How to attach film to PET tray without machinery

Greetings,

 

I'm a new member, and grateful to have the opportunity to post this question. 

 

We are market testing a ready-to-make recipe kit. The PET prototype tray has been thermoformed with compartments to hold pre-measured fresh ingredients and sauce packets etc. 

 

When we go into production the trays will be vacuum packed with gas flush, but we are not yet tooled up for that. However for the purpose of our focus group testing, we would like to put the product into the hands of participants with a clear film over the top that (if only temporarily) appears to seal in the ingredients.

 

We are hoping to find a way to do this manually without costly machinery, and would like to avoid stretch wrap as we don't think it will look good. We have consulted with some packaging material suppliers, but have thus far not come up with a solution. 

 

Can anyone suggest a film and a process that we might employ in-house? See image of the tray attached. 

 

Thank you,

 

Eggmeng 

Not easy with such a complex shape, but if you have a film that 'heat seals' to the container then you could try to use a household iron.  I've used it on simple, small containers such as yoghurt tubs and lids.

Thank you Simon! A few points. 

 

1. Only the perimeter needs to be sealed. We are not concerned with sealing the individual compartments for market testing purposes. But if we could it would be a bonus.  
2. Only dry ingredients or pre-packeted liquids will be placed in the cavities. Nothing that is wet and "loose."
3. I have tried what you have suggested using shrink wrap and a household iron with a piece of waxed paper in between the two. All it did was melt the tray when I left it on too long! The film was totally unaffected. 

 

Do you know how or where we might get a film that "heat seals" as you say? 

The film needs to have a heat seal layer that is the correct formulation to seal to the container material.

You need to contact a lidding supplier for some samples.

OK, thanks. 

I use an iron too. As Simon says, make sure you get the right film for the tray!!


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We used an iron too. It's trial and error for the time and setting of the iron and the correct film. Our trays also have a thin layer of APET over the CEPT (co-extruded) which melts readily to aid sealing with the film. This coex is not completely necessary, but it help by allowing the seal temp to be lower and this not distorting the tray.

Sharon

Thanks Sharon, that's useful information !

Sharon, I believe our trays are PET and not CEPT. Do you think that means its properties are not suitable for this?