Innovation to create value added differentiation is the prime-mover of India’s largest global flexible packaging solution company, UFlex.
The company has recently developed Cast Polypropylene (CPP) Film with Robust Seal Performance. This film finds widespread use in addressing different types of packaging needs and exhibiting superior sealing functionalities.
The Need Gap
It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention. The problem of poor run-ability of laminate on new generation state-of-the-art high speed Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) machines and persistent problems like seal opening at high speed; poor seal through contamination and poor hermetic seals led the engineers at UFlex develop the Robust Seal Performance CPP Film. Apart from these factors the variable weather conditions often have an adverse effect on laminate performance, which the Robust Seal Performance CPP Film greatly addresses. This film owing to its good sealing properties increases the shelf life of the packed products from six months to about one year.
UFlex launched the product in February 2016 after an extensive R&D of about one and half years.
Performance Catalyst
The following 4 traits make this film stand out from other variants of CPP and Polyethylene (PE) Films:
- Low SIT (Seal Initiation Temperature): For the Robust Seal Performance CPP Film, the SIT is 95 degrees centigrade which allows using a high speed FFS machine with excellent seal performance.
- High and Broad Hot Tack Strength: Hot Tack Strength for the new film is extremely high (>500 gm/25 mm) over a broad temperature range (100 -145 degrees centigrade). This makes it possible to run the laminate on all kinds and generations of FFS machines.
- Good Hermeticity: The film demonstrates good seal through contamination paving way for fool-proof hermetic seal. This further ensures absence of any leakage – a fact that is easily established by bubble test of the laminate of which this film is a part.
- Good Optics: Optical properties of the laminate (like haze & gloss) remain competent irrespective of the engineering that goes into manufacturing the Robust Seal Performance CPP Film. In fact they are better than the standard CPP and PE Films.
The Use
These features have made this film’s application quite universal in nature. The film is available in various variants such as plain, metallized and as white CPP. Its applications include snacks packaging, condiment packaging, and Over the Mountain (OTM) as the film offers good performance even at low atmospheric pressure. A two layer laminate of this film can replace three layered traditional laminates to withstand nitrogen flushing. This again is an added advantage.
To sum up, the Robust Seal Performance CPP Film offers cost effective improvements in packaging speed, consistent performance on packaging equipment, durable package integrity and aesthetics. The film is carefully engineered to address diversified and challenging sealing needs of flexible packaging.
