The heat sealing tester is a professional equipment used to test the heat sealing performance of packaging materials. Its core is to simulate the heat sealing conditions in actual production, test the heat sealing strength of materials at specific temperatures, pressures, and times, and determine whether the materials meet the packaging sealing requirements. Strictly follow the operating procedures when using to ensure the accuracy of test results.
Preparation before startup
Check if the power supply of the equipment is normal, the power supply voltage should meet the rated voltage indicated on the equipment (usually 220V), and confirm that the grounding is good to avoid the risk of leakage.
Clean the heat sealing knife and press seat of the heat sealing tester to ensure that there are no impurities, oil stains, or residual packaging material debris on the surface, in order to prevent affecting the heat sealing effect.
According to the type of test sample (such as plastic film, composite film, etc.), choose the appropriate heat sealing knife (commonly including flat knife, patterned knife, etc.), and ensure that the heat sealing knife is firmly installed and aligned in position.
Sample preparation
Take the packaging material to be tested and cut it to the size required by the equipment (generally recommended length is 10-15cm, slightly wider than the width of the heat sealing knife), ensuring that the sample surface is flat, wrinkle free, and undamaged.
If testing multi-layer materials such as composite films, attention should be paid to the orientation of the hot sealing surface of the sample. Usually, the side that needs to be heat sealed should be placed opposite each other, aligned with the edges, and avoid misalignment.
Parameter Settings
Connect the device power, turn on the host switch, and wait for the device self-test to complete (some devices may have indicator lights).
According to the testing standards or actual production requirements, set the heat sealing parameters on the equipment control panel:
Heat sealing temperature: Set according to the material characteristics, such as polyethylene film usually at 120-180 ℃. Specific parameters or preliminary test data provided by the material supplier can be referred to.
Heat sealing pressure: Generally ranging from 0.1-0.6 MPa, excessive pressure can cause material damage, while insufficient pressure can result in unstable heat sealing, which needs to be adjusted according to the thickness and type of material.
Heat sealing time: usually 0.5-5 seconds. If the time is too short, the heat sealing may not be sufficient, and if it is too long, it may cause material degradation or deformation.
Heat sealing operation
Place the prepared sample between the heat sealing knife and the press seat, ensuring that the heat sealing area is completely covered within the range of the heat sealing knife, and that the edge of the sample exceeds the edge of the heat sealing knife by about 5mm for subsequent sampling and testing.
Press the heat sealing start button (some devices are foot operated switches), and the device will automatically perform heat sealing according to the set parameters: after the heat sealing knife is heated to the set temperature, the pressure seat will press down to apply the set pressure, and after holding for the set time, the heat sealing knife will separate from the pressure seat, completing one heat sealing.
Take out the heat sealed sample and let it cool to room temperature (usually 10-15 minutes) to avoid subsequent testing errors caused by unstable temperature.
Post test processing
After the heat sealing is completed, first turn off the heating switch of the heat sealing tester, let the heat sealing knife cool naturally to room temperature, then turn off the power supply of the host and cut off the main power supply.
Clean the heat sealing knife and press seat again, keep the equipment clean, and gently wipe any remaining stains that are difficult to remove with a soft cloth dipped in alcohol.
Record the parameters (temperature, pressure, time) and sample status of this test for subsequent data analysis and traceability.
Precautions
During the operation, it is strictly prohibited to touch the surface of the heat sealing knife with hands to avoid high-temperature burns; When the device is running, do not open the protective cover (if any) to prevent accidents from occurring.
If any abnormalities are found during the testing process (such as abnormal noise, odor, abnormal parameter display, etc.), the operation should be stopped immediately, the power should be turned off, and professional personnel should be contacted for maintenance. The equipment should not be disassembled by oneself.
Different batches of materials may have performance differences. It is recommended to conduct multiple parallel tests and take the average as the final result to improve the reliability of the data during testing.
By following the above steps, the operation of the heat sealing tester can be standardized, providing effective data support for quality control of packaging materials. In actual use, it is necessary to flexibly adjust the operational details based on the characteristics of specific equipment models and relevant testing standards.