| People across the globe today are always on the | | | | shrink wraps. |
| move. This requires them to pack up their | | | | In the competitive commercial world to day, |
| belongings effectively. In your attempt at such | | | | there is constant effort for improving the film |
| packaging of items you might come across a | | | | properties. The objectives are source reduction |
| term "shrink wrap'. | | | | and cost and energy economy. Shrink films could |
| Shrink wrap is nothing but is made up of the | | | | be mono-directional or bidirectional. |
| polymer plastic films. The formulae for using it are | | | | Shrink wraps are brought over to their usable |
| to apply heat to the polymer so that it shrinks | | | | forms by heating them so that the molecules |
| and fixes tightly over whatever it is covering. | | | | form initial random patterns. When the hot |
| Common uses of shrink wrap | | | | material is cooled, the properties of the film are |
| Most common uses of shrink wrap are as | | | | set. However, the film can be taken back very |
| packaging materials. Most of the packages | | | | near to its original dimension by heating once |
| containing CDs, DVDs, books and reading | | | | again. |
| materials, house hold appliances, pallet loads, and | | | | Shrink wrap equipments for packaging |
| cartons use shrink wrap to pack and seal them. | | | | Ordinarily, there are two types of shrink wrap |
| Sometimes the wrap is also used as the primary | | | | equipments used for packaging purposes. Such |
| coverage for food stuff. Two of the food stuff | | | | equipments could be automated or used manually. |
| that is most often wrapped with this material is | | | | With the help of the equipments Shrink wrap is |
| meat and cheese. | | | | flat roll stock, center folded |
| These are not the only uses of shrink wrap. They | | | | The first type is normally used for only the lower |
| are also used in boat covers after such covers | | | | and medium packaging. It is also known as I-bar |
| are manufactured, and for winter storage | | | | sealer. The sealer stretches a single cut on the |
| purposes of many other materials. One of the | | | | polyolefin film and then the film is shrunk down |
| most important use of heat shrink wrap is for | | | | with the help of heat gun or heat tunnel. |
| sealing the electrical wirings. Labels are often | | | | For higher volume packaging you will use the |
| protected from tampering in transit using shrink | | | | L-bar sealer. The cutting bar has an L shaped |
| wrap bands on them. | | | | design. It cuts the film round the target product. |
| A less common use of shrink wrap is for | | | | You can also use the L-bar sealers in combination |
| combining two different packages or parts. | | | | with the heat gun or heat tunnel. Cutting element |
| Shrink wrap types | | | | in both types of shrink wrap equipments, that is, |
| There are multiple types of shrink wraps. | | | | the I-bar and L-bar is a heated wire or impulse |
| However, the most popular form is the polyolefin. | | | | wire. The former uses heat to cut the film while |
| You will find different types of polyolefin varying | | | | the later uses electricity for the purpose. |
| in their thickness, transparency, strength and | | | | Do not underestimate shrink wrap. You can even |
| shrink ratio. A couple of primary films are either | | | | wrap buildings and roofs with them after incidence |
| cross linked or non cross linked. PVC and a few | | | | of natural calamites like cyclone, tornado, and such |
| other compositions are also used to produce | | | | others. |