Explore Different Types of Shrink Tunnel Machines

If you're into the shrink machine tunnel market, you'll find yourself with a plethora of different types of machinery. Some machines use steam. Others use hot air. Each shrink tunnel is designed for a specific application.

Using the wrong shrink tunnel machine for the wrong application can lead to a variety of unnecessary problems such as waste, downtime, expensive repairs, and potential injury. So when buying a shrink tunnel machine, you will have a lot of questions about the equipment. Let's take a look at the different kinds of shrink tunnels for sale.

(1) Steam shrink tunnel machine

The steam shrink tunnel machine uses steam instead of hot air to generate the heat needed to shrink the plastic substrate of the product. Steam shrink tunnel machine is most commonly used in tamper-resistant packaging applications such as shrink sleeves. While steam shrink tunnels are not pneumatic machines and therefore do not require industrial-grade air compressors, they do require a water supply. Therefore, when considering purchasing a steam shrink tunnel, you need to understand that these machines will be more expensive because they require utility use.

(2) Convective shrink tunnel machine

Through a convection shrink tunnel machine(also known as a hot air shrink tunnel), the hot air produced by the machine is blown onto the plastic sleeve surrounding the packaged item. The heat causes the sleeve to shrink evenly around the product. Hot air is blown out by modules called "baffles". These modules direct heat in any desired direction, allowing for better distribution of heated or cooled air. Packaging of board games and frozen pizza boxes are common applications for such machines.

(3) Radiation shrink tunnel machine

The radiation shrink tunnel machine uses radiation as the heat source for the tunnel. The sleeves in the machine absorb this infrared radiation. Radiation shrink tunnel machines are ideal for packaging applications that require lower shrink percentages. A radiation shrink tunnel machine is commonly used for shrink seal tapes and other types of tamper-resistant packaging materials.