An industrial heat sealer is usually one of the smallest pieces of equipment in a processing facility, but it is also one of the most important. These machines are responsible for creating an airtight seal for packaging in several industries, and can close thousands of packages every hour. While they are most often seen in processing plants that handle food or animal feed, they are useful in many applications that consumers might not be aware of. After all, product safety is not just a concern for the food industry, and these machines greatly improve material quality and sterility by providing an airtight barrier.
The average industrial heat sealer is about the size of a large table. There are few moving parts to these devices because they don’t need to manipulate the product much, which reduces their size significantly. The open part of the bag is conveyed to the heating element, which applies the closure. This application is a quick, precise procedure that doesn’t require a lot of room to operate. When finished, the bag is conveyed on to another part of the facility. These machines can be fitted to a number of conveyors, and are inexpensive to operate or maintain. In short, they can be placed in nearly any plant without taking up much space or budget.
This is one of the reasons why an industrial heat sealer is a major piece of equipment in several industries. In addition to food and animal feed processing, it is an important device when handling medical supplies, clothing or machine parts. This is because it preserves the sterility of the product. This is absolutely crucial in the medical industry where microbe-free instruments are needed to ensure patient safety. Surgical instruments, swabs, and syringes are just a few of the items that are packaged in this way.
Consumers may not think apparel packaging is important, but protecting clothing from moisture and debris is necessary for consumer safety. Fabrics that are delicate, like silk, can tear easily and can deteriorate quickly when exposed to liquids. Molds are quick to grow on clothing if they aren’t packaged correctly, exposing consumers to a possible health hazard. For this reason, an industrial heat sealer is not just a luxury in the apparel industry.
Industrial parts, whether electronic or mechanical, need to be protected from moisture and oxygen for as long as possible. Electronic components can be destroyed by accidental spills or excess dust. Mechanical parts will begin oxidizing as soon as they are exposed to water and oxygen, causing rust. An industrial heat sealer can protect the items by providing a vacuum tight enclosure which is impervious to air and liquid.
These machines are available in two common designs. Direct heaters are built with a contact surface that maintains high temperatures as long as it is powered. These devices are automated and ferry the bags from end of the machine to the other, closing them with the contact surface. Impulse designs are partially automated, and produce melting temperatures using a short-lived electrical current. The current is conducted through a pair of jaws that hold on to the top of the bag. Both designs are compact, inexpensive, and highly efficient machines capable of expediting material processing.