Heat shrink packaging technology and new applications for heat shrink packaging

The heat shrinkage of the film was applied as early as 1936, initially using a rubber film to shrink the packaging of perishable foods. Today, heat shrink technology has evolved to pack virtually any product with plastic shrink film. In addition, shrink wrap is also used to make shrink labels and shrink caps, making containers that are not easy to print or complex in shape can be labeled. Recently, new and updated application areas have been developed.

The heat shrinkage of the film was applied as early as 1936, initially using a rubber film to shrink the packaging of perishable foods. Today, heat shrink technology has evolved to pack virtually any product with plastic shrink film. In addition, shrink wrap is also used to make shrink labels and shrink caps, making containers that are not easy to print or complex in shape can be labeled. Recently, new and updated application areas have been developed.

Production techniques and characteristics The production of shrink film is usually produced by extrusion blow molding or extrusion casting, and then longitudinal and transverse stretching at a high elastic temperature above the softening temperature and below the melting temperature, or only The orientation is stretched in one of the directions, and the other direction is not stretched, the former is called a biaxially stretched shrink film, and the latter is called a one-way shrink film. When used, the packaged product is wrapped with a reliable shrinkage force at or near the stretching temperature.

Shrink wrap has the following advantages:

1) Beautiful appearance, close to the goods, so it is also called body packaging, suitable for a variety of different shapes of goods packaging;

2) The protection is good. If the inner packaging of the shrink packaging is combined with the transportation packaging hanging on the outer packaging, it can have better protection;

3) Good cleaning performance, especially suitable for precision instruments and high-precision electronic components packaging;

4) Good economy;

5) Good anti-theft, a variety of foods can be packaged together with a large shrink film to avoid loss;

6) The stability is good, and the product will not fall in the packaging film;

7) Transparency is good, customers can directly see the product content.

Market development and typical applications The materials used for heat shrinkable films are mainly thermoplastic films. Originally based on PVC shrink film, with the continuous development of market demand, PVC shrink film gradually reduced, and various layers of PE, PP, PET, PVDC, POF and other multi-layer co-extruded heat shrinkable film developed rapidly and became the mainstream of the market. At present, the domestic shrink film manufacturers only have nearly 20 plastic packaging committees of the China Packaging Federation, and the output is close to 80,000 tons. According to experts' prediction, the domestic heat shrinkable film market will grow at a rate of more than 20% in the next five years. The food industry is the largest market for heat shrink packaging. Heat shrinkable film is widely used in the packaging of various fast foods, lactic acid foods, beverages, small foods, beer cans, various alcohols, agricultural and sideline products, dry foods, and local products.

Applications in non-food applications such as labels and caps, closures, fibers and clothing, aerosol products, sporting goods, electrical products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, greases, detergents, stationery, toys, office supplies, kitchen supplies , daily necessities, miscellaneous goods, building materials, etc.