Many people ask me, “Do you offer an economical alternative to your high-end shrink wrap machines?” This is an understandable question. Not everyone wants or needs to spend thousands of dollars on a high-end shrink wrap system. One economical alternative is to use an I-bar sealer, like those manufactured by Traco.

Traco is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of shrink wrap machines and shrink wrap film. Their 60,000 square foot facility has been cranking out packaging equipment for years. Having been in business for 27 years, Traco has developed a stalwartly reputation. We sell a lot of Traco supplies and equipment and I can tell you from personal experience that their products really are that good.

Traco I-bar sealers use the exact same shrink wrap bags and centerfold rolls of shrink film that the high end machines do. They just use a slightly different method to complete the process. To date, their I-bar sealers range in length from 13″ up to 40″. This means you can use them to package something as small as a CD or as large as a box. To date, over 150,000 SuperSealers have been sold.

Comparable to the AIE I-bar sealers, the Traco SuperSealers are available in two different designs. You have the standard SuperSealer and the deluxe SuperSealer. So what are the differences between the two? I’ll explain.

Two Types of SuperSealers

• Standard SuperSealer – The Standard SuperSealer (found here) is extremely similar to the Deluxe model. It includes a roller base for the centerfold roll of film and a film separator. The spring-loaded sealing arm can be pulled down, activating the cutting wire in the “I Bar.” This cuts the film. An included HotShot heat gun can then be used to shrink the film. The entire process takes just minutes, and if sealing a small item, just seconds.
• Portable Deluxe SuperSealer – The Deluxe SuperSealer (found here) is almost exactly the same as the standard version, but also includes a light that lets you know when the sealing process is occurring. When the light is off, the sealing is done. Some people enjoy having this visual indicator, although it is not a necessity. The Deluxe version also includes a replacement parts kit and a 50’ starter roll of film.

 

This is a video demo of the Traco SuperSealer in use:

Both versions of the SuperSealer produce high-quality results. Products packaged on a SuperSealer have the same professional appearance as those packaged on high-end shrink wrap systems and L-Bar sealers.

Whether you are packaging CDs and DVDs, or simply want to provide an attractive / protective sleeve for your art or photo prints, the SuperSealer shrink wrap machine has multiple uses. The best think is that SuperSealer shrink wrap machines cost hundreds, rather than thousands of dollars. The only limitation of the SuperSEaler, versus a high-end machine, is the speed. I-bar sealers, like the SuperSealer, are best used for light to medium-volume packaging.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here and shrink wrap film here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our shrink wrap / packaging specialists.

Shrink wrap film, whether it is a centerfold roll or a shrink bag, comes in different thicknesses. The thickness of shrink film is referred to as the gauge. Many customers call asking which gauge they need for their product. The answer the question, “Which gauge thickness should I use?” depends entirely on what you will be packaging.

One hundred gauge film is 1 mil thick (0.001″). That gives you an idea on just how thick the shrink film is that you will be using. Remember that as the film shrinks it gets thicker. This is because the surface area of the film shrinks when direct heat is applied. As the surface area shrinks, the film thickness increases. Most shrink film shrinks about 40% its original size when in contact with a heat gun or tunnel.

Most shrink wrap film is available in 60, 75 and 100 gauges. This isn’t always the case, but is the norm. The higher the gauge number, the thicker the film is. Shrink wrap film comes in 2 different flavors, PVC film and Polyolefin film. PVC film, which is more common, has a tougher texture and feel to it, where Polyolefin has a more pliable / stretchy feel to it. Polyolefin is safe for use in direct contact with food.

PVC shrink film is almost always available in 75 or 100 gauge thicknesses and Polyolefin film comes in 60, 75 an 100. Polyolefin film is available in 60 gauge, because the thinner film is more durable than PVC film. A 60-gauge thickness in PVC film would be too thin and would break too easily.

As a general rule, if you are only packaging a single item, the thinner film is almost always fine. That means if you are packaging a single DVD, CD or box, 75 gauge PVC or 60 gauge Polyolefin is almost always more than enough to keep things coated and protected. This isn’t, however, the case when bundling multiple items together.

If you are bundling multiple items together, let’s say 2-3 DVDs, you will want to use a thicker film. The thicker film helps prevent movement and is less likely to break apart in shipping or while being handled. This means if you are bundling multiple items together, you may want to consider 100 gauge PVC film or 75-100 gauge polyolefin film.

Hopefully this helps answer the question, “Which film thickness should I use?” If you need additional clarification, or simply have a shrink wrap packaging question, please contact one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap film here and our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here.

PVC shrink wrap bags provide a quick and easy way to quickly package a wide variety of material. These bags make packaging products as easy as inserting something into a heat shrink bag, sealing it shut and shrinking it down using a heat gun or shrink tunnel. The entire process takes just seconds and it is remarkably affordable. We have added two different types of shrink wrap bags to our site.

Dome Shrink Wrap Bags (found here)

The first type of bag we offer is called a dome shrink wrap bag. This bag has a special rounded dome end to it, which is primarily designed to fit around objects such as gift baskets. In fact, our dome bags are often referred to as gift basket bags. Simply open the bag, insert the basket and either tie or seal off the open end. The next step involves shrinking the film down.

Our dome heat shrink bags can be shrunk down using a heat gun or a shrink tunnel. This film has a 40% shrink rate, which means it will shrink down 40% from its original size. This provides a nice tight seal around everything. Because the PVC film is 100 gauge thick, it doesn’t easily tear or rip. The film is crystal clear once shrunk down. Our dome shrink wrap bags are also FDA approved for indirect contact use with food.

Square “Super Shrink” Stock Shrink Wrap Bags (found here)

These bags are more similar to what you imagine when you think of a shrink wrap bag. These bags are square in shape and can be used to package CDs, DVDs, video games, magazines, books, gifts, paper and much more. Using these bags is extremely easy and requires just a few basic tools. The open end of these bags can be sealed and cut off by using an I-bar shrink wrap machine or a heat sealer with a cutter. Shrinking can be done via a heat gun or heat shrink tunnel.

Our Super Shrink heat seal bags also have a 40% shrink rate, allowing them to quickly shrink down and wrap around corners and various shapes. Because the film is micro perforated, air is able to easily escape during the shrinking process. Our square shrink wrap bags are made from PVC and are 80 gauge thick.

Both our dome and square shrink wrap bags are very affordably priced and ship out quickly. We currently offer these bags in 1,000 count bulk quantities. If you plan on purchasing thousands of these, we may be able to offer a quantity discount. Call 1-800-658-8788 for more details.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap film here and shrink wrap machines here.

Whether you are making your own chocolates or need a way to package boxes of chocolates, you are probably going to need some sort of retail packaging. While there are several ways you can package chocolates, one of the most popular methods is by using shrink wrap. Which kind of shrink wrap machine is best for packaging chocolates and is there any risk of the chocolates melting? I will answer these questions and more in this article.

Having been in the packaging industry for over a decade know, I have seen people package everything from pizzas and baskets to soap and books. Another popular item is chocolates. This involves chocolates in a box or unboxed. There are a couple of different approaches you can take to shrink wrapping chocolate. These involve I-bar sealers and L-bar sealers. The machine you use depends on the volume you will be packaging. Here area  few benefits of both:

I-Bar Sealers – I-bar sealers (aka straight bar sealers) involve a single cutting bar. This bar is pulled down to cut film around an object, usually requiring 2 passes. These systems can be used with shrink bags, but are typically used with centerfold shrink film. Simply insert your chocolate bar or box, cut the film around the package and sealing the film using a heat gun. These machines are ideal for a few dozen to a few hundred packages a day.

Here is a video demo of an I-bar sealer in use:

L-Bar Sealers – L-bar sealers use an L shaped sealing bar that completely seals chocolate in film in a single pass. These types of sealers can be used in conjunction with a heat gun or a heat tunnel. Many modern L-bar sealers incorporate a built-in heat tunnel that seals and shrinks the film in a single pass. These machines are ideal for a few hundred to a few thousand packages per day. Some of the higher-end machines can package tens of thousands a day.

Here is a video demo of an L-bar sealer in use:

Which type of film should you use? There are two primary types of shrink wrap film used in packaging. One is PVC and the other is Polyolefin. The only film that is safe for use with food is Polyolefin. This means if you are packaging chocolate, you should use Polyolefin film (aka Poly film). This is especially important if the film will be directly touching the chocolate.

Will the chocolates melt? Many people thing that since heat is used in the shrink wrap process that it will melt the chocolate. This is usually not the case. L-bar sealers, using an integrated or built-in heat tunnel will rarely if ever cause the chocolate to melt. The heat process takes just seconds and is too little time to do any damage.

I-bar sealers, which use a heat gun, do run a higher risk of melting the chocolate. While it rarely ever happens, chocolate can begin to melt if the heat gun is left on any one spot for too long. It is my observation that I-bar sealers (with heat gun) will only melt the chocolate if human error is involved. If the gun is left on any one spot for too long, it will usually damage the shrink wrap as well. Heat guns take just seconds to shrink film, so you really shouldn’t run into any issues, especially if the chocolates are in a box.

At ABC office we have sold hundreds of machines to people packaging chocolates and they always end up happy with the end results. If you do have questions, or have unique chocolate packaging needs, please feel free to speak with one of our packaging specialists at 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here and shrink wrap film here.

If you are sealing bags with a heat sealer for retail sale purposes, your probably want something that looks presentable an professional. For this purpose, there are heat sealers that don’t just “seal” the bag shut, but use a professional cross-hatch or honeycomb pattern as well has have a built in cutter. There are machines out there that can do both.

I would say that at least 70%+ people out there simply want something that is functional and that gets the job done quickly and effectively. The other group of people also wants something presentable as well as professional in the finished product.

Those who simply want the job completed usually want a sealer for preservation, protection or for bulk packaging purposes. They don’t need “pretty,” they simply need “functional.” In these situations, they customer usually doesn’t need a wide seal or a built in trimmer. Some people, however, do need these qualities in a machine.

I spoke with a person today who wanted a 8″ wide heat sealer. I thought to myself, “I’ve got a great selection of Tish and Traco handheld sealers that should work!” I then went on to direct the customer to a few pages. I was specifically showing them the AIE-200, the AIE-205 and the TISH-200. These particular models I was showing the customer did not impress. The customer went on to tell me that they already had an AIE handheld sealer and they did not like the solid sealing pattern that it had.

After pinpointing exactly what the customer wanted, I discovered they wanted a machine with a wider seal and a “professional” finish. In particular, they wanted a crosshatch sealing pattern rather than a solid seal. It just so happens that AIE makes a few impulse bag sealers that have a honeycomb pattern. When I pointed this out to the customer, they were pretty excited. Some models even include a built in cutter, designed to trim off excess plastic. This is ideal for products that are going to be presented in a retail setting.

One great model that I recommended to our customer is the AIE-210C. This medical impulse bag sealer has a 10mm wide seal and uses a honeycomb texture pattern. The end results look great. It can be used for medical packaging or for other bag sealing purposes. You can find the AIE-210C impulse bag sealer here.

I have found that heat sealers by AIE and Traco are the best out there. You can find our entire selection of impulse bag sealers here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions. Also feel free to post a comment with any questions.

As is the case with any I-bar or L-bar impulse sealer, they will eventually wear out. Normal wear includes cracking, corrosion, being dull and difficulty cutting film. The average impulse-sealing blade lasts about a year. Once your blade is caput, how do you go about changing it? This article will go into great detail on how to change your impulse-sealing blade.

These instructions are specifically for the Minipack Galileo, Galaxy, Synthesis, Junior, Vision, Media, RP-Series, FM-Series, FC-Series, EP-Series, Replay-Series and Modular-Series. While these tips are specifically for Minipack Galileo, most L-bar sealers operate in a similar manner. Be aware that sealing blade, sealing knife and sealing wire are often used interchangeably.

Minipack Impulse Sealing Blade Installation:

STEP 1 – Loosen the screws that hold the sealing blade in place. This involves a left clamp, center clamp and rear clamp. A brass piston, found in the left and rear clamps, will snap back from spring compression. This is normal. You can now remove the old sealing blade. Check for ware and replace if needed.

STEP 2 – Working from the back, insert the new sealing blade into the rear brass clamp piston. Do this until it cannot be inserted further. Be aware that the sealing blade must contact the bottom of the brass piston. It needs to make it past the set screw.

Using your left hand, press the blade about 6″ into seat. While holding the blade in place, push the clamp piston forward using an 8mm nut driver. The blade should move forward about ¾”. Release the clamp and continue to press the blade into the seat.

STEP 3 - You will now need to use your thumb to bend the blade, allowing it to fit inside the seat of the corner clamp. While holding the sealing blade wire in place, continue pressing the blade into the seat until it reaches the left front clamp.

STEP 4 – You will now need to completely loosen the left clamp assembly. Once loose, continue pressing the sealing blade into the seat. Cut the sealing blade approximately 7/8″ past the aluminum channel. Be careful not to cut the sealing blade too short as the retention screw will not be able to hold the blade. If the sealing blade is too long, it will pop out. The brass clamp must be 2mm from the aluminum channel. Re-assemble the left clamp and follow STEP 2.

STEP 5 – Using a soft object, such as wood, push down firmly on the center blade assembly and tighten the set screw. Be aware that improper set screw alignment can lead to the sealing blade popping out during operation.

STEP 6 - Push the rear clamp forward using an 8mm nut driver and tighten the set screw. Be aware that the brass piston needs to be 2mm away from the aluminum channel.

If for any reason you are having trouble changing the sealing blade, or you need a few additional tips, please feel free to call our Service Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129. You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap machines, supplies and accessories here.

Impulse sealing blades are the most common method used to seal and cut shrink film and other plastic materials. In relation to shrink-wrap machines, and even many heat sealers, the blade will eventually begin to dull and efficiency will begin to wane. Bad sealing blade symptoms include cracked blades, built-up blade corrosion and the inability to cut film. Here are a few tips that will help you to extend the life of your impulse sealer.

Impulse Sealer Troubleshooting Tips

• If you are having issues with your bags or film not properly sealing, try lowering the seal time. The less time that is put on a seal, the stronger it should become.
• I recommend not exceeding 1.8 seconds when sealing. That should provide the beset seal. A longer sealing time will only compromise the seal and decrease its strength.
• I recommend cleaning the sealing blade on your shrink wrap machine or heat sealer with either a cleaning gel or with silicon spray. This can potentially extend the life of the sealing blade by up to 12 months. Contact our Service Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129 for shrink-wrap machine and heat sealer cleaning supplies.

While we do offer replacement kits, wire kits and other accessories for AIE shrink wrap machines and heat sealers (found here), some of our replacement shrink wrap wire, Teflon tape, pads and other parts need to be ordered directly from our Service Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129. You can also reach our Service Department by filling out this form.

Many of the replacement kits are listed directly on the product’s page under “Options and Accessories.” We offer machines from Minpack, AIE, Traco, Rochman, Aline, GHL and others. You can find our I-bar shrink wrap machines here, shrink wrap systems here, L-bar sealers here and heat sealers here.

Shrink wrap machines come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re familiar with packaging, you’ve probably seen I-bar sealers, L-bar sealers with heat tunnels and much more. One of the most effective shrink wrappers I have used is the integrated tunnel / L-bar sealers made by Minipack. One such example is the Minipack RP 40 industrial grade shrink wrap machine. This is my review.

Minipack is an Italian company that manufactures shrink wrap machines, vacuum food sealers, heat tunnels and much more. Their products are renowned for their quality, results, durability and much more.

The RP 40 is a relatively new machine. I don’t know about you, but when I first saw it, the RP 40 reminded me of the old Minipack Mini Plus. The dimensions are even similar. That said, the Minipack RP 40 is a compact all-in-one style shrink wrap machine that is perfect for low to medium volume packaging. It is rated at about 6 wraps per minute, which is significantly faster than the 1-2 a minute that most I-bar sealers provide.

The Minipack RP 40 has a 16″ x 10″ x 6.6″ sealing area. This is big enough to package a DVD, Blu-ray, CD, small box, books, paper, small baskets and much more. As mentioned earlier, this is an all-in-one machine. Once you have inserted your product into the film, all you need to do is pull down the hood.

The hood includes an L-bar sealer, which quickly cuts the film. Once cut, the machine then uses the hood chamber area as a heat tunnel. This means cutting and shrinking is all done in a single pass. The clear Plexiglas hood makes it easy to see what is going on the entire time! I certainly appreciate this option far more than a standard enclosed heat tunnel.

Setting up this machine is easy. It has a centerfold shrink film roll dispenser that is set on smooth bearings. The RP 40 can use a roll of film up to 20″ wide and 10″ in diameter. Once your film has been placed on the dispenser rollers, simply feed it through the tear-free perforators and through the film separator. That’s pretty much it. I can set this machine up with film in about 2-3 minutes.

The RP 40 can be used with both PVC and Polyolefin centerfold shrink film. This allows you to package products for retail sale or food for display in a grocery store. The impulse sealer is fast and the heat sealing is quick enough that it will not damage food products.

The control panel is extremely easy to set up. A digital display combined with buttons lets you modify various settings and the built in storage will save up to 10 customizable programs.

The body of the RP 40 is made out of solid steel coated with a baked enamel finish, not that flimsy sheet metal stuff you find in other machines. The quality is unprecedented. This sealer includes its own supportive legs that are set on casters for added portability.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this machine. The quality is there, it should easily hold up for years to come and it is excellent for daily packaging of a variety of products. It really is that good. The RP 40 is robust enough for your manufacturing needs, yet compact enough that it can be used in most rooms. I recommend a ventilated room for use with PVC film.

You can find the Minipack RP 40 shrink wrap machine here, our centerfold rolls of shrink film here and our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here.

If you own a Minipack vacuum sealer, you’re probably well aware of the excellent quality and renowned Italian design. Simply put, our Minipack products (including shrink wrap machines) have an excellent track record with our customers. We have found that most Minipack issues have simple solutions. One small issue that has come up is that the MVS31X and MVS35X won’t pull a full vacuum of 99.9%. Here are a few tips that may help you.

Minipack vacuum sealers can remove 99.9% of the air in a bag. This produces a remarkably tight seal that is excellent for food and product preservation. Few vacuum sealers are able to achieve this high a mark for air removal. Here is a tip that will help over 90% of you who are experiencing issues achieving the much-desired 99.9% mark.

To begin with, re-calibrating your MVS31X and MVS35X will solve the majority your issues. Here are some step-by-step instructions that should help:

MINIPAC MVS31X / MVS35X CALIBRATION INSTRUCTIONS

When you first receive your Minipack chamber vacuum sealer, it is recommended that you calibrate it. Differences in elevation and atmospheric pressure vary from one place to the next. Calibration will ensure optimal machine operation.

The calibration process will take about 3 minutes of your time. Calibration should be done the first time you operate the machine and after every oil change.

STEP 1 – Connect your chamber vacuum sealer to a power source, leaving the power switch in the OFF position.

STEP 2 – Simultaneously press the down (\/) and up (/\) buttons while switching the power “ON.” The down and up buttons are located under the digital LED display. If done correctly, the LED display will show CAL (calibration). Once you see CAL, release both arrow keys.

STEP 3 – Close the lid to the chamber sealer. The pump will automatically start running. The digital LED display will eventually show up to 3 numbers. These are your calibration numbers. Once these 3 numbers have stopped increasing for about 5 seconds, write down (or otherwise notate) the number on the display and press the (S) button located above the LED display. This will cause the pump to stop and the LED display will return to the last program being used.

STEP 4 – Turn off the power switch and repeat STEP 2.

STEP 5 - You will now close the lid, starting the pump. The LED display will begin displaying numbers that will eventually increase up to 3 total numbers. Once the 3 numbers displayed reach 1-2 numbers below the calibration number you wrote down in STEP 3, press the (S) key. This will stop the pump and again will return the LED display to the last program number being used.

Your Minipack chamber vacuum sealer should now be calibrated to its environment and should now be ready to use.

Is re-calibration not solving your issue? Please contact our Service Department. They are kind, professional and more than happy to help. Our Service Department is fully trained in repairing and servicing Minpack products. You can reach them by calling 1-800-658-8788 x129 or by filling out this form.

You can find our entire selection of Minpack vacuum sealers here and Minipack shrink wrap machines here.

Do you package anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred items per day? Are you looking for a way to make your retail product look more professional? You may want to consider using something like the Traco Portable Deluxe SuperSealer. This I-Bar sealer is excellent for shrink-wrap packaging just about anything. I have used this system and this is my review.

Traco is a U.S. manufacturer of shrink-wrap machines, film, heat guns, heat sealers, shrink sleeves and much more. We have been working with them for well over a decade, so I can attest to the fact that they are a reputable company that will be able to provide support for their past, current and future products.

Traco currently manufactures two different SuperSealers. They make the Standard SuperSealer and the Deluxe SuperSealer. They are both very similar in use and operation, with the biggest difference being that the Deluxe version comes with a 50’ starter roll of centerfold shrink film and a repair kit. Combined, there are over 150,000 SuperSealers in use today.

Using the Traco Portable Deluxe SuperSealer (try saying that 3 times fast) is very easy to use and only requires a few steps.

• Step 1. First off you will want to be sure you have your roll of centerfold shrink film on the machine. The Traco SuperSealer has two rollers that spin on bearings on which sits the film. These two rollers help spin the centerfold roll and deploy the film. A small bar sits between the two flaps of the centerfold film, helping to keep it open, which in turn makes product insertion easy.
• Step 2. You will now want to insert your CD, DVD,  box, soap, pizza or other product into the open pocket of the centerfold film. Push the product all the way back so that it sits in the upper left corner of the film.
• Step 3. You can now bring down the I-bar of the sealer and seal the right side of the package. Once sealed, turn the product 90 degrees to the left and seal the other side shut.
• Step 4. Now that the entire product has been sealed in plastic, you can now take the heat gun and run it over the film. The heat will cause the film to contract. Be sure to heat up the front, back and sides. Don’t allow the heat to sit on any one part for too long as it will cause the film to tear open.

It really is that easy. I have seen people use this machine to seal fruit baskets, soap bars, DVDs, chocolate, pizza and much more. If you are packaging food, be sure to use food-safe Polyolefin film. The Deluxe SuperSealer will also work with PVC film.

The Traco Deluxe SuperSealer is currently available in 5 different sizes. These include 13″, 18″, 24″, 32″ and 40″. If you’re not sure which size you need, be aware that the larger sizes can use smaller widths of film. When it comes to shrink wrap machines, it is better to over estimate than under estimate.

This is a video demo of the Traco Standard SuperSealer. It is almost identical to the Deluxe version minus the starter roll of film, repair kit and an onboard assistance light that lets you know when the sealing is done.

Overall I am very impressed with this system. It is fast, effective, holds up well and is  great for low to medium-volume use. This machine is a best seller with our customers and the track record is excellent.

You can find the Traco Portable Deluxe SuperSealer and our entire selection of I-bar sealer shrink wrap systems here.