Packed Good!

There are some questions usually when it comes to shrink film. In general, there are some protocols, but the problem is, there is no straightforward answer on it. You may get a phone call and the like today, and it may not really give you what you want. We want the answers quickly of course, so here are some questions to ask before you get your shrink wrap ordered for best results. 

Get Info from Vendors 

The first thing is to get someone’s info before you even call them. You want to make sure that you learn about the shrink machinery that they say the wrap fits, the tunnel and sealer required and if you have it, along with conveyers and even the gauge of this.  You also want to find out from them if the shrink wrap is a good price for the packages that you wrap. 

There are a lot of things to look at, both for those who are new to the business, and for retailers as well. You want to make sure that you collect the information, getting the answers needed, so that you can make sure that the machinery and materials are there. 

The Information Needed 

So what information do you want to ask about? First, maybe ask if there is a specific film to wrap the boxes that help with product packaging.  If you ask that, they may ask about the material. You will want to minimally make sure that you know what type of packaging you’re going to wrap, since otherwise, they won’t recommend answers to you, and it may be a problem down the line. 

The Type of Packaging Ran? 

So what type of packaging are you running? If you are wrapping stuff with a heat gun, that’s much different than if you’re not.  It can definitely vary the answer as well. Knowing the products that you’re making and the machinery that’s necessary will help prevent you from taking shots in the dark, and also help you feel like you have more of an edge for understanding what it is exactly that you need too. 

The Materials Ran 

Next, you should know as well the type of packaging materials that are running. That’s because, the packaging may work for one material and not the other. If you don’t know this, you should definitely learn what type of packaging you’re using for that before you start to proceed. 

The Product Types 

They will also ask you for the types of products that you’re planning to package, which is important to know. This is very important because it’ll help you make sure that you get the right size, weight, length, width, and height, and will also help you get the most that you can from it. Remember that this doesn’t fit all packaging types, so making sure that you give them the proper dimensions is important, especially when you want the right types of results from this too. 

Centerfold Vs. Single Sound Shrink Film: Which is better? 

If you’ve had to purchase shrink film before, you’ve seen these two types. So which one is right for you? What is good for your products and for the packaging? How do You identify the right kinds of shrink film? You do this by looking at the appearance of the packaging, the capabilities of the machine, and of course, the requirements for production so that you can get the appropriate choice. But we’ll go over which one is which here, and which one is best for you. 

Single-Wound Shrink Film 

This is where it’s wrapped directly onto a core, and is considered a single-layer flat film, used with packaging for consumer products, going from 35 to 150 gauge here. Gauge means the footage that you get from this, so it’s about 3500 to 15,000 in terms of feet, with a variety of widths.  When you put the products into the machine, the seal leads, and then there is the trail, and the bottom packaging. If you’re doing this with a sealer that’s an L bar, or what’s called a side sealer, there are three seals that go from the lead to the trail, and then to the sides.  In general, they usually use a static or electric seal, and this is to hold the layers of film. 

Centerfold Film 

Centerfold film is basically folded in half in a lengthwise manner, then made into a core to make a roll, which means that it will unfold to double what it is. This goes from 35-150 gauge as well, but this only goes to 8750 feet, since of course it’s half of that.  This is usually used for various types of machinery, and with the centerfold kinds, the sealers that’s in the front, back and sides need to go to a heat tunnel.

The applications of Such 

So which one is right for you. If you’re using an L bar sealer, the seal will be visible on each of the three sides, and it will then appear on the two sides with a seal that overlaps near the bottom.  Centerfold film does run towards the sides and the L bar. Single-wound goes to horizontal, fill and seal, and the side sealers use the centerfold seal. The biggest difference is essentially the machinery that runs on these as well. When it comes to packaging aesthetics, you may want to look at where the seals will be, and choosing the shrink wrap that makes them look good, and not too obvious or ugly.

So which one is right for you? 

It essentially is based on how you want it to look when sealed. 

The advantages of the single-wound include: 

  • The rolls are longer so you don’t need to change the roll as much 
  • There are cradle packs, which means less cleanup

However, there are disadvantages to using single, which include: 

  • You will need to half the length of the roll if you do use the multiple center-folded rolls
  • They usually need a hoist that costs more, but the center folder does also need equipment pieces 
  • It requires exact installation 
  • A lot of distributors use centerfold rather than single-wound, so it could mean that there’s issues with buying 
  • The time to replace can be a lot longer because of this 

With that being said, there are some advantages to both, and a lot of people may see that there is some benefit to it. Look at your packaging, and from there choose the film that’s right for you too.