Technology of Polymer Packaging

Food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, home-care materials, and many more essential products for modern life: all require appropriate packaging, and polymers very often provide the optimal solution. Based on the author's popular course on polymer packaging at the University of Applied Sciences, Stuttgart, Technology of Polymer Packaging provides an essential, user-friendly introduction to the field of polymer packaging suitable for students, people in industry, and particularly all those who deal with packaging but have a background other than that of a polymer technologist or packaging specialist.



Aimed at engineering students, engineers, and technologists of the packaging industry, this book provides the essentials of polymer packaging. It provides the reader with the knowledge and skills to identify and solve problems in packaging processes, and thereby develop functional packaging. Sales and marketing people involved in the packaging industry will also find this a valuable resource.



A short primer on polymeric materials and additives is followed by descriptions of the most important production processes for polymer packaging – both continuous and discontinuous. Further chapters cover technology of sealing and different converting processes of packaging webs. The clear, practical informational focus stems from the author’s extensive experience in the packaging industries and as an educator.



Arabinda Ghosh is Professor of Polymer Packaging at the University for Applied Sciences, Stuttgart, Guest Lecturer at the University for Applied Sciences, Munich, Germany, and a consultant on packaging issues. Previously he was a scientist at the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Food and Packaging Technology in Munich and manager for packaging system development and complaints management at Dixie Union, Kempten, Germany.



Key Topics:

• Basics of packaging polymers

• Technology of extrusion

• Blown film

• Chill roll film

• Calender sheets

• Collapsible tubes

• Special films

• Injection molding

• Injection blow molding

• Extrusion blow molding

• Stretch blow molding

• Thermoforming

• Technology of sealing

• Technology of converting

• Special topics

• Instructions for the technologist



1 Definition of Polymers

2 Manufacturing of Polymer Resins

3 Classification of Polymers (Plastics)

4 Plastics Additives

5 Required Performances of a Plastic Packaging

6 Polymers for Packaging

7 Legislative aspects for Polymers

8 Extruder – Polymer melting machine

8.1 Technology of Extrusion and Co-extrusion

8.2 Conti-Process

8.2.1 Manufacturing of blown film (flexible films)

8.2.2 Manufacturing of cast films

8.2.2.1 Chillroll-films (flexible films)

8.2.2.2 Calendering of sheets (rigid sheets)

8.2.2.3 Water bath Sheets

8.2.2.4 PVC-Sheets

8.2.3 Tubes as Packaging material

8.2.4 Special films

8.2.4.1 Monolayer Films

8.2.4.2 Multilayer films

8.2.4.3 Oriented films

8.2.4.4 Biaxial oriented films (sequentially and simultaneously)

8.2.4.5 Double-Bubble Process

8.2.4.6 Tripple-Bubble Process

8.2.4.7 Shrink films

8.2.4.8 Stretch films

8.2.4.9 Extended films

8.3 Disconti-Process

8.3.1 Injection-Moulding

8.3.2 Injection-Blow-Moulding

8.3.3 Extrusion- and Coextrusion-Blow-Moulding

8.3.4 Stretch Blow-Moulding

8.3.5 Thermoforming

8.3.5.1 Processing of Polymer Sheets

8.3.5.2 Thermoforming Machines

9 Technology of Sealing

9.1 Direct Heating

9.1.1 Heated Jaw Sealing

9.1.2 Electrical Impuls Sealing

9.1.3 Hot Air Sealing

9.2 Indirect Heating

9.2.1 Highfrequency-Sealing

9.2.2 Ultrasonic Sealing

9.2.3 Induction-Sealing

Part 3: Converting of Polymer Packaging (Composite Packaging)

10 Technology of coating

10.1 Extrusion Coating

10.2 Coextrusion Coating

10.3 Lacquering

11 Laminating

11.1 Extrusion Laminating

11.2 Coextrusion Laminating

11.3 Adhesive Laminating

11.3.1 Solvent based Laminating

11.3.2 Solventless Laminating

12. Vacuum Deposition of Packaging Material

12.1 Material and Substrates

12.2 PVD-(Physical Vapour Deposition)

12.2.1 El. Resistance Heating

12.2.2 Electron Beam Gun

12.2.3 Plasma Deposition

12.3 CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition)

12.3.1 Al- and Si-Oxides

12.3.2 Organic Siloxanes

Part 4: Special Topics

13 Collapsible tubes

14 Sealing problems in different Packages

15 Composite bonding

16 Migration and Permeation

17 High Barrier Solutions