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04/12/2011

New Shrink Pack Options Nested Packs and Nested Shifted Packs with Many Extra Benefits

Secondary packaging formed in the shrink packer as a nested pack or nested shifted pack has many benefits: it is extremely robust, inexpensive, and attractive in design – and in some cases, such as with big packs, also takes up little space during shipping and at the point of sale. The term "nested packs" refers to packaging where the number of containers in adjacent rows differs by one.  The rows with fewer containers are staggered by half a container diameter with the adjacent rows that have more containers.  An example nested pack could be a shrink pack holding 32 containers, where alternate rows of four and five containers are staggered in a combination of 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 4, and 5.  Both nested packs and nested shifted packs have one major common feature, namely that many different shrink pack variations and permutations are possible.  Nested shifted packs differ from nested packs in that each row has the same number of containers, with each row 'shifted' by half a diameter to its neighbor.  The advantage of both packaging variants – which in turn results in even more benefits – is that they are much more stable than conventional shrink packs thanks to the increased number of contact points between the containers.  Cans, glass, and also PET containers can all be turned into nested packs or nested shifted packs.  And not only the beverage sector profits; the food and non-food branches of industry are also reaping the benefits of both types of nested pack.  The increased stability of such packs means that the film used can be thinner than the standard film for conventional shrink packs.  The cardboard trays or pads that were previously used are also no longer required thereby cutting costs considerably.  Should a company decide to produce nested shifted packs, existing KHS shrink packers merely have to have a few extra tools added to them for this to be possible.  These tools are fitted in the upper pickup chain area and shift every second row of product by half a container diameter.  If the nested packs function is to be incorporated into an existing KHS shrink packer, an additional sectioning unit must be added to modular KHS shrink packers as a functional component.  Even with this extension in place, classic shrink packs can continue to be produced by the machine alongside the new nested and nested shifted varieties. Maximum packaging flexibility is therefore ensured. An alternative to nested packs and nested shifted packs would be to invest in a manipulating unit that can form classic shrink packs without shrinkage holes.  These packs have all the advantages of nested packs and nested shifted packs yet do not require any additional investment in the pack conveyor and palletizer section.  The option of forming shrink packs without shrinkage holes is thus highly recommended in cases where a customer wishes to continue producing the classic shrink pack while also profiting from the additional benefits of increased stability, reduced costs, and sustainability. If a client wishes to invest in a new KHS shrink packer, all of the aforementioned options can be easily implemented as and when required.