Which is the Best type of Heat Sealer?
When choosing a heat sealer it is important to know:
- the material your bags are made from
- the thickness of the material in micro or in gauge
- the size of the bag
- the number of seals you intend to make each day
If you are unsure about the bag material then you can always send us samples for us to evaluate and give you guidance.
Impulse Heat Sealers
An impulse sealer is a device used to seal plastic bags or packaging material. It works by heating a metal sealing bar for a short, controlled amount of time, creating a strong and permanent bond between the two sides of the material. Impulse sealers are commonly used in food packaging, medical supplies, and other industries to create air-tight seals for storage or transport. They are easy to use and can be adjusted to accommodate different thicknesses of material.
Impulse heat sealers – have one or two heating elements which are covered by a layer of PTFE or Teflon® fabric type material which prevents the bag sticking to the sealer. The heating elements are not continuously heated; heat is only generated only when the jaws are closed and current flows. When the bag is placed in the impulse heat sealer, the jaws are closed and pressure maintained for the time of the seal (while the light is on). Then pressure is held for about 2 seconds to allow the seal to cool. Normally if your material is a clear (thermoplastic) plastic bag, if it is less than 150µ (600 gauge) and you require to seal two thicknesses then our standard impulse sealers will be suitable.
Impulse sealer heating elements are covered by PTFE (Teflon) above and below the element to avoid burning the bag and also short circuiting to the sealer body. It is important that the this PTFE is replaced when it appears burned.
Hand Impulse Sealers – PSH Range
Hand sealers are great for low usage and in some cases for medium usage they don’t take up much space and can be moved around easily. The seal length is up to 1000mm and the seal width is normally 2mm or 3mm. These also come with cutters so that any excess material can be manually cut off the top of the bag.
There are also Hand held heat sealers which come in constant heat as well as impulse sealers.
Foot Operated Impulse Sealers – PSF Range
Foot pedal operated sealers are great for low-medium usage they allow sealing to be operated with hands free to aid lifting or positioning your product. Most come with a floor stand and the working height is around 70cm so the operator can sit down. The seal width is wider than the hand sealers at 5mm giving a more aesthetic finish.
Double Foot Operated Impulse Sealers (X2)
These heat sealers have a heating element on both the top and bottom jaws which makes these sealers suitable for thicker material. 150µ to 250µ (600 to 1000 gauge) and some foil pouches or bags.
Automatic Foot Switch Operated Sealer PSB PSF (A) Range
These sealers are bench top mounted and have a foot switch. These can be set in an automatic mode to open and close at set intervals.
Direct Heat Sealers PSF (DD) range
The jaws of direct heat sealers or constant heat sealers heat up to pre set temperatures and are better suited for bags and pouches products having different properties and melting points, such as; foils (side gusseted foil coffee pouches), waxed, coated papers, cellophane and polypropylene laminates. These make a deeper seal of 10mm and are crimped for increased strength.
HulmeMartin
UK made sealers HM offer some more specialised sealers for applications such as medical, security, heavy duty.
Audion
European made for specialised applications including the very high automated continuous sealers.
Star Universal
UK made sealers Star offer some more specialised sealers for applications with a precise level of control – such as probe type vacuum sealers, medical, security, heavy duty.
