Foil Sealing Machine: The Ultimate Guide
Sealing machines are versatile devices you can use predominantly in different industries to seal foil seals on jars before capping.
You can use foil sealing machine to package different types of jars and bottles to prevent the content of the jars from spilling.
The machine uses the electro-magnetic induction principle to obtain hermetic seals on the mouth of the bottles.
Aluminum foil sealer
Uses of Foil Sealing Machine
You can use the machine to create a hermetic seal on different types of products in many industries.
Some of the main industries are the food, pharmaceutical, petroleum, pesticide, chemical and cosmetics among others.
Foil sealing machine
The machine is capable of achieving the highest quality of sealing that increases the shelf life of the products.
The seals from the machine increase the safety of the products inside the bottles and jars.
You can also use it to print labels on the seal for branding and easy identification.
Additionally, some of the machines not only place the seals but include the cap in the sealing process.
Features of Aluminum Foil Sealer Machine
The main features of the foil sealing machine are:
i. The main material for construction for constructing the foil sealing machine is stainless steel.
ii. It is compliant and meets the main pharmaceutical and food quality standards such as cGMP.
iii. It has a quality variable drive motor and sealing speed controller.
iv. The operating efficiency of the machine is high thus enabling a stable seal.
v. Features an automatic induction sealer that is very affordable.
vi. Capable of producing a composite aluminum material for sealing purposes.
Best Material in Foil Sealing Process
The best material that you can use in the foil sealing process are:
Cap sealing
1. Paper Board
Paper boards are three-dimensional polymer coatings with higher weight per unit area that you can use to seal jars and bottles.
Advantages of Using Paper Board
The material is leak-proof thus protecting the container from leaking and retains the microbiological quality of the content.
Apart from that, it is readily available in different grades for you to choose from depending on your sealing choices.
Paper board also blocks light (not entirely), and other impurities that may affect the integrity of the content.
Disadvantages of Using Paper Board
The sealing process is quite challenging as it leads to the formation of wrinkles and creases.
The wrinkles and creases act as capillary channels that may cause leaks and affect the integrity of the package.
2. Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil has physical and thermal properties that make it a suitable material for foil sealing.
It is a common sealing material for plastic containers such as yogurt cans.
Advantages of Using Aluminum Foil
The main advantages that make aluminum foil more suitable for sealing include:
i. High machinability thus increasing its compatibility with different sealing machines.
ii. Relatively high strength and hardens over time hence less susceptible to damages.
iii. Cost effective and easy to acquire
iv. Corrosion resistant with high thermal conductivity
v. Has wonderful printing effects
vi. It is waterproof and nontoxic thus increasing the safety of consumable materials such as food.
Disadvantages of Using Aluminum Foil
The major disadvantages of using aluminum foil include:
i. Pure aluminum foils are easy to wrinkle and may affect the integrity of the seal.
ii. It is more expensive in comparison to other sealing products.
3. Heat Sealing Layer
The heat sealing layers are types of sealing polymers that you can trigger by pressing the sealing bars closer.
It often consists of a silicone seal that is capable of withstanding extreme temperatures.
The sealing bar presses on the film and wire until it melts thereby forming a seal over the containers.
Advantages of the Heat Sealing Layer
The main advantages of the heat sealing layer include:
i. It is strong, thick, and tamper proof thus keeping the external environmental effects at bay.
Round wire heat sealing layers make thin and less visible seals.
ii. Forming a heat sealing layer is a quick and straightforward process.
iii. You can easily incorporate it on different products such as foil, plastic materials, and poly coated Kraft paper bags.
iv. The heat sealing layers are available in different designs and sizes.
Disadvantages of Heat Sealing Layers
The major demerits of the heat sealing layer include:
i. It requires a special type of machine which is expensive to acquire.
ii. Making a printing effect on the heat sealing layer is difficult.
You should note that the seal can either incorporate one or all of the above sealing materials on to the container.
Manual Foil Sealing Machine
This is a versatile device that you can predominantly use in different industries for sealing foils on jars before capping.
Most of the operations require human assistance as they are not automated by the machine.
You can use it in the food industry to form foil seals on pickle jars, jam jars, and sauces among others.
Apart from that, you can find it in restaurants for sealing fill water, dairy products, coffee, and juices among others.
Manual foil sealing machine
· Benefits of Manual Foil Sealing Machine
Some of the merits that you will face by using this machine include:
i. Affordable and easily available
ii. The machine is small in size thus enhancing its portability from one place to another.
iii. Allows the incorporation of different sealing materials such as aluminum and paperboards.
iv. Available in different variants in terms of sizes.
v. The machine provides an ergonomic foil sealing solution that is tamper proof.
· Drawbacks of Manual Foil Sealing Machine
The major drawbacks of using the manual foil sealing machine includes:
i. The sealing process using the manual foil sealing machine is very slow and consumes a lot of time.
ii. It is suitable for small scale foil sealing operations as it seals very few jars at a time.
iii. The operations depend on human assistance thus rendering it useless without human power.
Automatic Foil Sealing Machine
This is a dynamic device that you can use to automatically place a seal on top of jars with little to no human assistance.
It comprises of computerized devices which you can program and allow the machine to proceed with the sealing process.
You can use it in sealing PET bottles, PVC bottles, glass bottles, HDPE bottles, and jars among others.
It is suitable for use in different industries among them being cosmetics, food, medicine among others.
Automatic foil sealing machine
· Benefits of Automatic Foil Sealing Machine
The main advantages of using the automatic foil sealing machine include:
i. Fast and can seal many containers within a short period thus suitable for large scale plants.
ii. Has an adjustable human machine interface that allows you to dictate the sealing parameters.
iii. Does not require extra personnel to assist in its operations thus reducing the cost of production.
iv. You can easily integrate the machine into the production line.
v. The machine is flexible and can handle different types and sizes of jars and bottles.
vi. Since it is automatic the machine can operate continuously without stopping.
vii. The machine has sensors that will automatically detect any malfunction and stop the operations.
· Drawbacks of Automatic Foil Sealing Machine
Some of the disadvantages that you might experience by using this machine include:
i. The initial cost of purchasing and installation is high
ii. It is big and therefore requires a huge floor space for installation
iii. The big size of the machine limits the portability of the machine from one place to another.
Aluminum Foil Sealing Machine
The machine utilizes electromagnetic induction principles to obtain a hermetic aluminum foil seal on different containers.
You can use the machine to seal different types of products in industries such as pesticide, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics.
· Benefits of Foil Sealing Machine
You will realize the following benefits by using the foil sealing machine:
i. It incorporates high quality stainless steel construction material thus assuring of its durability.
ii. It has different types of drive motors that assist in a faster and more efficient sealing process.
iii. The machine is automatic, stable, and can seal a number of bottles in a short period.
iv. It produces composite aluminum foil for sealing purposes
· Drawbacks of Foil Sealing Machine
Some of the drawbacks of foil sealing machine are:
i. It limits you to one type of sealing material which is aluminum.
ii. The cost of purchasing the machine is higher in consideration of its limited flexibility.
iii. Most aluminum foil sealing machine is big in size thus covering a wider floor space.
Parts of Foil Sealing Machine
The main parts of a foil sealing machine include:
Technical drawing of aluminum foil sealing machine
1) Sealing Plug
This is the main part of the machine that seals the sealing material onto the containers.
They are available in different sizes and shapes depending on the type of seal you intend to place.
2) Electrical System Complete with Switches
In an automatic foil sealing machine, you will need an electrical system to provide the power for normal operations.
The electrical system consists of various components such as switches that help in controlling the flow of electric power.
3) Pneumatic System
The machine has a pneumatic system to assist in pressing the seals onto the containers.
Apart from that, it helps in moving some parts of the machine such as lubrication fluids.
4) Blades
The blades on a foil sealing machine cut the sealing material into the specific shapes and sizes.
5) Handle Springs
The handle spring will assist in the automatic movement of some parts of the sealing machine such as sealing plugs.
It creates a return movement in the opposite direction once the sealing plug plunges in the other direction.
6) T-bar Holders
A T-bar holder comes in handy in a manual sealing machine for controlling the mechanical press system of the machine.
7) Induction Coil or Heating Element
The induction coil produces an oscillating electro-magnetic field that heats the aluminum foil before sealing.
8) Round Wire Conversion Kits
The round wire conversion kits assist in shaping the sealing material depending on the shape of the container.
It is flexible and can form any shape of foil sealing materials according to the programming specifications.
9) Lubrication System
The lubrication system greases the moving parts of the foil sealing machine for easier movement.
10) Conveyor Belt System
This system assists in the movement of containers to and from the sealing machine.
11) Printing System
Automatic sealing machines have printers that print logos on the seals such as fruit logos on the yogurt foil seals.
12) PLC Control System
The system comes complete with a touch screen where you can program, control and monitor all the sealing machine operations.
13) Speed Transmission Motors
The speed transmission motors control and regulate the sealing speed of the foil sealing machine.
14) Cooling System
The cooling system will lower the temperatures of the polymer or the heat sealing layer to create a bond.
15) Automatic Sensor and Alarm System
The sensors assist in detecting any malfunction on the foil sealing machine and automatically stop the machine operations
Also, the alarm system will signal you of any problem with the machine for immediate fixing.
How Foil Sealing Machine Works
A foil sealing machine depends on the electromagnetic induction principle to place a credible seal on top of the containers.
The following is a step by step guide on the whole process of electromagnetic induction a foil sealing machine.
Step One: Preparation Stage
First, you have to make sure that the machine is in proper working condition.
You have to ensure that the machine is clean, lubrication fluid is in place and every part is in order.
Additionally, you should load the sealing material onto the hopper of the machine for immediate access.
In this case, you will load all the sealing materials including paper board, aluminum foil, and heat sealing layer.
Power on the machine and let the operations begin.
Step Two: Preparation of the Sealing Material
At this stage, the machine will automatically pick the sealing materials one at a time.
A typical induction layer often has multiple layers consisting of the paper board, aluminum foil, and heat sealing layer.
The first layer is the paper board which will be on top of the seal facing the cap.
You can opt to spot glue it on the cap for easy access or easy removal of the container seal.
The second layer is wax that will bond the paper board to the aluminum foil.
The aluminum foil comes in as the third layer which you will laminate onto the bottom layer of the seal.
The bottom layer can either be the heat sealing layer or polymer film.
Step Three: Placing the Seal on the Cap
Depending on the type of machine, you can either decide to place the seal on the cap first or the container.
In this case, you will place the seal on the cap first before placing it on the container.
Step Four: Placing the Seal on the Container
The container, complete with the content passes on a conveyor belt under an induction coil.
As the container passes, the machine places the cap complete with the seal onto the container.
The induction coil emits an oscillating electromagnetic field that heats the aluminum foil due to eddy current.
The second layer which is wax begins to melt and absorbs into the paper board and releases the seal from the cap.
The heat sealing layer or polymer film also melts and flows on to the lips of the containers.
Step Five: Cooling Process
You will pass the container through the cooling system of the container on a conveyor belt.
As it cools down, the molten polymer creates a bond with the container resulting in a hermetic seal.
The process is safe and the container plus its contents are safe.
Step Six: Inspection of the Seal Strength
The containers complete with the seals go through a seal test.
The test will confirm the integrity of the seal and ensure that it is strong enough.
You will use a seal strength testing machine to test the integrity of the seal.
The next step is packaging and storage in readiness for transport.
How to Test Quality of Foil Sealing Process
Most manufacturers will provide you with foil sealing machines that adhere to the right quality standards.
These quality standards will protect you from the exploitation of other manufacturers.
It will also assure you that the sealing machine of choice is safe for use.
Apart from that, the quality standards will ensure that the sealing process and the seal are strong enough.
A good foil sealing machine adheres to the following quality standards:
i. ISO certification
ii. CE quality standards assurance.
iii. GMP quality standard assurance
iv. cGMP certificate of quality
Heat sealing integrity is under the ISO11607-2 which dictates the validation standards for assembly, forming and sealing processes.
It dictates that the process requires performance qualification of packaging devices to provide enough proof of seal strength and sterilization.
The verification of the seal strength goes through a heat seal strength test through the following criteria:
Step One: Sampling of the Seals
First, you need to collect random samples from different seals on different containers.
You will cut a piece of the seal at about 15 mm depending on the size of the seal.
In case the seal is more than 500mm, then you will have to cut more samples from the seal.
Step Two: Calibration of Strength Testing Machine
You have to calibrate the strength testing machine before using it.
In this case, you will key in the testing parameters according to the samples you collect.
Step Three: Actual Testing of the Seal Strength
Place the sample on the strength testing machine and allow it to perform the test.
The machine rotates the sample at a very high speed to ensure it is strong enough.
The aluminum laminate foil should separate from the paper board at a speed of 200mm/min.
As the machine operates, you should take notes on the resistance of the machine in N/15mm in a graph.
Step Four: Analysis of the Results
In compliance with the EN 868 – 5 of the ISO certification, the maximum strength of the seal should be at 1.5N/15mm.
It is important to conduct this test more often to ensure that the machine is capable of producing very strong seals.
You should conduct the test in the following cases:
i. When you intend to use a new package
ii. Whenever you do a routine maintenance on the foil sealing machine
iii. When you repair any broken part of the foil sealing machine.
Common Problems & Solutions in Foil Sealing Technology
The foil sealing machine may encounter problems in the sealing process.
You will need to troubleshoot the machine to identify the source of the problem.
Some of the problems you might encounter and their solutions include:
Cap
i. Under Voltage Faults
The fault may come as a result of an open bus fuse, sealing coil problems, faulty inverter, and loose wire connections.
Solutions:
Open the fuse cabinet and check if the fuse is in the right position before fixing it properly.
With the help of an electrical technician, you should inspect the key electrical components.
Replace the faulty components with new ones and make sure the wire connection is proper.
ii. Output Current Fault and Overvault Faults
The fault can come as a result of power interference on the power interface board or loose connection from the transformer.
There might also be a loose connection in the sealing coil that does not allow proper flow of power.
Solution:
Replace the power interface board.
Switch off the main power supply and reinforce the loose connections to the sealing coil.
iii. Low Impedance
Low impedance can be as a result of low voltage input and improper wiring to the main power supply.
Solution:
First, you have to measure the voltage and confirm if it is the main cause of the problem.
In case, the voltage is lower than 205 VAC, then you need to adjust the voltage.
You will adjust the voltage in accordance with the user manual because different machines have different voltage requirements.
iv. High Temperature Fault
High temperature faults can be as a result of high ambient temperature or insufficient cooling.
Solution:
You need to have a look at the main control board and the thermal switch.
You should also have a look at the rotation of the cooling fan and sink for the blockage of airflow.
Blow out the system using compressed air to remove the blockage and move the machine to a cooler area.
You can replace the thermal switch if it is the main cause of the problem.
v. Stalled Containers such as Bottles and Jars
The containers might stall due to power interference at the main control board or a problem with the setup.
You should get a notice from the fiber optic sensors that will alarm you of the problematic area.
In most cases, the containers stall when they reach the exit bracket due to the wrong orientation of sensors.
Solution:
In case the problem is power interference, you should check the connections and replace the power interface board.
You have to go back to the control unit and program the machine accordingly to avoid the stalling issue.
Conclusion
Well, you are now a foil sealing machine expert and you can comfortably handle the machine properly.
With this information at hand, you should be able to purchase a good foil sealing machine.
All you have to do is ensure that it adheres to the right quality standards and it fits your production requirements.
Do not wait any longer.
Get in touch with your supplier and order your custom foil sealing machine.