Sealers and Coding Machines in the Food Packaging Industry

Food safety and cost control were the top two manufacturing concerns for food and beverage manufacturers in a recent survey. Have you considered how better food packaging could help you address these concerns?

The right food packaging tools can help with quality control while reducing costs through increased efficiency and productivity.

Sealers and coding machines are two critical parts of your food packaging system. Learn more about these machines and what they can do for you.

Importance of Sealers and Coding Machines in the Food Packaging Industry

Sealers and coding machines are an essential part of your quality and safety control process. Sealers apply an airtight closure for many types of food packaging, like plastic bags and clam shells.

An airtight closure helps prevent perishable food from spoiling. It prevents the growth of microbes. It prevents contamination from dust, debris, insects, and other pests.

Coding machines print tracking, dates, and identifying information on your packaging. This ensures batch traceability in the event of a recall. Batch numbers protect the supply chain by helping identify counterfeit products. Best-by and expiration dates help protect consumers and your brand.

Types of Sealers

Heat sealers use heat to seal plastic and other materials. Several types of heat sealers are available. The main difference is in how the heating element works. You can find heat sealers that vacuum seal as well.

Impulse Sealers: An impulse sealer only heats up when you need it. The heating element runs along the jaw or jaws. When the jaws close and an electrical pulse goes through the wire, the wire heats up to operating temperature in less than a second. The jaws maintain pressure long enough to create the seal and let it cool.
Double Impulse Sealers: Double impulse sealers have a heating element on both the upper and lower jaws. This creates a faster and stronger seal for thicker or hard-to-seal materials.
Direct (Constant) Heat Sealers: A direct or constant heat sealer keeps constant heat in both jaws for better heat penetration, making them ideal for sealing thicker plastics and heavy-duty materials.
Vacuum Sealers: A vacuum sealer draws air out of the bag before heat sealing it. With an external vacuum sealer, the majority of the bag remains outside the machine. With a chamber vacuum sealer, the entire bag goes inside. Vacuum sealing increases shelf life, preserves food quality, and reduces packaging size.

Hand, Foot, Auto, or Band Sealer

The type of sealing mechanism you should choose depends on the number of packages you need to seal and your required operating speed. Machine size and cost generally increase with speed and capacity.

Hand Sealers: The simplest and most economical option. You lower the sealing bar manually. They seal roughly 6–20 packages per minute.
Foot-Operated Sealers: Controlling the sealing bar with a foot pedal leaves your hands free to position the product. They process around 8–20 packages per minute.
Automatic Sealers: Ideal for higher production, processing around 20–50 packages per minute. You can set a time cycle for the sealer to open and close at defined intervals.
Continuous Bag Sealers: Provide the fastest production speed by feeding bags into the sealer via a continuous conveyor belt. Ideal for high volume (over 5,000 packages per day).

Types of Coding Machines

Coding machines use computer-generated data to print information onto a product label or directly onto the packaging. They can print letters, numbers, dates, and barcodes.

Handheld vs. In-Line Coding Machines

Handheld Coders: Best suited for smaller operations with limited automation. They apply codes automatically once triggered, but products must be fed manually.
In-Line Coders: A great solution for large-scale production. They apply data automatically to products moving down a conveyor belt using timers or sensors without operator intervention.

Contact vs. Non-Contact Printing

Contact Coding Machines: These come into direct contact with the product surface. Examples include traditional rubber/metal stamps and thermal transfer overprinting (TTO), which offers high print quality across various colors and wide areas.
Non-Contact Coding Machines: These do not touch the surface. Inkjet coding machines spray ink droplets onto the surface, while laser coding machines mark the surface using a focused beam of energy for higher speed.

Static vs. Variable Coders

Static Coders: Best for high-volume printing where the required data does not change.
Variable Coders: A versatile choice that prints dynamic content like serial numbers, timestamps, and barcodes without manual re-adjustments.

Continuous Printing

Continuous printing equipment marks products without interrupting the production line movement, significantly increasing overall throughput.

Finding the Best Sealers and Coding Machines

Quality sealers and coding machines are essential food packaging tools for safety and efficiency. Pack Secure has been a trusted supplier of sealers and coding machines for more than 26 years. We maintain an extensive inventory with same-day shipping, backed by expert customer service and technical support.