Heat-sealed packaging is a popular choice due to its efficacy in tampering, quality control, and ergonomic handling by the customer. It’s also very cost-effective when producing high-volume packaging.
But what types of packaging material can you heat seal?
Heat sealing is not dependent on the type of material. It’s used to join a variety of thermoplastic materials.
Heat Sealable Materials:
- PP (polypropylene)
- PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
- PS (polystyrene)
- PE (polyethylene)
- PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
- PA (nylon plastic)
- Aluminum foil
- Board materials
Can You Heat Seal Any Type of Plastic?
Yes.
How Versatile is Heat Sealing?
Plastic can be melted down and melded into a water-tight, air-tight seal for a variety of applications in numerous different industries.
Food packaging applications, for instance, almost always use heat to seal plastic film. Plastic-coated paper and thermoformed plastic packages are also common ways to seal medical devices.
The heated portion of the packaging is textured and patterned to promote a stronger seal.
How are Plastic Materials Heat Sealed?
Direct contact is made on a specific surface area as the machine heats up the plastic layer and applies pressure.
The exact heat temperature setting, dwell time, and pressure level will depend on the type of material that is being sealed. 160 degrees.
Common Methods of Heat Sealing
There are two common heat-sealing methods:
Impulse: a timed pulse of heat delivered to the surface at a pre-set temperature.
Constant: consistent delivery of heat onto a surface for as long as required.
To be effective, heat-sealing surfaces need to be flat and parallel. Otherwise they run the risk of creating uneven pockets and warping on certain surfaces (like silicone sheets).
Alternatives to Heat Sealing
Ultrasonic Sealing. Acoustic vibrations generate heat on a molecular level to join plastics.
Cold Sealing. It requires pressure onto an adhesive that bonds two surfaces together.
Related Post: Top Adhesives for Various Types of Packaging
Use Heat-Sealed Blister Packaging
If you’re interested in getting high-quality thermoformed plastic packaging that’s tailored to your product and brand, call us today to get a free quote: (765) 547-1300.
