A shrink wrap machine can be found in a wide variety of industries, packaging everything from everyday store products to one-of-a-kind custom products. What is a shrink wrap machine? What does it do? How does it operate? How much does a shrink wrap machine cost?

Let’s explore the answers to those questions and more.

What is a shrink wrap machine?

A shrink wrap machine is a piece of equipment that wraps plastic film around a product, then uses heat to shrink it tightly. Industries use shrink wrap machines to protect products from moisture, dust, and tampering, bundle items into a single package, and make products easier to handle and distribute. Stretch wrap machines are often called shrink wrap machines, but they stretch the film rather than shrink it. In this article, we discuss heat-shrink wrap machines that use heat to shrink the material.

What are the components of a shrink wrap machine?

The components of a shrink wrap machine are:

• Sealer: Use to close the open ends of the shrink material, fully enclosing the product.
• Heat Tunnel: A faster alternative to a heat gun, a tunnel uses a set temperature and an adjustable conveyor to expose the shrink material to heat.
• Conveyor System: Semi-automatic shrink-wrap machines can use conveyors to transport products into and out of the tunnel. Most auto shrink machines have both infeed and outfeed conveyors.

What’s the difference between various machines?

There are dozens of types of shrink wrap machines, each varying in speed, size, durability, and style. They range from the starter level, which can wrap 100s of products a day, to the intermediate level, which can wrap 1,000s of products a day, to the advanced systems that can wrap tens of thousands of products per day.

Starter: This is typically your base level of machines, such as all-in-one kits, often using an I-bar sealer and a heat gun. Starter shrink wrap systems include an impulse sealer, shrink bags, and a heat gun. They are portable tabletop systems that can also feature centerfold shrink rolls instead of bags. Prices for these systems range from $250 to $600.

• I Bar Sealers are used with centerfold shrink film and a heat gun. The sealer is mounted to a platform with a film dispenser. The I-bar sealer seals a single side; the product must then be rotated to seal the other open side. The all-in-one kits include everything needed to get started with shrink wrapping and are a step up from basic shrink wrap systems. The I Bar Systems cost from $407.68 to $958.60.
• The 13-inch Portable L Bar Shrink Wrap Sealer can package hundreds of products a day. It can fit a shrink film up to 12 inches wide. The L bar sealer seals all open sides in a single seal. It can be used with a heat gun or a shrink tunnel. It sells for $979.
• The 18” Deluxe L Bar Shrink Wrap System features a built-in timer, adjustable shrink film dispenser, twin perforated hole punches, film separator, and a work table. It can accommodate rolls up to 18 inches wide. A heat gun or shrink tunnel and film will need to be purchased with this machine as well, but it is far more efficient than an I-bar sealer. Products can be wrapped within 6-10 seconds, depending on the operator. It sells for $1,672.79.

Intermediate: Shrink packaging systems in this category are standalone machines that seal and shrink packages in one step or use a conveyor to transport products into the heat tunnel. Each intermediate machine will have a sealer and shrinking option. There are machines available in both 110V and 220V. All 220V models will arrive bare-wire.

• The 48ST L-Bar Sealer and Shrink Chamber Combo is recommended for PVC shrink wrap or 60 to 75 gauge low-temperature POF film. When the film is dispensed and placed around the product, the combo system does the rest. The product is sealed and shrunk with a lid closure. It sells for $3,182.71.
• The 76ST L-Bar Sealer and Shrink Chamber combo is recommended for standard polyolefin shrink film and PVC shrink wrap. Close the lid and let the shrink system seal and shrink in one motion. Users can use the seal and shrink time settings to dial in the correct temperature. This machine is 220V and ships bare-wire. It costs $4,132.70
• The One Step Shrink Wrap Machine can wrap up to five products per minute, depending on product size and thickness. The machine can shrink thicker crosslinked films compared to other models. The digital controls and product programming make shrink wrapping quick and easy. This machine is 220V and comes bare-wire via freight. It costs $5,132.15.
• The Shrink Wrapping Combo Systems come with an L-Bar sealer, shrink tunnel, film rack, work table, and auto film discharge. The machines can package thousands of products daily. They are available in both 110V and 220V models. The various machines include:
  • The HS-HSE100 is American-made and designed to be a tabletop or stand-alone model. It features a 16” x 20” L-Bar Sealer. The transport conveyor moves products from the sealing area into the shrink tunnel. The machine costs range from $7,999.99 to $9,950.
  • The TL-1519 ECMC can wrap from 8 to 12 products per minute. Often referred to as an L sealer and tunnel combo, this machine takes over once the sealing bar is lowered. The seal is made, a conveyor transports products into the tunnel, and upon exit, the film is shrunk and conformed to the product. It costs from $6,500 to $7,736.25, depending on the voltage.
  • The HS-HDX250 is American-made and built for all-day shrink wrapping. Also, an L bar sealer and tunnel combo, the sealing area features a hot knife sealer. The hot knife lasts longer and maintains a set temperature with digital temp controls. It costs $16,900.
  • The TL-1622MK is an excellent option for companies that shrink wrap up to 5,000 products per day. Using a micro knife sealing blade, the TL-1622MK shrink combo system is a daily workhorse. It costs $10,607.06.
  • The HS-HDX350 has a large 21”x25” sealing area that is perfect for large and small products. The larger sister model of the HS-HDX250 has a larger shrink tunnel and sealer and is built for heavy workloads. It sells for $20,900.
  • The TL-2028MK Shrink Combo System can package up to 5,000 products per day. The 20"x 28" wide sealing bar allows users to shrink wrap large packages in various shapes. The longer shrink tunnel allows for faster shrinking and higher conveyor speeds through it. It costs $18,631.64.

Advanced: Automatic shrink wrap machines are designed for high output and easy processing. Products are placed onto the infeed conveyor, and the machine does the rest. Capable of wrapping tens of thousands of products daily, auto shrink wrap machines are made for high-speed shrink wrapping.

• The Auto Shrink Bundler is a one-piece combo sealer and tunnel. Products are auto-fed through the machine. It has a 29.5-inch sealing bar that can seal large, heavy items. The auto shrink bundler differs from the other machines listed because it uses a flat polyethylene bundling film to wrap cases of canned goods, bottles, and other heavy products. It costs $46,748.
• The Automatic L Bar Sealer is made to package thousands of products per hour. Its vertical and horizontal photo eyes detect the product specifications, and a pneumatic sealing bar closes to encase products with shrink film. The L sealing bar fully encloses products within the shrink film, protecting and concealing them. It costs $46,280.
• The Automatic Side Sealing Shrink Wrapper allows the wrapping of elongated products. It includes an easy-to-use Delta screen for quick adjustments. The continuous side-sealing wheel can make large bags that are fully sealed to enclose products. It sells for $48,828.

U.S. Packaging & Wrapping offers a variety of shrink wrapping options. For your packaging needs, visit our website at uspackagingandwrapping.com or contact us by phone at 1-800-441-5090 or by email at [email protected].