What Is a Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machine?
Horizontal pillow packaging machines are machines that flow and pillow wrap products horizontally.
A single sheet of wrapping film is glued in the long direction to wrap the product, then cut and glued at both ends in the wide direction to wrap the product completely. This wrapping method is called pillow wrapping because the wrapped product resembles a pillow.
Uses of Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machines
Horizontal pillow packaging machines are used to package a variety of mass-produced products. Specifically, they are used in packaging food products, medicines, and miscellaneous goods.
Horizontal pillow packaging machines are characterized by their ability to pack products in a sealed state at high speed, regardless of the shape or size of the product to be packaged, since the product is flowed horizontally.
Pillow wrapping machines that apply film to a horizontally flowing product on the underside of the product are called forward pillow wrapping machines, while reverse pillow wrapping machines apply film on the top side of the product.
Positive pillow wrapping machines are used for packaging products in trays and solid products. Examples of such products include instant noodles, sausages, ham, and frozen foods sold in trays.
Reverse pillow wrapping machines are used for multi-pack products, products in bulk, and products with low heat resistance. Examples include prepared foods, sandwiches, dried noodles, and vegetables.
There are several other types of pillow wrapping machines. For example, longitudinal pillow wrapping machines are constructed by laminating a sheet of film lengthwise and feeding it longitudinally. It glues the lower edge to form a bag, and then dropping the product into the bag, gluing the upper edge, and wrapping it. This structure is suitable for products that can be dropped without any problems, powders, liquids, etc.
Principle of Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machines
The basic structure of a horizontal pillow packaging machine consists of a film feeding section, a product feeding section with a conveyor belt, and a film gluing method. The film gluing means consists of a center seal section that glues the film in the length direction, and a bottom seal cutting section that wraps the product in the length direction of the film and then glues and cuts both ends in the width direction.
The packaging process using this horizontal pillow packaging machine is as follows. The following is an example of a front pillow wrapping machine:
- Film is fed from the film supply section.
- Products are fed from the product supply section by a conveyor belt.
- The product on the conveyor belt is covered from the top with film.
- The lengthwise edges of the film covering the product are aligned at the center of the back side of the product in the center seal section and glued together.
- At the bottom seal and cut section, both ends of the film in the width direction are bonded and cut to wrap the product completely.
- The product is discharged by a conveyor belt.
The product is wrapped in this manner. Reverse pillow wrapping machines differ only in that the film is fed from the bottom of the product and glued at the top of the product.
Other Information on Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machines
1. Additional Functions of Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machines
Horizontal pillow packaging machines have additional functions to ensure reliable packaging. For example, there is a bite detection function that automatically stops the line if a product is caught in the bottom seal cut section where the film is glued in the width direction.
The misalignment through function discharges the bottom of the product in a series of packages without bonding or cutting the bottom of the product in the event of product misalignment. The empty bag prevention function automatically stops the machine when products are not supplied, thereby reducing film loss.
With these added functions, we are now able to offer packaging technology that meets the needs of growing food safety awareness. In addition, there is a growing demand for space and manpower saving, to which two combined horizontal pillow packaging machines are also being distributed.
2. Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machine vs. Vertical Pillow Packaging Machine
Horizontal pillow packaging machines use a conveyor to transport the contents, allowing the contents to be packaged in an aligned state. It is also effective when you want to use trays, and even soft objects can be packaged while maintaining their shape.
However, the disadvantage of this machine is that it takes up a lot of installation space due to the large horizontal width of the machine as the product flows horizontally.
Vertical pillow wrapping machines, on the other hand, have the advantage of automatic continuous wrapping without manual labor because the contents are dropped from the filling tank.
It is suitable for packaging liquid, powder, and granular products, which do not need to be aligned and are resistant to the impact of a drop. However, it is not suitable for packaging products that are weak against impact and easily lose shape.
3. Horizontal Pillow Packaging Machine Problems and Solutions
Horizontal pillow packaging machine problems are often caused by a combination of multiple factors, and it is often difficult to determine the cause and remedy. In such cases, inspection by the manufacturer is necessary.
The following are four commonly occurring problems and their solutions:
Poor Seal Adhesion
If the adhesive part after packaging peels off due to poor adhesion, factors such as inappropriate adhesion temperature or insufficient adhesion time may be the cause. Since proper adhesion temperature and time vary depending on the film material, settings should be reviewed, especially when the film is changed.
Biting at the Sealing Area
Product or foreign matter may be caught in the adhesive section in the width direction, resulting in adhesive failure. Causes include adhesion of part of the product and film debris to the bottom heat seal section of the wrapping machine. It is necessary to wipe off and clean the area to keep it clean.
Wrinkles at the Seal
In some cases, the film may lean against the seal, causing wrinkling. This can be caused by uneven height of the contents, or by the contents being too high and bulging out. It is effective to standardize the height as much as possible or introduce a wrinkle remover.
Film Misalignment
When films are bonded at the center seal, film misalignment may occur, resulting in films that do not overlap each other neatly and are not bonded properly. This can be caused by film meandering or weak film tension.
Film meandering occurs when the film slips on the roller that feeds the film in the film feeder section. It is necessary to consider changing the film material to a non-slip material, installing a guide to feed the film, or re-tensioning the film.