Shrink Packaging Equipment

How to Choose Shrink Packaging Equipment

Every shrink packaging setup has two steps: a sealer closes the film around the product, and heat shrinks it. How you combine those two steps depends on your volume, your product sizes and the floor space you have. Start with the questions below.

Step 1: the sealer

I-bar and L-bar systems are the entry point. An I-bar seals one side at a time; an L-bar seals two sides of a centerfold film pouch in one stroke. The AIE L-Bar Shrink Wrap System is a manual starter system. Our guide L-Bar Sealer vs. I-Bar Sealer compares both.

Semi-automatic L-bar sealers such as the Maripak LMC 5844-M close the bar with a motor and handle about 10–15 packs per minute per Maripak.

Automatic L-bar and side sealers such as the Maripak RLS e-Pro and the IMPACK series detect product length and wrap continuously.

Step 2: the heat

For small volumes, a heat gun shrinks the film by hand. Hood sealers such as the Maripak Compack 5800i seal and shrink in the same chamber. From about 10 packs per minute, a shrink tunnel gives the most even result: the pack rides through on a conveyor, and hot air shrinks the film on all sides.

Combined machines

Sealer-and-tunnel combinations save floor space and setup work. The Maripak TMC Pro pairs a semi-automatic L-bar with a tunnel; the CLS Compact and SYMPACK 35 do the same on an automatic level.

Pack size

Measure your largest pack. The seal area of an L-bar must be larger than the pack plus film overlap. Side sealers seal along the product, so long products are not limited by a seal bar. Check the tunnel belt width and opening height against the pack as well.

Film

Polyolefin (POF) is the most common shrink film for retail packs. PVC is still used for some applications, and polyethylene (PE) is used for heavy bundles of bottles and cans. Read Shrink Film Types: PVC vs. Polyolefin vs. PE, and estimate film use with the Shrink Film Calculator.

Typical applications

Retail goods such as boxed toys, games, software, cosmetics and household products are shrink wrapped for a clean, tamper-evident look. Food producers wrap trays, frozen pizzas, baked goods and multipacks. Printers and publishers wrap books, catalogs and stacks of printed matter. Manufacturers bundle kits and parts so everything ships as one unit, and e-commerce fulfillment centers wrap product bundles and protect items from dust in storage.

Running costs

The main running cost is film. Automatic machines use film more efficiently because the seal and cut are always in the same place. Wear parts such as sealing wires, Teflon covers and silicone pads are replaced regularly, so keep a spare parts kit for your model.

Bundling

To group bottles, cans or cartons into multipacks with PE film, choose a PE shrink bundler such as the Maripak Multimac D 60, which has its own tunnel.

Power and compressed air

Many semi-automatic Maripak machines run on 220 V single-phase power and need no compressed air. Larger tunnels and automatic lines need 3-phase power, and some automatic machines need compressed air. Each product page lists the power and air requirements.

Delivery and installation

Maripak machines ship by freight from Maripak USA in Allentown, Pennsylvania, usually crated on a pallet. Plan a delivery with a loading dock or forklift, or ask for a liftgate delivery, and check door widths on the way to the installation spot. Installation, start-up and operator training by Maripak technicians can be quoted with the machine.

Compare the main types

Use the L-Bar Sealer & Shrink Tunnel Selector to narrow down a system, and read How to Choose an L-Bar Sealer and Shrink Tunnel. Brands: Maripak and AIE.