Tester provides optimal hot tack temperature

With new packaging products coming on the market all the time, processors constantly need to assess whether their products are properly sealed. In the food processing, a variety of flexiblepackaging materials make testing more necessary for small and large companies. The HT1-XS Hot Tack Tester from UK-based RDM Test Equipment measures the strength of the heat seal in vertical form-fill-seal applications. The measurement creates a hot tack index, which provides plant checkers with the optimum heat-seal strength of their seal over a range of temperatures. Because product is dropped into a bag from a significant height in the form-fill-seal process, there is a possibility of the bottom seal peeling open if the proper heat-sealing parameters are notmet. Consistently achieving the correct temperature range helps processors achieve the best processing speeds for the packaging operations. It tests heat seals on a wide variety of flexible structures including monolayers, laminations, foils, coextrusions and non-wovens. The HT-1XS allows the user to change the temperature and record results from multiple readings on the same graph. A touch screen display allows the user to enter set up parameters and see resultsmore easily. To conduct the test, sample strips are loaded via a pneumatic clamp at each end of the machine. The clamps are designed to prevent slipping or premature release. The hot tack tester automaticallypulls the sample away from the heated jaws. The force required to separate the seal is then measured by the instrument. The computer interface and the specially designed software capture the data and graphically display it. Along with test criteria for each material batch, the HT-1XS can send data to a printer or to be stored on a computer. The machine can also perform cold peel testing, allowing the packager to obtain information both in production and in use. External links to companies or organisations mentioned in this story: RDM Test Equipment