The Compack 5800 shrink-wrap machine has been around for a while and I have had several opportunities to use it. To start with, the Compack 5800 is an L-bar shrink-wrap system that includes a built-in heat tunnel. It uses an impulse sealer to cut the film and a heat tunnel to shrink the film. It is primarily designed to be used with centerfold shrink film, although it can be used with pre-sized shrink bags as well.

At first glance the Compack 5800 may look a little intimidating. It sits at about waist height for operator comfort and includes a few knobs and adjustment settings on the control panel. Not to worry though, the Compack 5800 is actually very easy to set up and use. Best of all, it only requires one person to operate.

Assembly of this shrink-wrap machine will require a few people. The bulk of the machine ships assembled, but you will need to attach the legs. This is where you will need a few people. Thanks to the included casters, the machine is very easy to move around.

I have used the Compack 5800 to package DVDs, software boxes, soap bars, paper and much more. While the Compack 5800 is not fully automated, I would consider it a commercial / industrial shrink-wrap machine for the fact that it can be used all day without any problems.

From start to finish, the packaging process only takes a few seconds. Simply place your product in the film, pull down the arm and let the machine do the rest. The Compack 5800 includes a magnetic lockdown that will hold the sealing arm in place during the cutting and shrinking process.

The only issue I have experienced with the Compack 5800 is a dirty wire from continued use that caused incomplete cuts, which is perfectly normal for a shrink wrap machine.

I would compare the Compack 5800 to a Minipack-style system. As far as the packaging process is concerned, it is right up there with the Galaxy and the Galileo. You can find the Compack 5800 shrink wrap machine here.

Do you have experience with this system? Post your comments here!

So you want to package your own soap, DVDs, fruit baskets, chocolates or boxes. No matter what it is you want to package, an AIE i-bar shrink-wrap sealer may be just what you need. I have hands-on experience with several AIE shrink-wrap systems and will be reviewing the AIE-20XXX series machines. This includes the AIE-2013I, AIE-2018I, AIE-2024I and AIE-2032I shrink-wrap systems found here.

To start with, all four of these models are essentially the same machine. The only difference is the length of the cutting bar. If you think you may be on the edge of being too big for one model, simply move to the next larger size. The larger systems can still use smaller rolls of film and can still be used to package smaller objects. The price difference between sizes isn’t much and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

One of my favorite things about the AIE-20XXX series I-bar shrink-wrap machines is the fact that they come with the sealer / cutter, a heat gun and a starter roll of shrink wrap film. For the price, you get everything you need to get up and running. I wish more manufacturers would do this.

The machine itself comes assembled right out of the box. Just pull it out and set it on a table. The film is extremely easy to feed on this machine. Simply put the roll on the bearing rollers and insert the film separator into the open end of the centerfold film. You’re now ready to start.

The build quality on the AIE I-bar shrink wrap systems is extremely high, which is usually the case with AIE products. I decided to shrink wrap a couple of Star Wars DVDs to test out the machine. I put the DVDs in the film, made a few cuts with the cutting arm and then ran the heat gun over the film. The film contracted and after a few seconds the DVDs looked like they would on a store shelf.

One nice thing about I-bar sealers, sometimes called straight-bar sealers, is that there aren’t as many height restrictions as you would have with a higher-end commercial L-bar system. It is easy to make cuts around odd-sized and odd-shaped objects thanks to the versatility of the heated cutting blade.

The AIE system, although it was new, created very little smoke. Dirty blades can tend to create more smoke, but the AIE was notably cleaner than I am used to. I would guess that it would take the average operator about one minute to completely package a DVD. This isn’t bad, but it still doesn’t compare to the higher-end L-bar systems. The AIE I-bar system is rated for low to medium-volume use.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend the AIE I-bar system as one of the best I-bar shrink wrappers I have used. If you are in the market, you should seriously considering getting this machine. You will find our AIE I-bar shrink wrap machine here.

Have you used this particular model or do you have questions? Post your comments here!