As a consumer, maybe you’re thinking about all the snacks, candies, drinks, and laundry detergents that come in a pouch. Or maybe you’re a manufacturer looking for a more efficient way to package your products. Either way, you might wonder if there is a device that can create hundreds of individual packages in minutes. Fortunately, that’s exactly what horizontal form fill seal machines do! These fascinating machines help manufacturers quickly package their products, making it easier for you, the consumer, to enjoy them. So, how does a horizontal form fill seal machine work?
What Is a Horizontal Form Fill Seal Machine?
A horizontal form fill seal machine (HFFS) is a piece of equipment that creates pouches from a roll of packaging material, fills them with a product (like liquid, powder, grains, tablets, pellets, etc.), and seals the pouches shut. This all happens in a speedy and organized manner, making the machine a valuable tool for businesses that need their products packaged quickly and efficiently.
Unspooling the Packaging
Picture a long roll of plastic wrapping that you’d find in your kitchen. The HFFS machine starts by taking a roll like this—albeit much bigger—and unrolling it. The plastic wrapping must be flat, smooth, and wrinkle-free to make sure the machine works correctly.
Forming a Pouch: Sealing the Bottom and Sides
Now that the wrapping is unspooled, the HFFS machine begins forming the pouches. The machine folds the plastic film to form a tube shape, and seals the bottom and sides according to the desired pouch size.
Cutting Individual Pouches
Next, the machine cuts the long stretch of plastic packaging vertically at regular intervals. This action allows the machine to separate the length of packaging into individual pouches.
Opening the Pouches at the Top
Before filling each pouch with a product, the HFFS machine must open them. The machine gently grabs the sides of each pouch, pulls it open, and prepares it for filling.
Filling the Pouches
The next step is filling the pouches. The HFFS machine fills the open pouches with the product. Whether it’s a liquid, powder, grains, or pellets, the machine knows exactly how much to pour in, so you get the perfect amount every time and manufacturers get reliable consistency in the volume or weight of their packaged products.
Capping It Off: Sealing the Pouches
Finally, the HFFS machine seals the top of each pouch to keep the product safe and fresh. Some pouches may get a cap or a zipper closure, depending on how the company wants their pouches designed.
With these steps, the horizontal form fill seal machine creates a bunch of sealed pouches filled with products all in just a few moments. These machines make pouches for hundreds of different types of products, from snacks like dried fruit, candy, or nuts, to cereals and grains, to juices, and even home products like dishwashing tablets and laundry detergent pods.
So, the next time you tear open a resealable zippered pouch with your favorite snack mix inside, or wonder how you can more efficiently package your artisan organic flour, you’ll be reminded of how a horizontal form fill seal machine works and how products get inside those handy pouches.