Problem
The armoured round heater system in use did not allow for uniform heating of the dome moulds. This resulted in the sub-optimal thermoforming and sealing of the plastic film, as well as adversely affecting the integrity of the product to be packaged, altering its basic characteristics at the outset and significantly reducing its shelf life.
CREI's solution
Obtaining the desired result requires the use of heat systems that are able to guarantee the best heat distribution amidst significant suction flows that very often frustrate the perfect application of heat in the areas concerned.
The in-depth technical analysis of the data revealed the need to replace the large-section armoured heater element with other, less bulky heaters, which are pliable and flexible enough to be moulded to the shape to be packaged, and which are able to deliver the heat in the desired quantity and to the desired area.
This was achieved by inserting HMC series microtubular heaters with a square cross-section of 4×6 and 3.3×3.3 mm housed with suitable shapes into the thermoforming moulds, thanks to extremely simple and economical machining. CREI optimised the diffusion of the same power obtained with a single armoured heater into two microtubular heaters, applied both in the perimeter and in the central zone, reducing the temperature gap from 24°C to only 7°C.
Benefits
- Thermal gap reduction: -70%
- Reduced time taken to reach working temperature: -44%
- Optimisation of energy efficiency with the same nominal power rating
- Decreased active heating time
