Poly sealing is the act of using heat to “melt” poly – or plastic – bags closed. Inpak Systems offers three different types of commercial poly bag heat sealers: band sealers, jaw sealers, and hot air sealers. Read on below to learn more about the different types of heat sealing equipment.
Band Sealers
Band sealers consist of two different bands – or belts – typically infused with PTFE, which helps to prevent sticking. These bands hold the top of the bag and carry it between heating elements to seal the bag closed. Band sealers are the best choice for high-volume sealing applications.
Inpak Systems offers handheld, table top, and free-standing commercial band sealers. Band sealers can be operated in a horizontal, tilted, or vertical position. The vertical position is used if the product can flow out of the bag (i.e. powders, liquids) and the horizontal position is used when the bag can be laid on its side. Depending on the type of bag, industrial band sealers can produce seals from 1/8” to 1/4″ wide at rates up to 50 feet/minute.
For bags weighing over a few pounds, a shelf or conveyor is typically used for support during sealing. Options include bag fillers, printers, coders, embossers, floor stands, bag trimmers, and synchronized bag support conveyors.
Jaw Sealers
Jaw sealers consist of a heating element, such as a bar or wire, that melts the bag closed when clamped down onto it. Dual heating elements are used when the bag is especially thick or requires a very high temperature to seal. Jaw sealers can seal many plastic bag varieties, including polyethylene (PE, HDPE, LDPE), polypropylene (PP, BOPP, MOPP, OPP), PVC, laminations, and cellophane.
Jaw sealers come with a variety of seal widths and lengths and are available in two versions: impulse or continuous heat sealers.
Impulse jaw sealers use an electrical pulse to temporarily heat the element when it is closed to seal the bag. Most often, impulse sealers are used to seal bags made from polyethylene (PE).
Constant heat jaw sealers sandwich the bag between two pre-heated metal bars. Since heating elements are always hot they can produce a much higher heat allowing the sealer to seal bags with higher melting points such as poly-cellophane, foil, and Mylar bags.
Hot Air Sealers
Hot air sealers are used to seal poly bags and pouches up to 8 mil thick at speeds up to 60 FPM. A hot air sealer uses two belts to pull the bag through the sealer. A heated manifold blows hot air on both sides of the bag and then pressure rollers seal the bag closed. Hot air sealing eliminates the need for replacing expensive bands.
Inpak Systems offers several commercial hot air sealers which can be free-standing, mounted on a column, or incorporated into bag filling/sealing systems. Hot air sealers are typically used for heavier bags (i.e. >15 lb.) and a synchronized support conveyor is usually used. Options include: flow direction, seal cooler, bag top trimmer, bag top dust flusher, embosser, coder, and bag supporting the conveyor.