packing machine FAQ

Q1. What is a Horizontal form - fill and seal (HFFS) machine and why is it called so?
A. This machine forms a tube by pulling sealable film over a forming block by means of pairs of pulling and sealing rollers. Product is pushed into the tube in a timed way. Ends of the tubes are crimped, sealed and cut to form individual packs. In a horizontal machine the tube is drawn horizontally and the product is pushed on a horizontal conveyor, hence the name.


Q2. How does the package formed on the machine look?
A. Pack formed on HFFS has a long seam running parallel to the product along the centre line of the base of pack. Two end seals also called Fin seals, complete the pack. This pack is also called pouch pack or pillow pack because of its shape.


Q3. What is Envelope folding?
A. As name suggests, end-folds in the pack are pressed against the ends of the product and resemble a typical envelope. A regular shaped product like soap bars can be neatly packed in this st


Q4. What is the preferred way of packing biscuits?
A. Undoubtedly, pouch packing has certain advantages that makes it ideally suited for biscuits. One, it gives hermetic seals i.e. the seals do not allow any moisture penetration. Biscuits being very hygroscopic in nature require this type of sealing on package. Two, this type of package is very tolerant to size and shape of product, and biscuits vary a lot in size and shape because of uncontrollable factors during production process.


Q5. What are the various styles in which biscuits are wrapped in horizontal form fill and seal machines? Do you offer these machines? 
A. There are many favoured styles of packing biscuits in a pouch shaped pack. 1. Biscuits placed in a tray and then wrapped: This is done for delicate cookies and assorted varieties. These biscuits are arranged in preformed thin plastic or paper trays. These trays are wrapped in HFFS machine. Our model FINSEAL - 11 (wide body) can accept large width trays. 
2. Biscuits in small piles: Also known as canteen pack, each pack contains 1 to 5 biscuits piled together and wrapped. The output of the machine can be discrete packs or string together packs (no. of packs in a string). FINSEAL - 11 HS model is meant for this job. 
3. Large piles of biscuits: Also known as slug packs or "biscuits-on-edge" pack, this machine takes long slugs of biscuits standing on-edge and wraps in HFFS machine. Typically such a machine automatically meters out slugs of the biscuits from a magazine (which is manually replenished) and directly wraps it in a pouch shaped pack. iPac 21E model is meant for this type of packing. 
4. Family Pack: As name suggests, it is a larger pack containing 2 to 4 rows of slugs of biscuits. iPac 21FP model does this job.


Q6. What wrapping materials are typically used on HFFS machines? 
A. Typically laminates like Polyester / OPP, BOPP / BOPP, CPP / BOPP, Polyester / PE or plain BOPP are used in HFFS machines. Advantage of using laminates is that outer layer can be reverse printed to give a glossy print appearance on the outside at the same time preventing printing chemicals coming in contact with edible products like biscuits. All materials used on HFFS must have sealable inside surface.


Q7. What are the different ways of forming seals on HFFS? 
A. If the inside surface has heat sealable material then application of heat under pressure will make the seal. Cold sealable wrappers are also available. For such materials mere application of pressure is enough to form seals. Our machines can handle both types of wrappers.


O8. What are the dimensions of the wrapper required to pack your product?
A. Length of wrapper = Length of product + height or diameter of the product +32m/m
Width of wrapper = 2 X (Width + Height of Product) + 32m/m in case of rectangular product. = circumference of product + 32m/m for cylindrical products. 
Area of wrapper = Length X Width of wrapper


Q9. How can the cost of wrapper be calculate?
A. Having selected the wrapper you need to know its gsm (weight in grammes / sq.m) and rate per kg from the supplier of the wrapping material. Cost of wrapper / piece = area in square mm x gsm x rate/kg x10-9


Q10. We want to pack variety of biscuits. Are your various models adaptable to different sizes and shapes?
A. All our models can be adjusted to accept different sizes of packs if desired. Change over time for FINSEAL 11 and FINSEAL 11HS is about 15-20minutes.
Changeover time is 45 minutes to 1 hour for iPac 21FP and 30-45 minutes for iPac 21E machines.


Q11. What is Print Registration Unit? How does it work?
A. Printed wrapper comes in form of roll which is unwound on the machine during the process of wrapping. Slight difference in pull length will make the printed matter slip a little with respect to the product being wrapped. This slip is cumulative and soon it will become noticeable and be unacceptable. Print registration unit continuously detects the slip and monitors the correction arrangement to ensure centrality of the printed wrapper with respect to the product.


Q12. What are the consumables required for HFFS machines made by you?
A. If a date or code printing device is used on the machine, then inking cartridge or ink or rubber stamp are the consumable items. Cutting knife used on the machine is a wearable item and may need replacement when worn out.


Q13. How many people are required to man the different HFFS machines offered by you
A. FINSEAL 11: One feeder + one operator + one person to pack the output from the machine in card-board (cb) boxes.
FINSEAL 11 HS: (1 or 2) + 1 + (1 or 2) 
IPAC 21 E: 2 + 1 + 1
IPAC 21 FP: 2 + 1 + 1


Q14. What are dimensions and layout plans for different HFFS machines offered by you?
A. Please check our detailed catalogue for these machines.


Q15. How do we order a machine with you?
A. After the enquiry stage and having satisfied each other with suitability of our machine for your product we can send you a proforma invoice giving FOB / CIF values and delivery period. For machines required outside India, an irrevocable Letter of Credit payable at sight shall be needed.


Q16. How are the machines shipped abroad?
A We send our machines in sea worthy packing case as full container load (FCL) of a 20ft. container.


Q17. What about commissioning of machines?
A. Our service engineer(s) commission the machine at your works wherever it is. Charges for the commissioning are mentioned in our offe