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Views: 234 Author: Hlunpack Publish Time: 2026-08-25 Origin: Hlunpack
How film structure, sealant selection, film thickness and HFFS machine matching worked together to unlock stable high-speed production.
High-speed HFFS flow wrapping system with printed roll film for chocolate packaging.
CORE ENGINEERING PRINCIPLE
High-speed packaging is not determined by the machine alone.
For high-volume chocolate and confectionery manufacturers, packaging speed is not determined by the packaging machine alone. The structure of the packaging film, sealant layer, total thickness, surface heat resistance, friction behavior and sealing parameters all affect whether an HFFS horizontal flow wrapping machine can operate continuously at high speed.
One of our customers came to HLunPACK looking for a new high-speed HFFS packaging machine together with custom printed flow wrap roll film for chocolate balls. The customer already had an existing flow wrapping machine, but the production line had been limited by the same problem for a long time: the packaging speed could not be increased without causing sealing and film-feeding problems.
At around 80 packs per minute, the original line could operate relatively steadily. But once the speed approached or exceeded approximately 100 packs per minute, several problems began to appear:
· Weak or incomplete seals
· Air leakage
· Unstable film feeding
· Film jamming
· Higher packaging reject rates
· Frequent production interruptions
For a chocolate manufacturer with a large daily production volume, operating at only about 80 packs per minute represented a significant packaging-capacity loss. The customer initially believed that the problem was mainly the machine. After reviewing the application, however, we found that the packaging film also needed to be evaluated.
When a flow wrapping machine cannot maintain stable performance at higher speeds, simply increasing the machine speed setting is not always the correct solution. Our first questions were: What film structure are you using? What is the total laminate thickness?
The customer’s existing printed packaging film used an OPP / VMPET / PE structure with a total thickness of approximately 52 μm. The laminate had previously been reduced in thickness to lower packaging material cost.
For a manufacturer consuming large quantities of packaging film every day, reducing film thickness can appear to be a simple way to reduce cost per pack. However, high-speed HFFS packaging places greater demands on film sealing response and web-handling stability. A thinner or poorly matched laminate may reduce material cost while creating additional production losses elsewhere.
As the operating speed of an HFFS flow wrapping machine increases, the time available for sealing each package becomes shorter. At lower speeds, the sealing jaws have relatively more time to transfer heat and pressure into the sealing layer. The film therefore has a wider practical operating window in which a reliable seal can be formed.
As machine speed rises, the packaging film must form a reliable seal within a shorter combination of heat exposure, pressure and contact time. At the same time, the film must maintain stable web handling at a higher running speed.
Important film-related variables can include:
· Seal initiation temperature
· Sealing window
· Hot tack performance
· Film stiffness
· Coefficient of friction
· Surface heat resistance
· Film flatness
· Tension stability
In the customer’s original application, the thin OPP/VMPET/PE laminate was not sufficiently optimized for the higher HFFS operating speed they were trying to achieve. As speed increased, both sealing stability and film-running performance became more difficult to maintain, resulting in leakage, weak seals, unstable feeding and occasional film jams.
Importantly, this does not mean that PE cannot be used for high-speed HFFS packaging. PE-based sealant systems are used successfully in many flexible packaging applications. The issue in this project was the compatibility between the customer’s specific laminate structure, film thickness, sealing characteristics and target machine speed.
High-speed flow wrapping depends on the product, package, film and machine as one system.
For chocolate balls, confectionery, biscuits, bars and similar products, modern HFFS packaging systems can reach very high production speeds. However, the actual production speed depends on much more than the theoretical maximum speed of the machine.
· Product size
· Product shape
· Product weight
· Product spacing
· Feeding method
· Film width
· Finished bag length
· Product height
· Sealing width
· Total film thickness
· Film stiffness
· Surface heat resistance
· Seal initiation temperature
· Sealing window
· Hot tack
· Coefficient of friction
· Printing registration
· Film flatness
· Longitudinal sealing temperature
· Cross-sealing temperature
· Sealing pressure
· Sealing dwell time
· Film tension
· Servo synchronization
· Unwinding control
· Product feeding speed
The correct question is not only “How fast can this HFFS machine run?” It should also be “Can the selected flow wrap film run reliably at that speed?”
After reviewing the customer’s product, original film and target production speed, we proposed two possible laminate structures.
OPP / VMCPP is a relatively simple duplex laminate. For applications where the required barrier properties, stiffness and machine performance can be achieved with a two-layer structure, OPP/VMCPP may provide a more cost-oriented solution.
Its suitability still depends on the required shelf life, oxygen and moisture barrier, product sensitivity, film stiffness, high-speed machinability and sealing performance. For this reason, we treated OPP/VMCPP as an alternative to be evaluated under actual production conditions rather than as a universal low-cost replacement.
For the customer’s high-volume chocolate production, we recommended OPP / VMPET / CPP. This three-layer structure allowed each layer to perform a more clearly defined function.
Role of Each Layer | |
OPP outer layer | Printing surface, packaging appearance, surface protection and heat resistance during sealing. |
VMPET barrier layer | Barrier performance, light protection and contribution to structural stability. |
CPP inner sealant layer | Heat sealing, seal consistency and sealing behavior matched to the target HFFS conditions. |
The decision was not based on an assumption that CPP is always better than PE. Instead, we selected a different sealant structure because it provided a more suitable balance for this particular product + machine + target speed + sealing condition.
Two film structures considered for the chocolate flow wrapping project.
The customer’s original film thickness was approximately 52 μm. To improve high-speed production stability, we recommended increasing the laminate thickness to approximately 60–70 μm, depending on the final layer specification and trial results.
The objective was not simply to make the film thicker. The additional thickness was intended to improve film stiffness, web-handling stability, seal consistency and package formation. Because unnecessary film thickness directly increases long-term material cost, the goal was to use only the material required for reliable high-speed production.
After comparing cost, barrier requirements and long-term production stability, the customer selected OPP / VMPET / CPP. We then matched the new printed roll film specification with a new high-speed HLunPACK HFFS horizontal flow wrapping machine.
This was one of the most important parts of the project: the packaging machine and printed packaging film were not treated as two independent products. They were evaluated as one complete packaging system.
Before Optimization | |
Machine + Film | Existing HFFS machine + approximately 52 μm OPP/VMPET/PE film |
Stable speed | Approximately 80 packs/min |
Problems near | Approximately 100 packs/min |
Main symptoms | Weak seals, leakage, unstable film feeding, film jams and production interruptions |
· High-speed HFFS flow wrapping machine
· Custom printed OPP/VMPET/CPP roll film
· Optimized film thickness
· Matched sealing parameters
· Machine and film testing
Final system speed: up to approximately 300 packs per minute.
No. This distinction is important. The final production improvement resulted from several changes working together: a new high-speed HFFS machine, a redesigned packaging film structure, optimized film thickness, a sealant layer selected for the application and machine parameter adjustment.
The correct conclusion is that the original machine-and-film combination was stable at approximately 80 packs/min, while the newly designed HFFS machine-and-film system achieved speeds of up to approximately 300 packs/min. This was a system-level improvement, not a single-material substitution.
One of the most important lessons from this project was the difference between film cost and total packaging cost. The customer’s original strategy focused heavily on reducing the cost of packaging film. A thinner laminate reduced the amount of material used per pack.
However, if a packaging film causes the machine to operate below the required speed, the manufacturer may experience additional costs from:
· Lower production capacity
· More machine downtime
· More packaging rejects
· Increased leakage
· Frequent operator adjustment
· Reduced overall equipment efficiency
For high-volume food manufacturers, these hidden production costs can be much greater than the savings achieved by using a thinner packaging film.
The target is not always the cheapest roll film. It is the lowest total packaging cost per finished product.
A lower roll-film price can be outweighed by downtime, rejects and lower production output.
Based on this project, we believe high-speed flow wrapping should be evaluated as a complete system rather than as separate purchases.
Product | Film Structure | Sealant Layer | Film Thickness | Machine Configuration | Sealing Parameters | Target Speed |
HLunPACK provides both custom printed flexible packaging materials and packaging machinery. This allows us to evaluate a packaging project from both sides.
When a customer tells us that a flow wrapping machine cannot increase speed, we do not only look at the machine. We may also review packaging film structure, total laminate thickness, sealant material, heat resistance, film stiffness, coefficient of friction, package dimensions, product characteristics and target production speed.
Our goal is not simply to say, “This machine can reach 300 packs per minute.” The more important question is whether the complete packaging system can operate reliably at the required speed.
HLunPACK evaluates printed packaging film and packaging machinery as one integrated solution.
Project Data | |
Product | Chocolate balls |
Packaging format | Horizontal flow wrap / HFFS |
Original film structure | OPP / VMPET / PE |
Original film thickness | Approximately 52 μm |
Original stable speed | Approximately 80 packs/min |
Problems appearing near | Approximately 100 packs/min |
Alternative film structure | OPP / VMCPP |
Final film structure | OPP / VMPET / CPP |
Optimized film thickness | Approximately 60–70 μm |
New equipment | High-speed HFFS horizontal flow wrapping machine |
Final production speed | Up to approximately 300 packs/min |
Solution provided | Custom printed flow wrap film + high-speed HFFS packaging machine |
Flexible packaging formats and retail paper packaging for chocolate products.
There is no single film structure suitable for every HFFS application. The correct structure depends on the product, required barrier properties, package dimensions, sealing system, target speed and machine configuration. OPP/CPP, OPP/VMCPP and multilayer structures such as OPP/VMPET/CPP may all be considered depending on the application.
Yes. A film with sealing behavior, stiffness, friction, flatness or thickness that is poorly matched to the machine can become unstable as speed increases. This may result in weak seals, leakage, unstable feeding or machine stops.
No. PE-based sealant layers can be used successfully in many HFFS applications. The important issue is whether the specific PE formulation and laminate structure are compatible with the product, machine and required operating speed.
CPP can be selected as the inner heat-sealing layer in certain flow wrap structures because its sealing and processing characteristics can suit the target operating window. Whether CPP is appropriate depends on the complete laminate design and machine conditions.
It can be possible for suitable products and machine configurations. Actual speed depends on product dimensions, feeding method, package length, film properties, sealing technology and production conditions.
For high-speed applications, this is strongly recommended. Machine performance and film performance are closely connected, especially when the target production speed is high.
This chocolate packaging project demonstrates an important principle: high-speed packaging is not determined by the machine alone. Reliable high-speed production requires the correct combination of machine configuration, film structure, sealant layer, film thickness and sealing window.
By redesigning the packaging material together with the HFFS packaging system, the customer moved from a previous stable speed of approximately 80 packs/min to a new system capable of reaching up to approximately 300 packs/min.
For manufacturers facing similar flow wrapping speed, sealing or film-feeding problems, evaluating the packaging film and machine together may reveal that the true bottleneck is not located in only one part of the production line.
Machine + Film Structure + Sealant Layer + Film Thickness + Sealing Window = Reliable High-Speed Packaging
For a faster technical evaluation, send us your product dimensions, target packaging speed, finished bag size, current film structure and total film thickness. HLunPACK can evaluate the printed roll film and HFFS packaging machine together.
