Preparing products for transport and distribution is a bit more complicated than sealing up a box with packaging tape. For a package to arrive safely of its destination, the remaining space must be filled to minimize the risk of the contents arriving broken or damaged.
For many packaging companies, this is addressed by filling the void with crumpled paper or ‘loose fill.’ Filling and cushioning packages are often costly and heavy, though. There are also companies that use inflatable fill, but this has led to companies that are unable to reach the cost reductions needed.
If the wrong type of void fill used, it will lead not only to waste in packaging material but also put the product at risk of damage.
Efficient Fill Solutions
Ensuring that your products arrive safely in their packaging is crucial, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or costly.
One option that balances these circumstances is automatic air cushioning. Easy to use, flexible, and extremely effective, air cushioning machines provide a customizable void-fill system that’s highly reliable and requires very little maintenance.
Air cushioning systems provide two common types of fill solutions, depending on the packaging requirements:
- Air pillows are best for preventing contents from being jostled inside the packaging while in transit. It makes it easy to add into the boxes after packing, but the products may still shift during shipment.
- Air cushion, also known as bubble-on-demand, prevents items from migrating inside the box. Comprised of small sheets filled with small cells or long inflated tubes, these materials can be wrapped around the product or placed in layers inside the package, so it’s flexible and effective.
The machines used to create these air pillows and cushions use sheets of pre-made film. The film is then inflated and sealed to prevent air from escaping.
These inflated sheets exit the machine into portable hoppers or are blown overhead into dispensing systems. The entire process is seamless and results in a product that provides reliable and effective cushioning in many circumstances.
Customize Your Packaging For Added Protection
Packages come in different shapes and sizes, but there are also plenty of options for air cushioning and void-fill systems available. Air pillows and cushions come in various thicknesses, sizes, and configurations, for added convenience. You also have the option of several kinds of film, hoppers, feeders, and dispensers.
Each of these customized options has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to evaluate each alternative to ensure the packages are properly protected and that operations run smoothly.
New-Tech Packaging provides air cushioning systems and other packaging solutions for various industries. We are dedicated to providing our clients with the right air cushioning to suits their needs using the latest technologies available.
Contact us today and let us help you find an air cushioning system that is right for your business. We can provide you with an in-house demo and give you an in-depth look at the benefits that air cushioning can provide to your products.