Originally Published PMPN December
2004
Product Update
Protective Films
A variety of high-barrier,
holographic, and shrink films protect products and
provide security against counterfeiting.
Peelable Forming Film
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A peelable forming film uses a proprietary peelable resin blend to provide seal integrity and easy-peel opening to uncoated Tyvek. The coextruded film features the strength and formability of Surlyn combined with ULDPE to enhance toughness and flex resistance while providing good film contact clarity. Coated webs are traditionally used to improve peelability and eliminate fiber tear when opening. However, contamination may still exist from particulates generated by the coating. Packaging using peelable Surlyn-based forming film addresses this concern and offers a lower-cost option compared to packaging using coated webs, according to the company. Mated to uncoated Tyvek top webs, the peelable forming film allows customers to use shorter EtO sterilization cycle times compared with coated Tyvek top webs. Amcor Flexibles Healthcare, Mundelein, IL; 847/362-9000; www.amcor.com/flexible-healthcare.
LumBrite
A durable, cost-effective holographic film is directly embossable, simplifies
and speeds the converting process, enables good registration, and reduces waste.
Advanced mechanical and thermal stability enables LumBrite U6E to run faster
and hotter on press. Greater dimensional stability supports thinner gauges.
In addition, LumBrite U6E polyester can be corona treated if printing is desired.
Toray Plastics (America) Inc., North Kingstown, RI; 401/294-4511; www.torayfilms.com/lumbrite.html.
Shrink Bands
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Holographic shrink bands and labels are designed to provide manufacturers with
a visible security device that cannot be copied or simulated. The heat-shrink
bands and labels with holographic strips can be applied to any package that
needs to be tamper-evident. The strip is a three-dimensional image and can be
custom designed with a company logo or pattern. The unique properties of the
hologram provide higher security and eliminate counterfeiting. Seal-It Inc.,
Farmingdale, NY; 516/935-3965; www.sealitinc.com.
Films
A company offers a line of 48-in.-wide extruded films and thin sheets in thicknesses
ranging from 0.001 to 0.050 in. Some materials are as thin as 0.00025 in. A
variety of products are available, including polysulfone (Udel and Gafone),
polyetherimide (Ultem and Exum high heat), polyphenylsulfone (Radel R), and
many others. The company’s films and sheets are flat-die extruded using
a closed-loop production process that ensures in-tolerance, flat and stress-free
parts. Films are available in master rolls or slit to desired widths. Thin sheets
are available in 24 ¥ 48 and 48 ¥ 96-in. sizes. Ajedium Film Group
LLC, Newark, DE; 302/452-6609; www.ajedium.com.
HDPE-Allegro
A peelable film offers an alternative to paper, Tyvek, or conventional plastic-based
peel packaging. HDPE-Allegro forms a good seal against polyethylene for sterilization
by irradiation. It offers good peeling capacity, which is comparable to that
of coated paper or coated Tyvek. The high peel quality remains consistent over
a wide sealing and processing window. The film offers high breaking strength,
elongation, and puncture resistance. It can be used for packing all medical
disposable products that have been sterilized with irradiation, such as gloves,
theater sets, aprons, and theater cover systems. Kobusch-Sengewald GmbH &
Co. KG, Halle, Germany; +49 5201 708 221; www.kobusch-sengewald.com.
Pentaprint
Available in 45µm thickness, a polyester film represents a 10% reduction
in available film thickness in the marketplace. The Pentaprint films allow customers
to reduce their current film-thickness requirements, which provides cost savings
due to increased yields. The 45µm regular-shrink Pentaprint OT E746/91
film has 56% shrink properties, and the high-shrink Pentaprint OT E749/50 film
has 78% shrink properties. Both films are engineered for products requiring
good uniform shrinkage for full-body shrink sleeves. Klöckner Pentaplast
of America Inc., Gordonsville, VA; 540/832-3600; www.kpfilms.com.
Ultraclean
Film packaging is available in a variety of materials. The company’s Kenylon
brand of nylon products is strong and abrasive resistant. They are suitable
for clean packaging applications, particularly for products with sharp or protruding
parts. Kenylon film products are heat resistant, moisture permeable, and flex
crack, tear, and puncture resistant. They create a barrier to gases, aromas,
grease, and oil. Since nylon is autoclavable, it offers a good material for
pharmaceutical sterilization applications. KNF Clean Room Products Corp.,
Ronkonkoma, NY; 631/588-7000; www.knfcorporation.com.
NutraSeal
A packaging film offers sensitive nutraceuticals a moisture-vapor barrier in
a transparent structure. The NutraSeal composite features an aluminum oxide-coated
polyester film that is coextrusion coated with a blended polyolefin sealant
layer. The resulting structure offers good clarity for product visibility and
moisture barrier protection, which is unaffected by the ambient humidity level.
The aluminum oxide-coated polyester provides the necessary moisture-vapor barrier.
The company refined its manufacturing process to ensure that the barrier coating
could withstand the thermal shock and other stresses that may be generated during
the extrusion coating process. Rollprint Packaging Products Inc., Addison,
IL; 630/628-1700; www.rollprint.com.
CSL 231-125
A cut-and-stack label film is suitable for container decoration. The white opaque
film is designed to give trouble-free performance on sheet-fed presses for cut-and-stack
labeling applications. The film is also designed to run on roll-to-roll presses
with in-line or out-of-line sheeting. The 3.3-mil film has been engineered to
provide a print surface with good gloss and whiteness. The labels deliver good
strength and moisture resistance. Printing can be performed with all standard
methods including litho/offset, gravure, UV flexo, letterpress, or screen. Applied
Extrusion Technologies Inc., New Castle, DE; 302/326-5773; www.aetfilms.com.
MVO2
A range of laminate films is designed to offer both high moisture-vapor barrier
and high oxygen barrier simultaneously in one structure. Representing the next
generation of advanced laminates that use PVC Aclar and VapoShield structures,
the MVO2 films introduce a layer of EVOH in the middle to impart an oxygen barrier.
A flexible chemical barrier resin, EVOH is a good O2 barrier material that allows
manufacturers to get the benefits of a blister film with both low MVTR and high
oxygen-barrier properties. The MVO2 film structures follow the company’s
standard triplex configurations at various levels of MVTR barrier. Tekni-Films,
a Tekni-Plex Company, Somerville, NJ; 908/722-4800; www.tekni-films.com.
Copyright ©2004 Pharmaceutical & Medical Packaging News
