INTRO TO FORM-FILL-SEAL PACKAGING WITH NICHROME

INTRO TO FORM-FILL-SEAL PACKAGING WITH NICHROME

Almost every industry today relies on form fill seal (FFS) packaging machines. And why not? These pouch packaging machines are fast, accurate, economical and versatile solutions that automatically boost efficiency and profitability.

Greater speed and versatility are the major benefits of FFS systems. For example, snack producers demand systems that have the versatility to package different products and provide fast changeover between many different packaging formats.

Let us walk you through form fill seal packaging machines, and discuss how they work.

What are form fill seal packaging machines?

As the name suggests, form fill seal packaging machines are automatic packaging machines that form the package, fill it with a wet or dry product, and sealit closed. They mainly use flexible film to form the primary packaging such as a pouch or bag, but aseptic cartons are also produced with FFS technology.

Form fill seal packaging machines use a reel of flexible material (paper, film or laminates of paper/film/foil) andeither form it into a tube and then seal and fill it at regular intervals, or fold it lengthwise andseal it at right angles to the fold to form a series of pockets which are filled and closed.

Types of FFS packaging machines?

FFS machinesare broadlyof two types: 1. Vertical form fill seal machines(VFFS), in which the material is formed into a circular section tube over aforming collar 2. Horizontal form fill sealmachines(HFFS), in which the material is formed into a rectangular section tubethrough a forming box. HFFS also cover horizontal versions of sachet packing machines, blister pack machines, four side seal machines and thermoform fill and seal machines.

Advantages of FFS Technology • •

High speed and consistent packing rate Economical as the bags made are less expensive than pre-made bags

• • • •

Provides increased production rate so you can reduce number of shifts Easy and quick to clean-out between production batches Online film printing provides readable bar code and product info Fewer moving parts - especially in VFFS

Disadvantages of FFS Technology • • • • •

Cannot handle paper Not economical for short production runs Cannot handle multi-ply packaging materials Cannot remove trapped air quickly Not economical for low density, aerated powders such as wheat flour, talcum powder, whey powder at medium speeds

Applications of FFS packaging machines The applications of FFS packaging machines are endless. Almost any product that can be packed and marketedin flexible pouches can be packaged by such machines. FFS machines can be used to pack a whole gamut of food, pharm and other products ranging from: • • • • •

grains (such as rice, pulses, sugar) to granulates (such as detergent, fertilizers) snacks (such as chips, dry fruits, namkeen) to ready-to-eat foods bulk goods (such as nuts and cookies to bolts and screws) powders (such as spice powders, milk powder, ground coffee, nutraceuticals) liquids (such as water, milk, juice, liquor) to viscous (such as edible oil, ghee, ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing, bath gel)

Pouch/Bag formats with FFS technology Versatility to form and fill a variety of container formats is a strong point of FFS technology. The options include: • • • • • • • • •

Pillow pouch 3 side seal and 4 side seal pouches Gusset pouch Pentaseal pouch Sachet &stickpack Standup pouch (with zipper/spout/euro slot/handle, etc.)

Doypack Thermoform trays Cartons

FFS technology from Nichrome Nichrome is India’s pioneer and leader in FFS technology. For over four decades, Nichrome has innovated automatic packaging solutions for varied applications across Food, Pharma and other industries.Vertical packaging machines, horizontal packaging machines, integrated packaging solutions – Nichrome is the packaging machine manufacturer who can deliver them all.

Nichrome offers a wide range of VFFS packaging machines and HFFS packaging machines, and can even customise solutions for specific requirements. For enterprises big and small, for applications existing and emerging, Nichrome offers infinite possibilities in integrated, automated packaging solutions - as it partners with customers through the complete lifecycle, offering application-specific solutions, backed by dependable service and support.

Based in Pune, India, Nichrome’s sales & service network spans India and the world. Nichrome has presence in 45 countries and more than 7000 successful installations worldwide.