BANDING

Get the best out of the BANDING process.
What it can and what it can´t

Typical equipment for banding:

Automatic STEP Band 800	Automatic STEP Band 1000	Automatic STEP Band 1100	Automatic STEP Band 1200

Process: With the banding process you place a paper or film tape around your product. This tape is either heated welded or ultrasonic, there by holding the product. Banding can only be done automatic or fully automatic. Before banding, you have to place your product, if it is 1 unit or many items the final position must be present before the banding is made and this position must be geometrically stable (see the article on geometrical stability in packaging). In order to make a good banding the product must have enough surface towards the banding spacer/surface, so when the tape is tightened it can release. You can band both hard and soft products within limitations. The area towards the spacer surface must be above 50mm and flat. Banding is great for a product that has little strength, using banding you can use zero tension just placing the tape around your product and you can tension up to about 18 kg depending on the machine.

In connection with the process different equipment can be used:

• Manual:
  Paper wrap this closed with tape, for this you need no machine or equipment.
• Semi-Automatic:
  Only support equipment in connection with production done individually exists.
• Automatic:
  General: Ring banding is not possible, but Sal-tech Easy Packaging has some solutions for this task using open/closing arches making it possible. Product size is limited to arch size and if the product has to be turned inside the arch the diagonal.
  
  
  • Banding machines feed the tape automatically. There are 2 main forms:
    
    
    • The tape is pushed up in a loop form and is then ready for banding. No product can be inside the machine while the tape is set ready. On start, the tape will be pulled back for tension and then welded and cut. Tension from few kg/gram up to about 18 kg max. Example on this kind of machine is STEP Band 800.
    • Banding machines that shoot the tape around in the arch and on start open the arch and pulls back the tape back around the product for tensioning and welding. Example on this kind of machine is STEP Band 1000, STEP Band 1100 or STEP Band 1200.
  
  
  Typical products having been banded:

• Fully Automatic:
  General: Ringbandingiernot possible, but Sal-tech Easy Packaging has some solutions for this task using open/closing arches making it possible. Product size is limited to arch size and if the product has to be turned inside the arch the diagonal.
  • Tajcosolution: Exhaust tale pipe fix to the cardboard back cover using band tape for sewing the tale pipe to the back board. Fully automatic solution, with capacity up to 16-20 per minute.
    
  • Novo Nordisk. Problem small surface towards spacer that comes upright standing on a Møller & Davidconautomatic line for packaging of insulin pens. Solution: Side turned machine.
    
  • Problem: Graphic product that consists of down to 2 pieces of A4 paper that should be banded with tape. Solution: Tension all you can against forming plates that can be adjusted according to the product, here by the tape is “broken” around the edge and afterwards it can hold the 2 piece of paper together.
    

Project specified and more advanced banding solutions according to trade can be made as project solutions.

Tape Types:

• Paper tape:
  • PW ”Paper White” or PB ”Paper Brown”, 70, 80 or 90gram/m2 with polypropylen coating 1 or 2 sides, typically about 20my, width 20, 30, 40, 50mm.
• Film tape:
  • FTN types for use with Ultra Sonic welding, PolyPropylen, 125-135my milky look clear or colour, good for printing 1 to 8colors, width 15, 20, 30, 40, 50mm.
  • PEHD types for use with Ultra Sonic welding, Low DensityPolyEthyen 80- 85my very clear, width 15, 20, 30, 50mm.
  • FTB types for use with heat sealing, PolyPropylen, 90, 100, 110my, witdh 20, 30, 40mm.
  • FWG types for use with Ultra Sonic welding,foamedPolyPropylen, 120, 170, 210my, white silver look, good for printing 1 to 8colors, width 15, 20, 30, 50mm.

Coil types:
When ordering it is important to know which machine the tape is being used for. Inside core diameter Ø40, Ø50 or Ø76, width of the tape, 15, 20, 29, 30, 40, 47, 50 and more.


Environmental conditions:
PP and LDPE material has components are of special interest as they often are heat welded:

PP or LDPEHomopolymere	approx. 97 %
Chalk	approx. 2-3 %
Colorpigmentnon toxic	approx. 1-2 %

Toxic and chemical reactions:

Polypropylene and Polyethylene are chemically and biologically inactive.
Polypropylene and Polyethylene can be used in contact with foodstuff.

Physical contact:

No risk, except mechanical.

Welding of PP and LDPE material:

It is recommended to keep the working area well ventilated at all times. In welding with temperatures below 150°, smoke and damp will be minimal and harmless.

Both PP and LDPET can be ultrasonic welded, without the need to have ventilation. The welding fumes are kept within the welding zone.

The risk of fire:

When polypropylene is heated in the air the material will melt at approx. 165 - 170° and decompose will start at 300° giving low molecule hydrocarbons. It will self-ignite at 380°.

Burning:

Controlled burning is recommended. If ignited, the material will continue to burn, even if the ignition source is removed. Decomposition products from burning are H20 and CO2. If burned with low presence of oxygen, then it will produce a mono oxide, that is toxic.

Reuse:

As one would reuse paper, PP and LDPE materials in general.

Related areas:

Strapping with strap, which is welded or sealed with seal.

String tying that uses plastic, rubber, viscose to tie and hold the product.

Written by:

Gunnar Salbæk

CEO/Industrial Design with 20 years of experience in the field.