the product.
– To provide a parallel and transparent appearance.
– To ensure grouping and keeping the products together.
Packaging by shrinking is a packaging process by wrapping a product or around of the product with plastic film.
Although this process is described as “shrink wrapping”, the packaging without any heat application by covering the around of the product is called “poly wrapping”.
The shrink film used in packaging, shrinks with the help of the heat and wrapping around the product and taking the form of the product. The shrink operation is carried out with shrink machine and film. The purpose of using the shrink machine in here is to provide a smaller area coverage by wrapping in the same form during packaging of the packaged product.
The shrink machine works in two stages. The around of the product will be wrapped with a plastic film which is called stitching source and sewed with a sewing machine. In the second stage, the tunnel is created by applying heat that will allow the shrink and this is called shrink tunnel or heat tunnel.
Shrinking should be done with the right shrink film and the right shrink machine selection.
If we give an example to this;
We can pack a product in two ways which one side folded itself and the other three sides are open.
1- With the help of the L-sealer,
2- With the continuous sealer method.
L sealer shrink packaging machines;
One side of the films that need to close on three sides firstly closed manually. Then the other two edges are cut with the help of an L-shaped jaw in order to close the other two sides. On the other hand, since the side that is in front of the next package is welded, this process will be resumed automatically with the joining of the other two sides.
Continuous sealer shrink packaging machines;
Again films that need to be closed in three sides are subject to continuous cutting process by being passed through the rollers of the stitching machine. In this way, it is possible to cut in infinite length in the lengthwise direction. The remaining side will be cut by one-way welding with the help of a vertical jaw.
Continuous sealer machines are classified as intermittent and continuous motion. Because of the products have a hard stop or lift acceleration, their shaking adds a distinct value to the automation of continuous motion. The cutting operation will be carried out when the jaw system merges with the product at the same speed while the product is heading in the transport band.
You need to choose the right shrink film and the right shrink machine for shrinking. For proper shrink packaging operation, the shrink film should be in proper specifications, the two-stage shrink process must be quality, a good welding machine should be used in the first stage and a good heat tunnel should be used in the second stage.
Thus, in order to be able to fulfill the purpose of the shrinking machine, the shrinking operation must be carried out with the correct method and the correct machine.
