Economical and efficient packaging solutions using film-formed bags, along with the compact and space-saving nature of VFFS machines, have made them widely applicable across various industries.
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Do you want to understand how Vertical Form Filling Machines work? Would you like to learn about the functions and features of the components of VFFS Machines? In this article I will introduce you to the packaging process of the Vertical Form Filling Machines, from the rolled film to the finished bag.
The Vertical Form Fill and Seal Machine, also known as a collar type filling and sealing packaging machine, is suitable for packaging various materials such as granules, powders, liquids, and pastes in pouches. The machine forms rolls of plastic film into bags, then measures the predetermined weight or volume of the product using a metering system before sealing the bag, creating a complete package.
Roll film is unwound through an external film release device and pulled by a servo motor conveyor belt.
The coder is suitable for plastic film, PP, OPP, paper bags, labels, etc., integrated into VFFS machines to print batch numbers, production dates, and expiration dates on the film as it passes through the machine.
#1 Set the horizontal and vertical sealing bars, as well as the date coder, to the required temperature to ensure that the ink adheres correctly to the packaging material.
#2 Synchronize the printing speed of the coder with the packaging speed of the machine.
Set the target bag length through the control panel, adjust the servo motor drive speed to pull the film. When setting the bag length on a VFFS machine, the following factors need to be considered:
Film Positioning has two options selectable on the touch screen: color mark length (photo-electric eye) and encoder length.
Color mark length (photo-electric eye):
Usually, printed films have color marks on them. The photo-electric eye detects these color marks on the film. The bag length is determined by the distance between color marks. The cutting position of the film can be adjusted based on the color mark points to avoid cutting into the printed design.
Encoder length:
Choosing encoder length allows direct modification of the packaging length on the screen. The length is detected as it scrolls, immediately changing the size of the bag produced (changing the bag width requires changing the forming unit). The length of the cut film is correct, but the cutting position cannot be adjusted, which may result in cutting into the printed design of the film.
When the bag needs to stretch the film twice, set the second stretch length here (total stretch length = first stretch length + second stretch length).
There is frictional resistance between the film and the machine, which affects the actual packaging bag length. (Thicker films have greater resistance).
If the packaging bag length does not reach the set accurate length, adjust the correction data until the desired true length is achieved.
VFFS packaging machines are equipped with lifting systems and measuring systems for material lifting and weighing.
Transports the packaged material from the ground to the weighing hopper above the packaging machine. It can be divided into granular, powder, and liquid/paste types.
Granular material: Z-type elevator, Large slanting elevator, single-bucket elevator, bucket elevator
Powder material: screw elevator, vacuum elevator
The material is lifted to the hopper and measured according to the set packaging weight.
The most commonly used measuring systems are:
Combination scales (for weighing granular, flake, block, and strip materials, including candies, cookies, coffee beans, chips, nuts, frozen foods, vegetables, etc., with fast speed and accurate measurement).
Screw metering machines (for powders such as flour, coffee powder, protein powder, additives, etc.).
2-head/4-head/6-head linear scales (for fine granules or coarse powders, rice, sugar, salt, laundry detergent, coffee powder, with a wider measurement range than combination scales, acceptable accuracy, slightly slower speed than combination scales, tailored to different materials).
For liquids or pastes, piston filling machines are used (or servo-controlled rotary pumps for high accuracy, wide range, fast speed, but higher price).
After the film is unwound, it is stretched and cut according to the set bag length, and then formed into bags using different forming collar devices. Operators can change the width of the packaging bags by replacing different forming devices.
The edges of the film overlap vertically and are heat-sealed together to form the back seal of the packaging bag. Different back seal forms are available for selection through the settings of VFFS machines.
The dosing feeding system delivers materials into the packaging bag forming area. After the bag is filled, the sealing clamp seals the top of the bag, creating a top seal for one bag and a bottom seal for the next bag.
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Here are the characteristics of bag sealing:
The cutting device of the machine separates the sealed continuous packaging bags, and the cut packaging bags are transported via a conveyor belt to downstream equipment such as pallets, checkweighers, metal detectors, boxing equipment, etc.
A vertical form fill sealing machine is a type of automated assembly-line product packaging system, commonly used in the packaging industry for food and many other products. Walter Zwoyer, the inventor of the technology, patented his idea for the VFFS machine in while working with the Henry Heide Candy Company.[1] The machine constructs plastic bags and stand-up pouches out of a flat roll of film, fills them with product, and seals them. Both solids and liquids can be bagged.[2]
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The typical machine is loaded with a continuous flat roll of plastic film, which has usually had labeling and artwork applied. Plastic is the most commonly used packaging material in the food industry, but the technology can be used to form continuous metallized foil/film, paper, and fabric product containers by changing the edge sealing/seaming methods. For some products the film may first be fed through a sterilizing chemical bath and dryer.[3]
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Vertical or Inclined Form-Fill-Seal Packaging machine
Multihead weigher inclined vertical form fill seal packaging machine with a simple conveyor and rotary catching tableFor a vertical form-fill-seal the film approaches the back of a long hollow conical tube, which is called the forming tube. When the center of the plastic is near the tube, the outer edges of the film form flaps that wrap around the conical forming tube. The film is pulled downward around the outside of the tube and a vertical heat-sealing bar clamps onto the edges of the film to create the "fin Seal", bonding the film by melting the seam edges together.[4]
To start the bagging process, a horizontal sealing bar creates the "Bottom Seal" by clamping across the bottom edge of the tube, bonding the film together, and cutting off any film below. This sealing bar can be on a fixed height, which is called an intermittent sealing process. Faster systems include a sealing bar that moves down with the bag while sealing. This is called a continuous process. The product is either pre-measured by a multi-head weighing system or the sealed tube end is then lowered onto a precision weighing table and the product to be bagged is dispensed through the long conical tube in the center of the bag. When the gross weight of the product-filled bag is reached, filling stops, and the horizontal sealing bar seals the top of the bag, simultaneously forming the bottom of the next bag above. This bag is then cut off from the tube and is now a sealed package, ready to advance onward into the product boxing and shipping processes.
During the final sealing process, the bag may be filled with air from a blower or from an inert gas supply such as nitrogen. Inflating the bag helps reduce the crushing of fragile products such as potato chips, while inflating with inert gas drives out oxygen and retards the growth of bacteria that would spoil the product. Other product finishes such as hole punching for retail hanging racks will be done concurrently or just after the "Top Seal" is made.
The feeding of material and cutting of the bag/pouch can be determined either by pouch length, or by indexing to an eyespot (photo registration mark), which is detected by a visual sensor. While single web systems are popular for food applications, the dual web four side seal system is often popular for IVD and Medical device products. Closely related is the horizontal form-fill-seal machine, which generally uses more floor space than a vertical system. Modern advancements in pouch forming technology have allowed for smaller and smaller Vertical pouch forming systems.
Many food-filled packages are filled with nitrogen to extend shelf life without the use of chemicals. Many manufacturers create and control their own nitrogen supply by using an on demand nitrogen generators.
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Dual-web systems are available for pouches requiring different materials for each side, or with four sides. Dual-web systems use two rolls of material fed in from opposite sides of the machine. The bottom and sides are heat-sealed together to form the pouch, and the product is loaded from the top. The pouch with the loaded product then advances downwards; the top is sealed and the pouch is cut off. The sealing of the top of the pouch forms the bottom of the next pouch. During this process a tear notch may be punched.
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