GAP, leader in simultaneous biaxial film orientation technology specialised in developing machineries and technology for the manufacture of medium and high barrier tubular films and heat shrinkable bags, presented its products last week at K 2010.

In the world of flexible packaging, the fresh food packaging field continues to be in high demand and the market for these packaging products has had an important annual growth rate. The growth is primarily due to the increased consumer demand for a wide variety of packaging materials and applications.

GAP’s Double and Triple bubble lines are able to process a wide variety of resins including LDPE, LLDPE, EVA, ionomers, PA and EVOH in an endless combination of film structures to meet the requirements of the package contents and the demands of the packaging companies.

Through an extrusion process with a configuration of 5 or 7 extruders and a specifically designed 5 or 7-layer die, GAP is capable of producing a tube with a lay flat width between 50 and 700 mm, finished product thickness from 25 to 65 microns and a film up to 1,500 mm can be obtained, that can be directly used in the fast automatic wrapping machine which operates with modify atmosphere, shrink and vacuum, simultaneously.

The greater share of extrusion and biaxial orientation lines manufactured and sold by GAP are mostly designed for the production of polyolefin shrink films by the technique which is generally known as double-bubble process. “We received an extremely positive response by visitors at K 2010, especially as regards our Double and Triple lines. Through these products we intend to strengthen our position in markets such as Russia, India and Brazil” told Packaging Europe Giovanni Stocchetti, communication manager at Gap srl.

This technology is a typical co-extrusion process. The polymer, once leaving the die, is immediately water-quenched to form a primary tube which is then conveyed up to the top of the orientation tower. Eventually it descends through a series of infrared heated ovens that raise the temperature of the primary tube until its temperature reaches the orientation level. The primary tube is stretched simultaneously in both directions under the combined effect of the internal air pressure and the speed differential between the upper and lower stretch nip. The orientation is monitored by the EOS (Easy Orientation System) device which, thanks to a series of active sensors, allows automatic control of the working conditions of the line. Thickness is automatically controlled by the TBZ (Thermal Brush System) that constantly reads real-time values of the film thickness and through active differential heating elements changes the orientation profile conditions.

for more info visit www.gapitaly.com