Description
What does the FST measure?
The Hanatek Film Shrink Tester (FST) has been designed to quickly and easily measure the effect of temperature on plastic film.
The application of heat causes certain plastic films to rapidly contract; this effect can be used to seal and pack many items from food to consumer goods.
The shrink effect is due to internal forces locked into the film during manufacture being released by heating, it is also known as linear thermal shrink or free shrink. The amount of shrinkage is dependent on the film type, thickness and sealing temperature.
Testing the percentage shrink of a film ensures that it is suitable for a particular packaging application and establishes the correct temperature for that application.
Why is film shrinkage important?
Film shrinkage is important to industry as blown films are often heat treated to form protective packaging for perishable food or manufactured products.
Blown plastic films contract when heated, this effect is used to seal or protect food or industrial products. In contrast a film that exhibits too much shrinkage may distort a product or form a weak functional barrier.
The Hanatek film shrink tester is used to measure the effect of temperature on blown films.
