A Tech Bite from Greener Technical Service Specialist Jeff Fouche
As product moves along the infeed and through your flow wrapper, each packaging process should accurately align on the centerline. This Greener Tech Bite explains how to detect and fix even small, seemingly insignificant misalignment of flow wrapper packaging processes that degrade package quality and delay production.
Symptoms of Misalignment
Symptoms of centerline misalignment include loosely wrapped packages, uneven fin seals that easily pull free from the fin wheels, and package wrinkles and pleats that cause sealing problems.
Assess Your Alignment
1. Align the Product Feed
First, make sure the product infeed is inline with your wrapper. Infeeds often get moved out of position and deliver the product at an angle, causing a number of chronic problems.
2. Center the Forming Box
Forming box adjustments can often be improved, especially if they have been moved off-center to compensate for product entering the wrapper at an angle. Ensure that the forming box is level, centered, and aligned with the product feed.
The packaging material tube should form evenly around the product, without wrinkles or gaps, and should help maintain the inline spacing between products to prevent them from interfering with the cutting and sealing process.
3. Center the Fin Wheels
Also make sure each pair of fin wheels is on the centerline.
Misaligned fin wheels create loosely wrapped, wrinkled packages that are more difficult to cut and seal.
4. Center the Sealing Jaws
On some flow wrappers the shafts have multiple mounting hole options. Make sure both the upper and lower sealing jaws are installed on center in relation to the package.
5. Center the Packaging Material Roll
Now check the packaging material roll and align it on center. The material may have been mounted off center to compensate for misalignments in other areas of the packaging process.
Once the first four processes and the packaging material roll are centered, the edges of the fin seal should meet evenly and create a clean, parallel edge.
6. Center the Product Rails
With the material on the center line, you can center the product rails so that they guide the product correctly into the forming box.
Remember to align flow wrapper packaging processes on the centerline as part of your preventative maintenance program and to resolve packaging problems.
If you have questions about preventative maintenance or packaging problems on your flow wrappers or vertical baggers, contact Greener Corporation. We provide integrated parts and technical service solutions worldwide.
