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Which gauge should I use?
Product Weight:
Light
Heavy
Recommended Gauge:
55 Gauge
100 Gauge
200 Gauge
- Gauge is a measure of film thickness. 55 gauge is thin and 200 gauge is thick.
- Thinner gauges shrink more easily and wrap more packages per roll.
- Thicker gauges are for wrapping heavy products or items with sharp edges.
- Thicker gauges give a more premium feel to your packaging and offer stronger protection.
Which Shrink Wrap should I use?
FEATURE | Shrink Film | Bundling Shrink Film | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
PVC | Economy Polyolefin | Deluxe Polyolefin | Polyethylene | |
Clarity | Excellent | Good | Good | Fair |
Texture | Crinkly | Soft, Flexible | Soft, Flexible | Soft, Flexible |
For Direct Food Contact | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Shrink Temperature | 121°C (250°F) |
149°C (300°F) |
149°C (300°F) |
129°C (265°F) |
Amount of Shrink |
|
|
|
|
Puncture Resistance | Fair | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
Suggested Use | Books, Games, Office Supplies |
Toys, Gift Baskets, Stationery |
Candles, Soaps, Medicine Bottles |
Canned Goods, Water Bottle Packs |
Helpful Hints
SHRINK FILM
- All film is centerfold, so film comes folded in half lengthways on rolls.
- How to find the film width you need:
CENTERFOLD
For rectangular items:
- Add the width and height.
- Add 2" for shrinkage.
- Round up to the next whole number.
Example: 12" L x 8" W x 3.5" H box
- 8" W + 3.5" H = 11.5"
- 11.5" + 2" = 13.5"
- 13.5" rounds up to 14"
Result: 14" film width is required.
For round items:
- Multiply the diameter by 3.14.
- Multiply by 1.1 to add 10% for shrinkage.
- Divide the result by 2.
- Round up to the next whole number.
Example: 5.5" diameter candle
- 5.5" diameter x 3.14 = 17.27"
- 17.27" x 1.1 = 18.997"
- 18.997" ÷ 2 = 9.4985"
- 9.4985" rounds up to 10"
Result: 10" film width is required.
- Centerfold film must be sealed on 3 sides around the product before shrinking.
- To determine mil thickness, divide gauge by 100.
- For example, 75 gauge ÷ 100 = 0.75 mil
- PVC – The smallest amount of shrink and lowest sealing temperature make PVC easy to work with.
- Economy Polyolefin – Best value. FDA compliant for direct food contact and puncture resistant.
- Deluxe Polyolefin – Best for odd-shaped items. It shrinks in all directions and offers the finest presentation.
- All film is single wound, so film comes unfolded on rolls.
- Use to bulk pack heavy goods, such as cleaning supplies or water bottle packs.
- Widely used with automated packaging equipment with integrated heat tunnels.
- All of Uline's bundling film is 200 gauge polyethylene, which is up to 3 times stronger than standard shrink films.
SINGLE WOUND
12/01/2024 11:29:34 AM;
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