Plastic film gauging is a critical step in your manufacturing and quality process. By gauging the width of your film you can reap many benefits and lower production costs. Let’s take a look at the plastic film gauging process and the solutions offered by SolveTech, the leading provider of gauging solutions in the United States.
Plastic Film Process
There are several methods of plastic film production, including:
- Cast—the film is cooled and then wound up on a roll
- Extrusion-blown or tubular extrusion
- Calendar
- Solution deposition
- Skiving
- Coextrusion
- Lamination
- Extrusion coating
Out of all these processes, blown film is the most common. This process involved stretched and thinning the polymer in one of two directions, creating a thin uniform film. In the process uniform gauge should be maintain to ensure a complete product. Plastic films are often formed into rolls by process called roll slitting.
Plastic film is made from a variety of resins including LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PVC, PVDC, EVOH, PET and EVA
Plastic Film Applications
Plastic films are typically plastic produced in thickness of up to 10mils. This type of plastic can be used for a variety of applications, including:
- Food packaging—produce bags, bakery bags, tray covers, bags-in-a-box, boil-in-bags, candy, meat, poultry and seafood wraps, container liners,
- Non-food packaging—industrial liners, bubble wrap, envelopes, sack liners, overwrap and rack bags
- Other packaging—stretch wrap, shrink wrap
- Benefits of Plastic Film Gauging
- Non-packaging—grocery bags, agricultural film, construction film, medical and health care film, garnet bags, household wrap, disposable diapers
Benefits of Gauging
Film gauging has several benefits throughout your production process. At set-up, you can ensure your gauge is uniform and avoid overusing polymer. During quality control, you can assess the finish product and address customer service concerns. In the end, precise film gauging can save you time and money, increase your efficiency and ensure you have satisfied, happy customers!
Solutions from SolveTech
SolveTech has been in the plastic film gauging business for over 30 years. Our gauging solutions are alway precise and are non-contact, ensuring your in-process and finished product is not damaged. SolveTech manufactures both on and off-line gauging systems. Each system is designed to easily integrate into your existing platform and provides comprehensive gauging data and analysis. Our tools are always customized to meet our customer needs.
Call SolveTech Today
Want to learn more? Call SolveTech today for a free film profile analysis and to schedule a free demo of our products. We look forward to working with you!
