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Whether you are new to shrink-film
wrapped promotions or a seasoned pro, the information in this section
has been compiled to help make the PROMO WRAP process faster, easier
and more effective. We’ve included everything from Choosing
the Right Film and How Shrink-Film is Made, to Sealing Systems and
Shrinking Systems to an entire Step by Step Process of a PROMO WRAP
Promotion.
Choosing the Right Film
While there are many types of shrink-film available on the market,
polyethylene is recommended for promotional packaging because its
reproduction quality for high impact graphics and for its shelf
appeal.
How Shrink-Film is Made
Polyethylene plastic pellets are melted in a 2-storey high production
unit and extruded through a vertical slit die to form a thin-walled
tube. Air inflates the tube like a balloon and a secondary ring
blows cooler air onto the hot film to cool it. This tube of film
continues through the process until it passes through rollers where
it is flattened to create a ‘lay-flat’ tube of film.
Next the ‘lay-flat’ tube moves through a series of rollers,
cooling more as it proceeds. Finally, the flattened tube moves to
a process which trims the edges, thus creating two flat film sheets
which are wound on to cores.
Sealing Systems
Time, temperature and pressure are all crucial elements that affect
the quality of the seal. Without all three being perfectly executed,
the seal will be of poor quality and difficult to cut, thus creating
a package that is sub-standard and unsightly. The PROMO
WRAP process utilizes equipment with the most up-to-date
technology as part of its sealing process. A film-feed mechanism
measures out the exact length of clear or printed shrink-film, and
as product is conveyed forward onto the film’s leading edge,
it is cut from the roll with by a precise ‘knife’ system.
The trailing edge of the shrink-film is picked up by a flight bar
and lifted over the top of the product and tucked beneath it, creating
the unique overlap. Now that product is wrapped in a sleeve of film,
it proceeds to the shrink tunnel where the temperature is set specifically
to accommodate the characteristics of the product, and the thickness
of the film. The film now shrinks tightly and neatly around product,
causing the overlapped film to form a strong seal.
Shrinking Systems
For proper shrinking to occur, film needs to be exposed to exact
temperatures for the correct amount of time, and surrounded by a
measured amount of air velocity or wind turbulence. This air allows
the film to stand away from the product and form a ‘bubble’
around it. The temperature in PROMO WRAP’s
shrink tunnel is set specifically to accommodate
the characteristics of the product; supported or unsupported, and
the thickness of film used in the wrapping process. The tunnel’s
bottom air flow and cooling section produces an attractive finished
product with distinctive bulls-eye ends and a smooth flat bottom
seam.
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