Bundling and Tamper Proofing Products

While the main focus of many packaging lines will be the filling machine, capping machine and labeling equipment, there are a number of other packaging machines that serve important purposes for many products and packagers.  At the end of the packaging line, many products will be bundled to create multi-packs versus single container products.  Some industries also take steps to ensure that containers cannot be tampered with before reaching the consumer's hands.  It is the bundling and tamper-proofing packaging machines that we will discuss below.

 

Shrink bundling equipment can be used to gather single bottles into a group to offer consumers multi-packs.  These machines are normally used on automatic packaging lines to create multi-packs, like 24 packs of bottled water, sports drinks and other beverages.  Shrink wrap bundlers will first surround the container or containers with the wrap itself, then normally send the wrap and containers through a heat shrink tunnel to create the seal around the bundle.  Though individual containers may also be wrapped, most projects will use different machinery to sleeve wrap or neck band single units.

 

In addition to bundling products, many packagers, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, want to ensure that their goods reach consumers safely, with no one tampering with the packaging or product.  Normally, one of two packaging machines will be used alone or in conjunction to create a tamper proof seal, though other machines are available.  First, the neck bander, mentioned above, can be used to provide a tamper evident closure.  The neck banding machine works similar to a shrink wrap bundler, except the shrink wrap will not surround the entire container or multiple containers.  Instead, a shrink sleeve or wrap will be applied around the cap and neck of a bottle just prior to entering the heat shrink tunnel.  Once applied and shrunk, the container seal can not be opened without disturbing the neck band.

 

Similarly, some packagers will use an induction sealer to create a tamper evident seal on their bottles or other containers.  These sealing machines use an induction current to heat a liner found in the container cap.  Once heated, the sealing melts, only to adhere to the cap as it once again cools down.  The induction sealer creates the foil seal found on the inside of many pill bottles and other medications.  Of course, other methods exist for protecting products, including the caps themselves, cartoning products and other protection devices.

 

While filling, capping and labeling remain the heart of most packaging projects, consumer protection and convenience continue to be important factors for packagers to consider.  Bundling equipment and tamper evident machines can help achieve both of these important goals.