Vacuum-sealing 101: Tips and tricks in using Shrink Films

If you want to keep moisture out of your products and seal them with tamper evident packaging, most packaging suppliers here in Australia will recommend shrink films. Shrink films are often used to wrap and protect products such as hardware, houseware, pharmaceuticals, magazines and electronics.

The food industry is the largest industry to use shrink films as packaging supplies. Using food-grade shrink films, food products are vacuum-sealed to remove oxygen, a component necessary to allow bacteria to flourish. For other products, shrink wrapping is done to provide protection from abrasion, moisture and other elements while providing a presentable, tamper-evident and transparent view of the product inside.

Want to know how to efficiently use this exceptional packaging material for your business? Here are some tips in sealing products with shrink films.

Get the right gauge for the right product.

Shrink films with higher gauge are suitable to heavier products. To save money, use the right kind of gauge and the right kind of shrink wrap. Shrink wraps come in PVC and Polyolefin. Polyolefin seals more and comes in food grade varieties. They are generally more durable, heat-resistant and tear-resistant, but are often more expensive.

Use the right equipment.

Aside from using the right packaging supplies, using the right equipment helps in making the job easier. Forget your hair blower/dryer; use a proper heat gun to maximise the shrink of your film. Using a hair dryer would lead to wrinkles and uneven shrinkage. For larger operations, shrink film machines do the job more efficiently.

Measure your products before cutting.

Before cutting the shrink film, measure the dimensions of the product you’re wrapping. Use the appropriate roll size of shrink film to avoid waste. As a general rule, the product measurements you get should be multiplied by 1.20 to get a snug fit. For unevenly-sized products, measure around the widest point.

Avoid wrinkles and dog ears.

To remove wrinkles, crank up the heat of the heat gun to maximise the shrink of the film. If you’re using a shrink tunnel, either increase the heat or slow down the conveyor belts a little. Dog ears are the corners of the shrink wrap that haven’t shrunk evenly. Similar to wrinkles, apply more heat and fold the ears neatly as they shrink.

Think your company’s going to need shrink wrap films? Hunter Industrial Supplies has all the important packaging supplies you’ll ever need. Get 50% off on your standard delivery fee here.