Manufacturing Flexible Packaging

Manufacturing Flexible Packaging

by Thomas Dunn
Released September 2014
Publisher(s): William Andrew
ISBN: 9780323265058

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Book description

Efficiently and profitably delivering quality flexible packaging to the marketplace requires designing and manufacturing products that are both "fit-to-use" and "fit-to-make". The engineering function in a flexible packaging enterprise must attend to these dual design challenges.

Flexible Packaging discusses the basic processes used to manufacture flexible packaging products, including rotogravure printing, flexographic printing, adhesive lamination, extrusion lamination/coating; and finishing/slitting. These processes are then related to the machines used to practice them, emphasising the basics of machines’ control systems , and options to minimize wasted time and materials between production jobs.

Raw materials are also considered, including the three basic forms: Rollstock (paper, foil, plastic films); Resin; and Wets (inks, varnishes, primers). Guidance is provided on both material selection, and on adding value through enhancement or modification of the materials’ physical features.

A ‘measures’ section covers both primary material features – such as tensile, elongation, modulus and elastic and plastic regions – and secondary quality characteristics such as seal and bond strengths, coefficient of friction, oxygen barrier and moisture vapour barrier.

  • Helps engineers improve existing raw material selection and manufacturing processes for manufacturing functional flexible packaging materials.
  • Covers all aspects of delivering high value packaging to the customer – from the raw materials, to the methods of processing them, the machines used to do it, and the measures required to gauge the characteristics of the product.
  • Helps engineers to minimize waste and unproductive time in production.

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Copyright
  4. Introduction
    1. Background
    2. Reference
  5. 1. Basics of Web Processes
    1. Web Tension
    2. Web Winding
    3. Cross-Web Variation
    4. Web Dimensional Analysis
  6. 2. Rotogravure Printing
    1. Gravure Process
    2. Gravure Cylinders
    3. Halftone Image Reproduction
    4. Ink Metering
    5. Gravure Process Innovation
    6. Cylinder Cost and Cycle Time
    7. Reference
  7. 3. Flexographic Printing
    1. The Flexo Process
    2. Reference
  8. 4. Adhesive Lamination
    1. Adhesive Laminating Process
    2. Adhesive Lamination Strength
    3. Other Coating Processes
    4. Adhesive Laminating Innovation
    5. Reference
  9. 5. Extrusion Lamination and Coating
    1. Extrusion Laminating Process
    2. Extrusion Coating Process
    3. Extrusion Laminating Innovation
    4. References
  10. 6. Finishing and Slitting
    1. Communicating Slit Roll Requirements
    2. Slitting Options
    3. Rewind Options
    4. References
  11. 7. In-Line Processes
    1. Equipment Requirements
    2. Operational Considerations
    3. Success Criteria
  12. 8. OEE Effectiveness
    1. Overall Equipment Effectiveness
    2. Availability
    3. Performance
    4. Quality
    5. OEE Calculation
    6. References
  13. 9. Efficiency and Cost Accounting
    1. Efficiency
    2. Cost Accounting
    3. References
  14. 10. Basics of Control Systems
    1. Distributed Control Systems
    2. Data Inputs
    3. Process Feedback
    4. References
  15. 11. Rotogravure Presses
    1. Press Components
  16. 12. Flexographic Presses
    1. Press Components
    2. Reference
  17. 13. Adhesive Laminators
    1. Dry Bond Laminators
    2. Solventless Laminators
    3. Online Coating Measurement
  18. 14. Flexible Packaging Extrusion Coating/Laminating Line
    1. Line Configuration
    2. Gauge Measurement and Control
  19. 15. Slitters
  20. 16. Preventative Maintenance versus Available Production Time
    1. Availability
    2. Preventative Maintenance
    3. Calibration
    4. Actual Operating Time
  21. 17. Setup/Cleanup versus Scheduled Production Time
    1. Performance
    2. Setup and Cleanup
    3. Decreased Speeds and Minor Stoppages
    4. Increased Speeds
  22. 18. Saleable Product versus Product Produced
    1. Quality
    2. Reference
  23. 19. Paper
    1. Paper Dimensioning
    2. Paper Grades
    3. Paper Coatings
    4. Paper for Flexible Packaging
    5. References
  24. 20. Foil
    1. Production
    2. Converting
    3. Commercial Trends
    4. References
  25. 21. Unoriented Plastic Films
    1. Flexible Films
    2. General Film Property Effects
    3. References
  26. 22. Oriented Plastic Films
    1. Film Orientation
    2. Oriented Film Applications
    3. Special Oriented Film Effects
    4. References
  27. 23. Bulk Polyolefin Resins
    1. Polymer Structure
    2. Functional Description
    3. Value Provided
    4. Forms Used
    5. Reference
  28. 24. Specialty Sealant and Adhesive Resins and Additives
    1. Polymer Structure
    2. Additives
    3. Functional Advantages
  29. 25. Barrier Resins
    1. Barrier Kinetics
    2. Polyvinylidene Chloride
    3. Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol
    4. Nylon
    5. Coextrusion
    6. References
  30. 26. Inks
    1. Ink Vehicles
    2. Ink Pigments
    3. Ink Curing
    4. Ink Selection
    5. References
  31. 27. Overprint Varnishes and Coatings
    1. Overprint Varnish
    2. Coating Integrity
    3. Vacuum Deposition
    4. Reference
  32. 28. Adhesives
    1. Polyurethane Adhesives
    2. Acrylic-Based Adhesives
    3. Energy-Cured Adhesives
    4. References
  33. 29. Primers
    1. Polyethylene Imide Primers
    2. Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer Primers
    3. Other Primers
    4. Primer Selection
    5. Reference
  34. 30. Conditioning
    1. Standard Conditioning
    2. Special Conditioning
    3. References
  35. 31. Intrinsic Material Properties
    1. Standards
    2. Intrinsic Property Influences
    3. Case Study: Intrinsic Property Influences
  36. 32. Secondary Quality Characteristics
    1. Containment Integrity Characteristics
    2. Protection/Preservation Characteristics
    3. Transportation Integrity Characteristics
    4. Communication Integrity Characteristics
    5. Flexible Packaging Material Specifications
    6. References
  37. Index

Product information

  • Title: Manufacturing Flexible Packaging
  • Author(s): Thomas Dunn
  • Release date: September 2014
  • Publisher(s): William Andrew
  • ISBN: 9780323265058