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Q - What is Boat and Industrial Shrink Wrap?
A - Boat and Industrial Shrink Wrap is a durable plastic sheeting material which shrinks when it is heated to a certain temperature. Within the industry, it is called Linear Low Density Polyethylene, or LLDPE for short. Our shrink wrap is made from a specially formulated, virgin resin blend that provides superior strength, conformability and longevity when compared to competitive films of greater thickness. For Boat and Industrial Shrink Wrap to shrink properly, heat must be applied after its installation by using a propane heat gun.
Q - For which applications can Shrink Wrap be used?
A - Shrink Wrap is incredibly versatile and very durable. Shrink wrap provides protection for all shapes of objects, palletized truckloads of equipment, commodities, wood products, temporary housing, greenhouses, freight road shipments – you name it. If it needs protection from the elements, Shrink Wrap can be the solution!
Q - What is the difference between 6 mil and 7 mil film?
A - Mil is a unit of measurement used to determine thickness. 1 mil is equal to 1/1000 of an inch so a 6 mil film is .006 inches thick. Our shrink wrap ranges from 6 mil to 12 mil.
Q - Which thickness (Mil) of Shrink Wrap do I need?
A - The thickness of Shrink Wrap needed will depend on what is being shrink wrapped and what the finished wrap will experience in terms of stress after the installation. The thicker the shrink wrap, the more durable it will be. If the wrapped object will need to be transported on the open road for long distances, a thicker shrink wrap like 10 Mil would be strongly recommended.
Q - Which color of Shrink Wrap should I use for my project?
A - We offer Shrink Wrap in three colors: White, Blue, and Clear. All three colors will protect the wrapped object with a complete moisture barrier as expected. However, there are some small differences due to the interaction of sunlight with the colors.
White provides the best reflection of sunlight. It tends to keep the atmosphere underneath the shrink wrap at a more consistent temperature, which minimizes condensation and moisture accumulation.
Blue is sometimes used in colder areas because darker colors absorb a bit more heat from sunlight, which might loosen snow enough to naturally slide off the cover. Blue shrink wrap is not ideal to use in warm climates where it might cause a larger range of temperature in the atmosphere under the wrap.
Clear is used whenever there is a need to see the object below the shrink wrap. It is much easier for sunlight to penetrate the clear shrink wrap, which makes the accumulation of condensation or moisture more likely. The greater variance in atmospheric temperature under the clear wrap creates the need for additional ventilation.
Q - How long will the shrink wrap last?
A – Environmental factors are the biggest consideration when estimating how long a shrink wrap cover will last. The less exposure to weathering, the better. Shrink wrap kept indoors will always have a longer life than shrink wrap kept in direct sunlight or shrink wrap used in open-air transportation applications. When Mr. Shrinkwrap provides a seasonal boat wrapping service, we guarantee our wrap for 6 months. However, we’ve seen the occasional customer keep our wrap on their boat for years with success – but it’s not typical. In short, it all depends on the stress presented by the environment, but 6 months to a year is a reasonable expectation.
Q - If I get my boat shrink wrapped, can I use the cover for multiple years?
A – We’ve seen some crafty boat owners remove their shrink wrap cover VERY carefully and patch it up again for a few years in a row – this is a risk they take at their own discretion. Shrink wrap that has been exposed to sunlight over a few seasons has reduced UV protection and tends to become more brittle and less resistant to environmental stress. The bottom line is this: For the protection of your valuable boat, we can’t recommend reusing your shrink wrap cover.
Q - What is the difference between Shrink Film Tape and Preservation Tape?
A - Shrink Film Tape is a 9 mil tape with a permanently tacky adhesive which bonds very well to most clean surfaces. Shrink Film Tape is great for patching small holes and reinforcing seams in your shrink wrap. It is also used for installing shrink wrap Zipper Access Doors. Shrink Film Tape lacks resistance to UV rays and should be used for seasonal or other short-term or indoor storage applications. Shrink Film Tape should only be applied to shrink wrap and after the shrink wrap has been shrunk.
UV Preservation Tape is a 10 mil tape that has a similar feel to Shrink Film Tape, but is designed not to leave a sticky adhesive residue behind. This makes UV Preservation Tape a much better option when you need to apply tape directly to painted or otherwise finished surfaces. Additionally, UV Preservation Tape has UV-resistant properties which extend the life of the tape and makes it a better long-term solution for outdoor storage applications that will be exposed to sunlight.
Note: Shrink Film Tape and UV Preservation Tape are not meant to be shrunk. These tapes can take a little heat, but only a short flash. Only apply these tapes to your shrink wrap after the wrap has been shrunk to avoid melting the tape or otherwise compromising the strength of the tapes.
Q - What is the difference between the Shrinkfast 975 and the Shrinkfast 998 propane heat guns?
A - The Shrinkfast 975 heat gun has been around since about 1976. This time-tested and rugged heat gun has an aluminum body which makes it both durable in heavy duty environments and lightweight enough to not strain your arm while you work on your project.
The Shrinkfast 998 is a newer model from 1998 that is designed with everyone in mind – not just the contractor! The 998 is over one pound lighter than the 975. The 998 is made with aluminum and other high quality materials that keep the heat gun both lightweight and durable while also giving it a better feeling of balance in your hand.
Both heat guns output enough BTUs to shrink your Boat and Industrial Shrink Wrap. The 998 however, is the cutting edge.
Q - What is the difference between Shrink Wrap and Stretch Wrap?
A – Stretch Wrap is the plastic wrap you often see wrapped repeatedly around pallets and other stacks of boxes holding the load together during transportation. Stretch Wrap relies on elastic recovery to contract and hold tight after it is applied. Stretch Wrap is a thin plastic film that is pulled very tightly around an object or bundle of objects to keep the objects secure, protected, or to act as a tamper-evident packaging. Stretch Wrap also comes in colored varieties to be used as a designator in warehousing or shipping applications.
Boat and Industrial Shrink Wrap is a MUCH thicker material which shrinks when enough heat has been applied to it, and it continues to shrink slightly as it cools. Where Stretch Wrap is applied in a very tightly-wrapped fashion, Shrink Wrap is applied somewhat loosely, secured, and is then shrunk to a tight fit using a propane heat gun. Shrink Wrap offers much better protection from environmental contaminants and stressors than Stretch Wrap due to the thickness of Shrink Wrap, its UV protectant additives, and its ability to be applied in a single large sheet. Shrink Wrap isn’t only for boats and industrial applications – shrink wrap is used for product packaging every day. If you’re wrapping multiple pallets in stretch wrap every day, consider looking into Shrink Pallet Bags.
Q - Do I need to buy a whole shrink wrap kit to start shrink wrapping?
A - Our standard Shrink Wrap Kits come with just about everything you’ll need to wrap a boat - with the exceptions of a roll of shrink wrap and a tank of propane. If you intend to wrap something a bit different than a boat, you may want to plan out your process and decide which materials you’ll need to get the job done. We list the contents of our kits right in the description of the product for your consideration. We also have experienced shrink wrap technicians ready to answer your questions by phone if you want to give us a call. We love to help people find solutions to their needs!
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It's important to identify some specifics about your product to be packaged before diving into the details of the films available to you. Without question, a packaging supplier is key to selecting the appropriate film for your needs. Their industry experience and ability to understand your needs gives them the expertise to ascertain which types of films will and won’t work for your product.
Want more information on what is the difference between shrink wrap and stretch wrap? Feel free to contact us.
Some of the packaging considerations you’ll need to be aware of include:
What type of product you are packaging
The product’s weight, shape, and dimensions
Your objectives for color and labeling
Whether the film can be printed to meet your needs
How the product will be packaged into the flexible film (manually or via machine, and what type of machine
The product’s journey from creation to shipment to the shelf and beyond
Whether it will be handled often and/or subject to rough handling
The types of climates/environments it will experience
Whether it requires specific film additives to keep it fresh (e.g., oxygen or moisture barrier)
Requirements for anti-tampering and security of the finished good
With so many types of flexible packaging film available, you are sure to find the right packaging for your product. Whether you need an option with a high melting point, one that emphasizes durability, or one that prioritizes recyclability and sustainability, there is a shrink film product available to suit your needs. With all of the opportunities for a custom finish to any product, it’s always important to do your research and consider your specific needs to determine the best options.
Also, you’ll need to do some homework regarding equipment. If you have an automatic shrink wrapper or are planning to purchase one in the future, it’s important to keep an eye on your bag length and running speeds. Sometimes operators adjust the bag length from the original specs to make running the line easier. This is particularly more noticeable on older pneumatic shrink wrap equipment. Running your film at just 1" larger than necessary can equate to 2,000 extra feet of film used per day. That’s approximately 118 wasted rolls of film.
Be sure to think about how capable your internal maintenance technicians are. Adding a shrink film wrapper to your packaging line will require technical support on a regular and as-needed basis. Assess your internal maintenance team’s comfort level with working on the new machine(s), and make sure you have a backup technician for when service is needed and your internal team can’t handle the repair.
Before purchasing and storing shrink film, make sure you know its storage requirements. You don’t want to try to work with climate-compromised packaging. Your supplier should have this information available if you’re unsure what your material requires. Overall, shrink packaging is best stored in temperatures between 30 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally, summer and winter are the seasons that require you to be most attentive to your storage environment.
Your facility will likely be subject to high heat in the summer, if not during springtime. If shrink sleeves are kept in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, they may prematurely shrink and compromise their ability to protect your goods. During these hot months, keep your shrink materials stored in the coolest areas of your facility without subjecting them to refrigeration.
They should be kept cool, but not too cold. The coolest spots in your warehouse are typically close to the floors – on the lowest part of your pallet racks – and away from windows or places that are subject to a lot of sunlight. You’ll also want to keep your shrink films away from high-traffic doors because the temperatures in these areas tend to fluctuate greatly.
Additionally, try to schedule your shrink film deliveries early in the day. That way, the materials won’t sit in the back of a hot trailer when traveling from warehouse to warehouse. Not only will you avoid the harshest hours of the sun, but you’ll also give yourself more time to store them before the temperature reaches its peak.
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As mentioned, packaging films tend to become especially brittle in cold temperatures, which greatly reduces their stretching and shrinking properties. While the PVC may crack, it can even shatter like glass if left in extremely cold conditions for too long.
As in the summer, store your rolls away from doors to avoid temperature fluctuations. You also want to ensure rain or snow won’t create unwanted moisture in the rolls. If you’ve been using PVC shrink film to package frozen foods or other products that spend time in a freezer truck or refrigerator, consider switching to a polyolefin film. This is a more durable, food-safe, and recyclable material that will keep your package intact during transit and packaging.
When you take shrink film out of storage, you may not know how to tell if it’s been compromised. One key sign is sticky rolls. If PVC rolls stick together, they were likely exposed to too much heat. Don't risk downtime on the packaging line by trying to use them anyway. Skip over the rolls that are stuck together. Bagging and sagging are also signs of overheated film. The rolls may begin to sag on the edges or show bagging within their layers. Using these rolls can interfere with the tracking on your machines, so avoid using these compromised rolls as well.
Remember, even the highest-quality shrink film and packaging materials are apt to deteriorate when subject to these environmental factors. No matter what quality film rolls you’re purchasing, take the time to assess how you’ll store them to ensure they protect and present your product exactly as you’ve planned.
Finally, keep your target audience at the forefront of your packaging design. The type of material you choose is a part of your brand, so any disconnect between that and your brand’s message will confuse consumers and make them lose trust. To appeal to your customers, you have to research and understand them enough before you make these key marketing and branding decisions. Market research is a great way to learn what your target audience values and decide how to pair those details with your budget, transportation, and sustainability needs and goals. Always listen to your key demographic and cater to their needs specifically.
For a quick look at some additional considerations regarding your use of shrink wrap film, check out this free shrink film cheat sheet.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit PETG Shrink Film For Label.