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Overwrap Packaging and Overwrapping Machines

autoamtic overwrapping machine

Film overwrapping is a secondary packaging that is widely used on products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, CDs, DVDs, confectionery, gifts, etc.

The reason that overwrapping packaging is so popular on these products is that overwrapping can both protect the products from exterior containment, humidity and dust during the transport, storage and while they are displayed on the shelf and also enhance a sense of superiority, luxury, and visual appeal on the products.

In this post, we would discuss, generally, the overwrapping machines available in the current market and especially those in the Chinese market, to provide a reference which readers from end-users in manufacturing companies, distributors and procurement professionals can refer to before and during purchasing an overwrapping machine.

Basic Features of Overwrapping & Overwrapping Machine

Overwrapping machines, sometimes referred to as cellophane wrapping machines, or Film Overwrappers, are packaging machines used for film wrapping automation. Generally, an overwrapping machine is mechanically, pneumatically, thermatically and electronically driven packaging equipment and can complete the automatic process including:

Automatic feed of cartons to be wrapped
Film splicing and feeding
Tuck and Fold in Film
Heat-shrink of film

Regardless of the overwrapping machine’s style – turret overwrapper, base-seal overwrapper, or whatsoever, the above-mentioned are the essential ones for it.

Film Materials Used for Overwrapping

Referred to as cellophane overwrapping machines though, the film material used for overwrapping can actually be of different material depending on the context, product, and industry to which it is applied, the films could be, as follow:

Polypropylene (PP film)
Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP)
Polyethylene
PVC
Cellophane
paper
Biophan

How does Thickness of Film Affect the Overwrapping Appearance?

The thickness of film overwrapping makes a considerable difference when used for overwrapping. For example, thin film, after being heat-shrunk, turns to be of more wrinkles while on the contrary, the formed overwrap packaging will appear to be more neat and sleek.

Which are the Products Overwrapping is Used for?

Tobacco Products: Cigarette, Shisha, Hookah…… Collating Overwrap has been adopted to replace an outer carton
Pharmaceuticals: Pharmas sometimes turn out to be temperature-sensitive. The overwrapping produces less heat than shirnk wrapping does
Luxury Products: Perfume, cosmetics… which need prestigious visual appeal
Drinks: Coffee and High Tea… same reason for fine visual appearance
Digital Products: CDs, DVDs…

How to Defined the Quality of Overwrapping Machines?

Figuring out the quality of the machine the supplier or manufacturer offers is a critical task, given the fact that no one would like to receive a pure pile of steel at an unreasonable price, or neither it is possible to challenge an affordable price against a qualified and well-made machine – “being cheap” and “being good” are not compatible. To get a general view of the machines on your list, refer to the following features and check with your supplier:

Check the Performance

This seems to be a cliche, yet reviewing the machine’s performance in various aspects: stability, speed, quality of finished packaging, etc., is essential rather than checking generally and from a broad view.

Check the stability at a higher speed

For pragmatism machines that can operate in a stable manner at lower or medium speed may be enough for your packaging automation, however, checking further whether it can work stably and smoothly without any failure at higher speed is ideal to define whether it is a well-constructed one or it is just a fair-average product. For example, a cheap overwrapper might be able to operate at a speed around 30 and 40 PPM, yet when it is configured to 80 PPM the machine may not necessarily work as well as it does at a lower speed and problems may occur including:

- Evident extra vibration and machine may even move in position during operation
- Higher noise, which may exceed related standards
- Friction and collision within functional parts that reveals the machine is not well handcrafted in details.

Check the finished packaging

A qualified output from the overwrapping machine should be:

- Smooth in the tuck and folding details
- As straight as possible the sealing line

Don’t be deceived by manually made samples

Machine-made automatic packaging can not be fully perfect in all aspects, for example, there might be tiny wrinkles in folding and sealing. Some supplier may exaggerate their overwrapper’s performance by showing a sample made by manual overwrapper.

Material of Components

Materials used for building machines basically are: Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel, and sometimes a few polyamide parts, and so on… review each one regarding their processment, their level (for example, 201, 304, 316, in terms of stainless steel, etc… ), for example:

Check whether aluminum parts have been anodized (processing of Aluminum Anodizing).

Anodizing is a process of oxidation and when applied to aluminum parts, they will be processed electrochemically to convert the metal surface into an anodic oxide finish which is durable, corrosion-resistant, and better visually appealing. Aluminum parts used without being processed with oxidation theoretically do not affect its properties and characteristics for building machines, however, will turn out to be with a more gloomy surface. Manufacturers with prudence, quality-focused guideline, and strict craftsmanship should not omit such a process.

Check what process the steel parts have gone through including

Black Oxidation, which is a chemical surface treatment process to cover the part’s surface with a layer into a coating of corrosion and rust resistance, black appearance, and to minimize light reflection. Black oxidation, when it comes to packaging machinery, principally is used on joint parts such as bearings and screws.

Galvanization – a layer treatment process that applies a protective zine coating to steel or iron, thus preventing rusting. Galvanized steel comes with a bright and silver-colored surface.

and among other coating processes, nickelage, chrome-plating, etc…

Check the level/type of stainless steel used, for example, the frame and parts

Some most common types of stainless steel used are type 201, type 301, type 316… etc., each varies in terms of price, performance, characteristics, … and each is one their unique features, advantages, and disadvantages.

Stainless steel 304 is one of the most commonly used types. Type 304 is featured by its higher content o nickel than others which makes type 304 more resistant to corrosion, however, it is more expensive than other types due to the rising cost of nickel.

Stainless Steel 201, on the other hand, is the economic alternative in terms of stainless steel. It is cheaper because it contains lower nickel but for which type 201 is less corrosion-preventing and can not stand against highly corrosive environment.

While type 201 is the affordable choice and type 304 is more corrosion-proof, Stainless Steel 316 outstrips the former and is the most resistant one and also the most expensive one among the here-mentioned.

Apart from the above aspects, review also the electrical parts in terms of their model, and brands to define their level.

Why not the Overwrapping Machine by ELITE Packaging Machinery?

With our patented technology, our overwrapping machine can operate at a higher speed up to 100 PPM in a fully stable manner and efficient overwrap packaging performance, which marks our excellence and market-leading position in overwrapping packaging automation solutions.

Get in contact with our team to find our your overwrapping solutions.

Overwrapping Machine