Here we discuss what heat sealing is and how it works, including expert insights into how our sealing machines actually operate.
When managing busy production schedules, you need reliable equipment that won’t let you down. At Soken Engineering, we design our heat sealing machines with precision and a deep understanding of the important role sealing plays across the food-to-go market.
Here we discuss what heat sealing is and how it works, including expert insights into how our sealing machines actually operate.
What is heat sealing and how does it work?
Heat sealing is the process of combining heat, pressure, and time to two thermoplastic materials (such as film and cardboard) to create a seal. These seals are used across the food industry, including in sandwich wedges, ready meals, salad trays, and convenience foods, as well as in other sectors, such as pharmaceuticals and electronics.
What is the advantage of heat sealing?
Heat sealing protects the product inside the packaging. In the case of food, this means it maintains its freshness, whilst for pharmaceuticals, the process can be used to keep equipment sterile. Crucially, heat sealing provides clear tamper evidence, so consumers can easily identify if a product has been opened or compromised before purchasing.
It is also a more cost-effective and convenient way to package products for short-term use than alternatives like gas flushing.
How do our heat sealing machines work?
Here at Soken, our machines are designed to combine the best of these three elements (heat, pressure, and time) to ensure a strong bond between materials. Here’s how they do it:
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Quick, consistent, and accurate heating
Unlike basic sealing methods, our machines use sophisticated heating elements, including precision-engineered heated bars. This means our machines offer advanced temperature control systems that allow for:
Accurate temperature setting: You can set the optimal temperature for your specific film, minimising the risk of under-sealing (weak bonds which can lead to leakages and less-fresh food) or over-sealing (wasted packaging material).
Consistent heat distribution: Our heating elements are designed for even heat distribution. This eliminates temperature variations that can lead to inconsistent seals, which can result in unsealed products and compromised food safety.
Responsive heating: We engineer our machines to offer quick heat-up times and rapid temperature adjustments. This allows you to easily adapt your production to switch between products and films without losing time.
Together, this limits material waste, minimises faulty seals, and allows businesses to handle a wider range of packaging films.
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Uniform pressure
Consistent pressure is just as critical as precise heat. Our range of heat sealing machines feature robust and precisely calibrated clamping mechanisms. This ensures:
Even distribution: Our proven designs guarantee uniform pressure across the entire sealing area. This forces the melted thermoplastic layers to create an effective bond all the way round to ensure freshness and shelf life.
Adjustable pressure settings: Many of our machines have adjustable pressure settings. This allows for sealing across diverse product lines with different thicknesses, materials and technologies, helping you save time when switching between products.
Durable operating systems: Built for continuous operation, our sealing mechanisms are manufactured to last and offer consistent performance, even under the most demanding production schedules, so you can be sure you’ve made a worthwhile investment.
This focus on pressure eliminates the risk of leaks and product damage during handling and transit.
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Automated sealing times
The duration that heat and pressure are applied, known as the dwell time, is the final factor in achieving a perfect, reliable seal. Soken Engineering’s automated machines for medium and large users incorporate intelligent control systems that allow for:
Precise timing adjustments: We ensure that our machines are user-friendly, which allow you to set the dwell time to ensure optimal seals without creating unnecessarily long production times. For example, our new HS55 can produce up to 2,800 packs per hour thanks to its automated process.
Repeatable sealing cycles: The automated control systems guarantee consistent dwell times for every product that passes through the machine. This ensures every seal is the same and removes margin for human error, so you know you are delivering a consistent seal every time to minimise faults and stock waste.
This approach helps increase production throughput and ensure consistent seals regardless of who is operating the machine.
When you choose a heat sealer from Soken Engineering, you’re investing in equipment designed with a deep understanding of the engineering principles that underpin reliable sealing. Don’t just take our word for it, here’s what Sohel Patel, Managing Director at Halal Kitchen Ltd, has to say:
“Soken machines are built to last, we chose to go with them for their speed, reliability and performance of the machines in general. We purchased not 1 but 2, an HS52 & HS60 model. They are great robust machines that will do the job you want.”
Ready to explore how Soken Engineering’s heat sealing technology can help your business? Get in touch.
