Choosing the Right Heat Sealer

A heat sealer is a tool that does its job quietly in the background, which is necessary for a lot of our daily activities to be possible. Heat sealers are responsible for binding materials together using heat. They work best when all the materials involved, or at least one in a layer, is a thermoplastic. A heat sealer device can be used across many industries, and the wide variety of models ensures that a heat sealer suits any job.

So, where does a heat sealer do its work? You will find heat sealers performing various tasks – from sealing medical equipment to bagging food that will go onto supermarket shelves. Basically, any process whereby the content/product needs to be protected for hygiene purposes, to shield from the elements, or to prevent tampering.

Heat sealers have evolved to meet the increasing demand in a changing commercial environment. Packaging is now not just done on the factory floor; with the boom in internet shopping and sites like eBay, the demand for heat-sealing products suitable for business that runs from home has also been high. The type of heat sealer you need will depend on what you are sealing (material, width, and thickness), where you are sealing it, and the volumes involved. Once you have an idea, you can choose a sealer from the two main types; impulse and direct/constant heat sealers.
Impulse heat sealers

Impulse sealers transmit timed power to the sealing area and then immediately cool. When lowered, energy is only supplied to the jaw (point of sealing), making it a safe option. This type of sealer works best with materials that require a low seal temperature, such as Polyethylene, Polyurethane, Polyvinylchloride, Pilofilm, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Saran, Nylon, bubble packs, padded mailers, foil, coated bags, Kel-F, Polyflex, Mylar, Tyvek, and other thermoplastic material. Within the family of impulse sealers, there are several options to suit your specific requirements:

• - Hand sealers
• - Foot sealers
• - Auto sealers
• - Double impulse sealers – these use foot and automation.
• - Sealers that allow customization – cutting/crimping

Impulse sealers are a good choice as they are quick and energy-efficient; no warm-up time is required, and electricity is only used when sealing.

Direct/Constant Sealers

Unlike impulse sealers, this machine maintains heat constantly in both jaws, drawing energy for as long as it is switched on. Subsequently, the heat infiltration is better and, therefore, the ideal option for sealing thicker materials. Direct heat sealers should be used when the materials are at hand; coated aluminum foil, poly cello films, gusset bags, coated Kraft papers, waxed paper, cellophane, mylar, and coated PP.

Companies that trade in heat sealers can offer advice on which heat sealer should be used for your activity. It may be that instead of a direct heat or impulse sealer, your choice should be one of the other types on the market:

Band/Continuous Heat Sealers: In this process, a belt drives the item towards a heated wheel, continuously switched on at a preset temperature.

Vacuum Sealers: air is removed from the barrier bag before sealing. The barrier bag ensures that the products stay intact, especially if the item is to be stored for a long time, and the sealing process renders the package much more minor, saving valuable storage space. Vacuum sealing is ideal for preventing corrosion.

Clam Shell sealers: Specifically made to seal clamshell packaging. This type of packaging is especially effective for electronic items that may be vulnerable to theft.

There is a heat sealer for every job, so why not browse what is available online and ask questions to determine what will work for you.