Concept and Technology

On Food Packaging
Henky Wibawa

Indonesian Packaging Federation

1
Converting Procedure

Photos Scanning for

Colour Separation Cylinder
Customer Design & Engraving
Concept Artwork
Flexo
Text Composing Sleeves
(Text + Images)

C o n v e r t i n g

Metallising Waxing /Coating (Co) Extrusion Lamination Printing

-adhesives - inks / - primers

-lacquers
- aluminium - resins - primers film/ foil/ paper
- paraffins
- film/ foil/ paper - solvents

Slitting
Die Cutting Bag-Making

2
General
o Simplest Description of Converting Processes:
o Unwinding of a material from a reel
o application/fixation of a converting matter on/to the surface
o rewinding of the converted material to a reel

v er ter 2"
1" v er te"r"con
n v er ter "con rewind
rewind
"c o

unwind

3
General

machine concepts

dedicated universal
line line

narrow raw material specs wide raw material specs

1 basic converting process >2 basic converting processes possible
narrow product range wider product range
low flexibility high flexibility
highest efficiency regular efficiency

4
Coating / Lamination
o Coating also represents the first step in lamination
coating lami-
unwind dryer
station nator
lacquering
dry bond lami-
wet bond
dryer rewind
nator
solvent-free

o Coatings can be classified

o solvent-based (lacquers, adhesives)
o solvent-free (adhesives, wax/paraffines)
o water-based (lacquers, adhesives, dispersions)
o Coating stations are adapted to specific properties of coating material, as e.g.
temperature or viscosity
o Obviously after coating all solvents must be evaporated by dryers

5
Lamination

Flotation Dryer

Lamination Line Lacquering & Lamination

pilot plant
Laminator

web 1

web 2

6
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Adhesives
CLASSES OF ADHESIVES
A) Polyurethane adhesives, solvent-based (mono-and two component)
B) Polyurethane adhesives, without solvent (mono-and two component)
C) Polyurethane adhesives, water-based (mono-and two component)
D) UV adhesives
E) Natural glues (casein-based) or synthetic (styrene-butadiene base),
water based for laminating paper with aluminium

A-B-C-D are used for dry lamination (A and C after removing the solvent)
E are used for wet lamination (removal of water after lamination)

7
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Adhesives
POLYURETHANE BASED ADHESIVES
These are used in the dry lamination process

SOLVENT BASED
- High performance
- Easy to handle
- Large range available
- Low free monomer content
- High green tack
- Short curing time
- No corrosion
- High speed production

8
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Adhesives
POLYURETHANE BASED ADHESIVES

SOLVENT FREE
- no solvent
- high speed production

WATER BASED
- no solvent

9
Polymer Extrusion
o Solvent-free process to produce polymeric films or coatings (5-300µm)
o starts from polymer resins or compatible resin mixtures (blends)
o resin pellets are fed via hopper
o pellets are driven through
the extruder by the screw
o polymer melt-up (plastification) by
• shear friction of pellets to screw/barrel
• external heating
o the liquid polymer is
metered and pumped out of the
extruder into a suitable die
o appropriate measures for
re-solidification are taken
• chill roll
• venting

10
Polymer Extrusion Coating

Flat Die
Polymer Melt
in Air Gap Slitters

Trimming
Substrate
with Bead

Pressure Coated
Chill Trimming Overcoat Substrate
Roll
Roll with Bead only

typical data : line pressure: up to 50kg/cm

line speed: 120-600m/min melt temperature: 250-320°C
die width: 600-2000mm (raw mats width!) air gap: 100-300mm
draw ratio: ~50 (die slot:1mm) output: max. 750kg/h

11
Polymer Extrusion Coating
o Polymer melt leaves the flat die
o neck-in depends on polymer
flat die and output
o in the air gap, the polymer
curtain is drawn down to
desired gauge as polymer is
pulled off by the moving web
o melt surface becomes oxidised
die in off-line position

air gap

pressure roll chill roll

neck-in: up to 20%

12
Blown Film Extrusion
o Continuous process of manufacturing plastic films by
o melting,
o metering and C
o squeezing the polymer through a die:
• shaping into a tube (A)
• blowing up into a bubble/ orientation stage (B)
• drawing down to the required product gauge
• cooling by convection
• take-off at top (C), collapsing in frame
• winding and slitting

o Options:
o rotating die (also on platform)
B
o rotating take-off unit
A

13
 Raw materials - Plastics
Polyethylene - Blown film line

14
Raw materials - Plastics
Polyethylene types

15
Cast Film Co-Extrusion
Extruder 1
Feedblock
Die
Thickness Gauge
Rewind

Extruder 2

16
 Raw materials - Plastics
CAST Polypropylene
This is obtained from a flat head extrusion process without orientation
General Properties: Density: 0.9 g/cm3
Good seal-strength
High temperature resistance (may be sterilized)
Good mechanical resistance
Low residual odour
Type:
Homopolymer: high stiffness and good transparency
Random copolymer with ethylene: wide sealing range, good haze and gloss
Block copolymer with ethylene: wide temperature range, good stiffness, low
transparency

17
Streched Films

simultaneous
orientation

biaxially (along and across web)

oriented polymer films
produced by special
"moving clamps" of tenter frame

18
 Raw materials - Plastics
Bioriented Polypropylene (BOPP) - Properties

This is obtained from the reaction of propylene in the right conditions and suitable
catalysts.

(CH2 - CH -) n n 7,500 - 18,000

/

CH3
Large range available: - Bioriented
- Coextruded
- Expanded
- Lacquered

19
 Raw materials - Plastics
Bioriented polyester (PET)
This is obtained from the polymerisation of tereftalic acid and diethylene
glycol.

PROPERTIES
- Density g/cm3 1,38
- Thickness 12 yeld 59,5 sq.m/kg
- Very good mechanical resistance
- Good transparency and gloss
- Good gas-barrier
- Very good thermal stability
- Good flexion - resistance
- Usually not sealable
- Easy to metallize
- Easy to convert

20
 Raw materials - Plastics
Bioriented polyamide (OPA)
This is obtained from the poly-condensation reaction of caprolactame in the
presence of a catalyst.

- Density 1.15 g/cm3

- Thickness 15 mcr
- Good transparency and brightness
- Very soft and flexible
- Good mechanical resistance
- High puncture resistance
- Adequate temperature resistance
- Good gas and aroma barrier
- Good resistance to low temperatures

21
Raw materials - Plastics
Film Thermal properties: maximum use temperature

300

PA
250
PET

200
PP Sterilisation Range
T (°C)

LLDPE PP/EVOH/PP
150 HDPE MPE
LDPE MDPE (115-140 °c)
100 IONOMERS
Pasteurisation
50 (80°c)

o 0 The low melting temperature limits the maximum use temperature of all grade of polyethylene
o The moisture take-up and subsequently whitening and temporary loosing of barrier prevent standard
EVOH grades to withstand sterilisation process

22
 Raw materials - Plastics
Polyethylene - Sealing mechanism
Interface

HEAT

Semi-cristalline polymer Amorphous polymer

TIME/PRESSURE COOL

Diffusion and entanglement Recrystallization

23
 Raw materials -Plastics
Interface sealing temperature
Measuring set-up of heat-seal experiment

t Sealing jaws
Digital-analogue
Computer converter T, p, t
PET
PET Al
Al PE
Interface PE
PE
Al PE
PET Al
PET
Sealing jaws

24
Heat sealing - interfacial temperature 1

Progress of interfacial temperature during sealing

PET12µm/Al9µm/PE923 0090 "Laminate 3" 140°C

140,00

120,00

100,00 L3/140°C/0,5s
temperature [°C]

L3/140°C/0,5s
L3/140°C/0,75s
80,00 L3/140°C/0,75s
L3/140°C/1s
L3/140°C/1s

60,00

40,00

20,00
0,00 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00 6,00 7,00 8,00 9,00 10,00
time (s)

25
 Raw materials - Plastics
Polyethylene - Friction
Erucamide Concentration and COF
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4
CoF

0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
ppm

26
 Raw materials - Barrier films
Effect of temperature on the slip properties of LDPE

27
 Raw materials - Plastics
Barrier films
M aterial Characteristic O.D. µm O 2 TR W V TR
cc/m 2 *24h g/m 2*24h
BOPP Standard bioriented PP / 20 2000 7.5
23°C 0% RH 38 °C 90% RH

BOPP Acrylic coated / 26 750 5

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP PVdC coated / 26 25 4.2

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP metallized 2.3 20 100 0.7

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP cavitated and metallized 2.4 40 130 2

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP metallised high barrier 2.2 16 30 1.5

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP PVOH coated / 25 3 5

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP metallized very high barrier ? 18 0.5 0.3

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

BOPP cavitated - metallized very high barrier 3.6 35 0.2 0.4

23°C 0% RH 38 °C 90% RH

OPA Standard oriented polyamide / 15 30 180

23°C 0% RH 38 °C 90% RH

PA PA - EVOH - PA / 10 evoh 0.5 180

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

PP PP - EVOH - PP / 15 evoh 0.3 100

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

PE PE - EVOH - PE / 15 evoh / 130

38°C 90% RH

28
 Raw materials - Plastics
Barrier films
Material Characteristic O.D. µm O2 TR WV TR
2
cc/m *24h g/m2*24h
PET Standard PET / 12 110 50
23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET PVDC coated / 12 8 8

23°C 85% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET SiOx coated / 12 3.5 39

23°C 85% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET Al2O3 coated / 12 2 2

23°C 0% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET metallised 2.0 12 1.5 1.5

23°C 75% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET white and metallised 2.2 12 1.5 1.5

23°C 75% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET with inorganic coating / 12 1 25

23°C 60% RH 38°C 90% RH

PET metallised very high barrier 2.6 12 0.08 0.04

25°C 85% RH 38°C 90% RH

PEN Polyethylen naphtalate / 19 <1 3.8

38°C 90% RH

PAN Polyacrilonitrile / 0.8 5

23°C 75% RH 38°C 90% RH

29
Raw materials - Plastics
Barrier films

30
 Raw materials - Barrier films
Vacuum coated films
1) Metallized (Aluminium coated)
2) Silica coated (SiOx)
3) Aluminium oxide (AI203) coated

Silica coated films have a better barrier compared to aluminium oxide grades,
but they are also more expensive due to the slower coating speed and a
thicker coating layer.
The barrier depends on the coating process and on the thickness of the layer.
Some silica coated grades are suitable for retorting.

31
 Raw materials
Paper
TYPES OF PAPER
MG KRAFT PAPER
40 - 150 g/m2

CALENDERED PAPER
40 - 80 g/m2

COATED PAPER
40 - 120 g/m2

32
 Raw materials
Paper

PAPER COMPOSITION

1) FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS (cellulose)

2) FILLER PRODUCTS
3) DYES
4) SIZES
5) FINISHING PRODUCTS
6) COATING PRODUCTS
7) VARIOUS ADDITTIVES

33
 Raw materials
Aluminium
Aluminium is the barrier element above all

- Density 2.7 g/cm2

- Extremely strong barrier to: light / water / gas / fats
- Free of extraneous odours
- Good mechanical properties
- Resistant to high temperatures
- Decorative (glossy or mat)
- Retains folds
- Easily transformed
- Good conductor (induction sealing)
- May be embossed
- Regulated by “AFCO” standards

34
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Cold seal
These are principally made of natural rubber and a dispersion of synthetic
polymers (eg. acrylic resins).

FEATURES
- Aqueous dispersion
- Absence of solvent residues
- Adhere to various base surfaces
- Seal without the use of temperature (temperature sensitive products)
- High sealing speed
- Tend to block
- May be applied in register
- gsm= 2-3
- Sealing strength: 200-400 g/25 mm

35
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Heat seal lacquers
These are made of thermoplastic resins dissolved in solvents or dispersed in
water.
- solvent based
- water based
Allow sealing when melted.

FEATURES
- May be modified with additives
- Seal to themselves
- Seal to other materials
- Are applied in low quantities 2-8 g/m2
- Are used inside and outside the packaging
- High chemical resistance (vinyl)
- Large range available

36
Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Heat seal lacquers
TYPES OF THERMOPLASTIC RESINS

VINYL: High chemical resistance

Seals to PVC
ACRYLIC: Fair chemical resistance
Seals to PS, PVC
Fair Hot-tack
Good gloss
EVA: Low chemical resistance
Low sealing temperature
Seals to different base surfaces (PE, PP, PS, PET etc.)
Low Hot-tack
EAA: Fair chemical resistance
Low sealing temperature
Good Hot-tack
Seals on various base surfaces
PVDC: High chemical resistance
Excellent gas and water barrier
Seals at medium-high temperatures
PVA: Seals to itself
Limited chemical resistance
POLYESTER: Seals to PETG
Fair chemica resistance
PP: Seals to PP
Fair chemical resistance

37
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Waxes

These are made of aliphatic, refined hydrocarbons, or aliphatic cycle by the

distillation of petroleum (microcrystalline waxes).
- With addittives of other resins to improve their characteristics (e.g..
Butyl rubber)
- Density: 0.91 - 0.93 g/cm3
- Melting point: 55-65°C
- Viscosity: 50-200 cps at 100°C
- Used for laminating (mat. Butter, chocolate)
- Fair moisture barrier
- Soft (helps to retain folds)
- Seal at low temperatures
- Do not contain solvents

38
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Hot-melts

COMPOSITION

These are made of a mixture of paraffin with EVA copolymers.

Other resins (terpolymers, tackifiers, rubber etc.) may be added to improve
their characteristics.

39
Pre-Press

o The print design has to be transferred from the customer's drawing desk to the
converter's printing line

drawing scan
prepare colour print form
proof print
data file separation making
electronic
artwork

o The print design coming out of the printing press will be as close as possible to
the customer's master drawing in terms of:
o dimensions ==> size of the package, position of graphic elements
o resolution ==> e.g. very fine texts must be readable
o tonality ==> house and natural colours must be matched
o naturality ==> the print design must appeal to the end customer

40
Pre-Press
o Additive Colour o Subtractive Colours
o starting from a dark background o starting from a white background
adding red, green, blue (RGB) adding cyan, magenta, yellow
(CMY)
o addition of black ink (K) due to
incomplete light absorption of CMY
B ==> CMYK
Y K
G R

C M

o Examples: Computer Monitors

TV Screens o Examples: paper
canvas
white plastic films
white printed surfaces
41
Rotogravure
o Print form: Rotogravure Cylinder, prepared through:
o nickel deposition (adhesion promoter for of copper)
o copper deposition (also for circumference adjustment)chrome
coating
o chemical etching
• laser-exposed film fitted to cylinder
• development of photosensitive coating on cylinder
• etching in iron chloride solution on developed areas cells
• preferred for jobs with fine text or linework copper
o or electronic engraving steel nickel underlayer
• engraving of cavities into copper layer by a body tie layer
computer controlled diamond engraving head
( standard equipment from Daetwyler/OHIO or Linotype/Hell )
• good for difficult jobs with halftones & overlapping
o or LASER engraving
• formation of cavities by firing a computer-controlled, powerful LASER beam
on Zn-based alloy surface of cylinder
• most recent technology ( Daetwyler )
o chrome coating deposition
o polishing of cylinder surface to suitable roughness & cleanliness

42
Rotogravure

43
Rotogravure
Rotogravure still delivers the highest level of quality in flexible packaging printing

dryers

printing
units

Modern
Modern 10
10 colour
colour
rotogravure
rotogravure line
line
rewind

44
Flexo Printing
o Print form: Flexo plate (polyester plate with photopolymeric coating)
o Processing of the planar flexo plate by irradiation through a film or
direct laser processing ==> local curing of the plate
o development of the plate, hence removal of non-cured coating
o further surface hardening of the remaining elevate areas
o mounting of the plate to a cylinder / sleeve
o Flexo is a type of relief print

o Anilox Rollers with different screenings are used depending on

o desired print quality and
o type of motif

45
Flexo Printing
o Ink fountain roller receives ink
o Anilox roller (with screening) deposits well-defined ink layer on flexo plate
o from raised areas of plate ink is transferred to substrate
o minimum counter pressure by impression cylinder (to avoid "framing")

point of
"zero" pressure

46
UV Flexo
printing station
o operating in packaging since 3 years
o alternative drying by UV light
UV dryer
o UV ink = 100% ink (solvent-free)
o cationic or radicalar curing inks UV flexo
o with Laser plates ==> rotogravure quality print unit

in-line 8-colour UV flexo press (LN2-inertised)

47
Web Offset Printing
o Print form: Offset plate (Al sheet with photopolymeric coating)
o Processing of the planar offset plate by irradiation through a film or
direct laser processing (dry offset)
==> local modification of the photopolymer
o developed areas of the plate are water-repelling, non-image areas are
water-accepting
o mounting of the
plate on cylinder

! (non-printable gap >3mm)!

o alternative: dry offset:

areas differ drastically
in wettability of
printing ink

48
Web Offset Printing

o damp solution (usually water) is supplied

o inking roller system adds printing ink
o ink/water emulsion is separating
on plate according to wettability properties
o ink/water balance is maintained after
certain number of revolutions
o ink is transferred to the blanket cylinder,
water is not transferred
o ink is transferred from blanket
to web (offset principle)

o technology is mainly used for

paper/carton printing
o also: UV Offset

49
Comparison Printing Processes
Typical Data Rotogravure Flexo UV Flexo Web Offset
CI: 4-8 CI: 4-8
No of colours 8-11 4-8
stack: 3-9 stack: 6-9
CI: 150-300 CI:150
Line Speed 150-300 150-300
stack:200 stack: 80-120
Very good to
Print Quality Excellent Good Very good
Excellent
Order Size Large-Medium Medium Short Medium
Printform lifetime >10 orders 1-2 orders 1-2 orders 0.5 - 1 order
Relative
10 1,5 2 0,5
Printform Cost
Quality Print Quality
Printing Speed Printform cost
Printing Speed Printform Cost
Benefit Sustain. Printfrm
Printform Cost
Short Run Cost
Speed
Standardisation
Experience Solvent-Free
discontinuous
Setup Time
New technology Long start-up
Drawbacks Printform Cost Quality
(Speed) CMYK Repro
Short Run Cost
little use

independent gearless direct drives per print unit are becoming popular

50
Digital Printing
o For flexible packaging: reel-to-reel printing without printform, computer-to-press
o Existing alternatives:
o Electrophotography with liquid toner (HP Indigo)
o Electrophotography with dry toner (Xeikon DCPxxS)
o Upcoming Technologies
o Ink Jet Technologies (DRUPA 2000)
parameter conventional digital
flexibility Ô Ö
personalisation Ô Ö
small orders Ô Ö
large orders Ö Ô
printing speed Ö Ô
no. of colours Ö Õ toÔ
print quality Ö Õ toÔ
printing on demand Ô Ö
machine dimensions Ö Ô
o acceptable for paper/carton printing

51
Digital Printing

OPC
drum

LED

o today's solutions: upscaled Office Equipment

indigo
Laser
CPU
o print quality inferior to conventional ink

o technical problems blanket

o tremendous consumable cost
o no industrial reliability and service level
o existing for roughly 7 years now
o the future will be digital

52
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Inks
COMPONENTS

Main families of existing resins

Natural resins: - Gum arabic

- Colophony
- Shellac
Chemically modified natural resins:
- Ester gum
- Metallic colophony resins
- Maleic and phenolic modified colophony
- Chlorinated and cycled unvulcanised natural rubber
- Alkyd
- Modifications of cellulose ethers, nitrates and acetates

Synthetic resins: - Vinyls

- Acrylics
- Hydrocarbons
- Polyamides
- Polyesters

53
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Inks
Additives

Plasticizers: - Make the ink film less fragile and more flexible
- Lower the melting point to the resin
- Improve adhesion of the film
Slip agent: - Ease the movement of printing in the machines
- Make the print surface non-adhesive
Antistatics: - Help eliminate electrostatic build-up on the surface and in
non-conducting fluids

54
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Varnishes
These are made of resins dissolved in solvents and may be one or two
components.
USES
- Ink preparation
- Ink dilution
- Aluminium sheet preparation
- Overprinting and ink protection

FEATURES
- Give brightness or opacity
- Increase printing surface resistance
- Increase surface resistance to temperature
- Increase resistance to agents

55
 Raw materials - Ancillary materials
Primers
These are products used as promoters of adhesion of various substances on
various supports.
USES
- primers for ink
- primers for extrusion coating and lamination
TYPES
These can be solvent or water-based and can be mono or two-components.
AIM
The main purpose of these products is to facilitate adhesion of these
chemicals (inks, termo-lacquers) on particularly difficult supports of where
particular resistance to heat or to chemicals is required.
They are also used in extrusion coating to facilitate the adhesion of
polyethylene on aluminium and plastic films.

56
 Metallising
winding chamber tension
rewind 1x10-3 mbar roller o.d.
monitor
evaporation process
(schematic) chilled
process drum

Substrate evaporator

stepper
motor

Boat unwind
coating chamber
Al wire <1x10-4 mbar
Aluminum wire coil
diffusion
pump

Leybold

57
 Metallising

ceramic
boats
ceramic boats
at operating temperature

web
handling

eva-
porator

58
Electron Beam Coating
Leybold

for deposition of
•SiOx
•Al
•AlOx
•other metals

59
Other Vacuum Coating
Technologies
PECVD: example QLF (Valmet General)

Coating chamber(s)

PECVD = Plasma
Enhanced
pin
Chemical Vapour electrodes
Deposition (self cleaning)

60
Slitting
razor blade slitting shear slitting score cut slitting
upper "male" knife

bottom "female" knife

61
Bag Making
o modular concept (sometimes even flexo in-line offered)
o folding
o sealing / side-welding
o hot-melt o bottom gusset (for StUP)
o insertion of nozzles, zippers, straws
o cutting, punch-out
o perforation
o lay-flat
o stacking

62
Application and control
Packaging line and material performances

o Three main areas of

intervention:

a) Machine;
b) Material;
c) Product.

63
Application and control
Packaging line and material performances

64
Application and control
Packaging line and material performances

o Crucial steps:
a) feeding of product;
b) longitudinal sealing;
c) cross sealing;
d) unwinding;
e) forming system and tools.

65
 Application and control
oPackaging line and material performances
Feeding (vertical)

66
Application and control
Packaging line and material performances
Longitudinal sealing
(vertical)
a) jaw design and pressure
(transfer);
b) COF (internally low, externally
high material of bands);
c) heat capacity (to be reduced
LDPE, EVA, m-PE,
Ionomers…).

67
Application and control
Packaging line and material performances
- homogeneous
distribution of
pressure and
temperature on
the jaws;
- design of the
packaging: how
many overlapped
layers? (bellows)

68
 Application and control
Packaging line and material performances

PROPERTIES LDPE MDPE HDPE EVA EAA IONOMER LLDPE VLLDPE ULLDPE m-LDPE POP
coating film
mechanical
- 0
properties + ++ 0 + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
rigidity - 0 + ++ - 0 0 + 0 0 ++ +
easy to tear ++ 0 + ++ + + + - - - - -
puncture
resistance - + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
impact strength - 0 0 + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
sealing range 0 + + 0 + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
min. sealing temp. + 0 - - + ++ ++ + ++ ++ ++ ++
contaminated seal. - 0 - - 0 ++ ++ + + + ++ ++
hot-tack - 0 0 - 0 + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
seal strength 0 + + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
odor-taste + + + + 0 0 0 + + + ++ ++
clarity 0 + + - + + - + + + ++ ++
MWD - 0 + + 0 0 0 + + + ++ ++
processability ++ ++ + 0 + + 0 0 0 0 0 -
melt strength - 0 0 ++ + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

69
Application and control
Packaging line and material performances

o Other remarks
Automatic separation of:
- out-of-phase packs;
- non-standard size packs;
- splices in material;
Automatic change of the material reel.

Never stop the line!

70
Trends in Converting
Engineering
o Higher degree of automation
o clear target: reduction of set-up times
o automatic cleaning / gearless drives for printing lines
o automatic dies, co-extrusion in extrusion technology

o Trend towards dedicated lines

o narrow product spectrum but at high speeds and efficiencies

o no further line width increase

o decreasing lot sizes question the efficiency of wide lines
o especially true for printing, where diversification is maximum

o new in-line processes

o convenience features (transparent windows, tabs, perforation)
o security devices (holograms)

72
Process Control
o More in-line inspection
o Examples:

o automatic extrusion dies

o print default detection systems

o polymer melt temperature control

o complete survey systems
o reel protocols
o statistical process control (SPC)

73
Ecology

o solvent-free processes (solvent-less, extrusion,

UV)
o solvent recovery instead of combustion
o recyclable mono-material

solvent recovery plant

74