Common Problems Faced During Cargo Shrink Wrap Application

Shrink wrap also referred to as shrink film, is a multipurpose material made up of polymer plastic film used for packaging goods. The availability of this material in a variety of thickness, clarities, strengths, and shrink- ratios has made it a favourable packaging material in almost all industries. Cargo shrink wrapping is cost-effective and space-saving but requires proper application. Shrink wrap is applied around the cargo using heat that is applied either through a conveyor heat tunnel, an electric, or a gas heat gun. Proper application of ensures an appealing finished look for the cargo and also protects the product from dust, dirt, weather, and tampering. Some of the common shrink wrap problems faced during application are mentioned below.

· Dog Ears

They are triangular protrusions that appear on the corners of the package resembling a dog’s ear and occur due to insufficient shrinkage of the film. It is difficult for consumers to open the packages as they can be quite sharp to touch. Dog ears can be rectified by applying extra heat during the application process or by using a high-quality wrap.

· Crow’s Feet

Crow’s feet are wrinkles extending from the corners of packages and are caused by the presence of excessive wrap on the corners of the package or not heating the package enough. Using a smaller shrink wrap, shrink tubing width, or length may help.

· Fish Eyes

Fish eyes are round or oval patterns that show up in the wrap due to insufficient shrinking caused by a lack of heat or bad air velocity in the heating element of the machine being used. The presence of fish eyes on the packaging makes it look untidy and unbecoming. To avoid fish eyes, regular maintenance of the machine is required. Also slowing down the speed and allowing the heat to apply fully during the application process will help to avoid fish eyes.

· Ballooning

The presence of excess air trapped inside the shrink wrap after it has been sealed causes balloon-type structures. Ballooning is one of the difficult shrink wrapping problems to tackle and the solution would be to switch to a pre-perforated film to help prevent ballooning. This type of film has tiny vent holes that allow air to escape after the film has been shrunk around the product. Another way to avoid ballooning is to prevent exposing sealed packages to excess air.

· Burn Holes

Burn holes or hot spots happen when too much is heat is applied to the shrink wrap causing areas in shrink film to become hot, causing unwanted holes in the shrink wrap. The presence of burn holes lessens the durability of the packaging but can also cause damage to the product if the heat is too close. By adjusting the temperature, conveyor belt speed, and air velocity this problem can be solved to a large extent.

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The problems arising during the cargo shrink wrap application can be easily solved by adjusting the settings of the machine like temperature, conveyor speed, air velocity of the tunnel, or by using the correct type of shrink wrap.