What is the film with bubbles called? How it's made, how it works, how it works. Modifications of air bubble film

Externally, packaging bubble film has the appearance of a canvas with round, air-containing cavities evenly distributed over the surface. The bubbles perform excellent shock-absorbing functions. The air inside such cavities provides effective thermal insulation. This promotes the use of the material as a reliable insulation.

This packaging product perfectly combines the standard properties of conventional polyethylene film, which creates good protection from atmospheric phenomena. Along with this, the material has the ability to absorb mechanical stress. This allows you to avoid damage to cargo in the event of shocks, vibrations, or jolts.

The Secret to Bubble Wrap's Success

Air bubble packaging film has become widely used due to its excellent shock-absorbing properties. The growth in demand for the material as a result of the constant increase in international trade volumes is significantly reflected.

In the case of moving goods over long distances and the need to store them in large volumes, bubble packaging film becomes simply an indispensable tool. If desired, you can transport the most fragile items in it, for example, crystal products.

Types

Depending on the thickness, the following types of bubble film are distinguished:

Two-layer film - consists of a layer of smooth polyethylene and air-containing bubbles.
Three-layer film - looks like two layers of polyethylene and bubbles placed between them.

Three-layer bubble film packaging is more dense and durable material Compared to the two-layer type of packaging base. An increase in density directly affects the ability to transport fragile goods packed in film.

Material structure

Packaging bubble film has a truly unique structure. Each individual bubble is actually an individual, separate sphere. That is why, when one bubble ruptures, the surrounding structural elements remain unharmed.

The presence of protection in the form of a fairly durable outer polyethylene layer protects fragile bubbles from damage. The three-layer antistatic bubble packaging film has a particularly strong structure and can be used for multiple uses.

Strength

You can measure the strength of bubble wrap based on its grammage. This refers to the amount of polyethylene in grams that was required for production square meter material.

Increasing the weight of polyethylene per square during manufacturing leads to an increase in density. Based on this, the packaging bubble film gains the ability to withstand certain loads. The height of the bubbles also has a certain significance. The higher the bubbles, the less likely the cargo will be damaged.

Application

The range of possible applications for bubble wrap is quite wide. Currently, the material is actively used in packaging:

furniture;
electronics and fragile expensive equipment;
automobile spare parts;
dishes, glass, mirrors, porcelain, other fragile materials;
optics;
antiques, jewelry;
shoes;
lighting products.

Among other things, the material can be used as heat, noise and moisture insulation during construction and repair work.

If speak about household use bubble film, then it is worth noting the possibility of its use as rugs and curtains in bathrooms, material for protecting cars from exposure to weather conditions. The described packaging material ( bubble wrap) is often used as a protective blanket for swimming pools and greenhouses.

To organize a relatively modest home moving, it will be enough to buy a small roll of bubble film with a footage of about 10 m. When using the material in warehouses, it is recommended to purchase it in rolls with a maximum footage. Purchasing large quantities of packaging material turns out to be more profitable. An increase in film footage when purchasing leads to a decrease in cost per linear meter.

Advantages

Among the main advantages of air bubble films are:

Possibility of efficient operation in the widest temperature range.
High strength under mechanical stress.
Ideal shock-absorbing characteristics.
Good tensile strength.
Almost imperceptible weight with significant volumes of material.
Possibility of savings free space due to the high elasticity of the material.
Absolute safety, absence of harmful to human health and environment components.
Possibility of reuse if the film is used carefully for its intended purpose.
No toxic or chemical substances, which are capable of changing the properties of packaged products.
Can be used for packaging food products.
The material protects cargo from exposure to high and low temperatures tens of times more effectively than conventional polyethylene film.

What is the name of the film with pimples for packaging? The answer to this question can be found in this article.

More than 150 years ago, polyethylene products and packaging appeared in people's lives. A lot of research and experiments were carried out, thanks to which this product received current state and has undergone many changes. Today polyethylene is much different from its prototype and has big amount unique properties. Among such a wide range of products on the market, the so-called bubble film for packaging stands out. Its name is explained by scientific knowledge in textbooks technical orientation.

The initial purpose of using this material was wallpaper for walls. Factors considered in favor of this purpose were its ease of cleaning and unusual appearance. Despite this, film with pimples, as it is also called, began to be used for completely different purposes.

The change in the main function of the material was influenced by its properties of vapor and moisture resistance, since the main element of the structure of the fabric is polyethylene. Based on this, it was concluded that walls covered with this type of wallpaper will not allow air and moisture to pass through. This will lead to increased humidity in the room and stuffiness. These factors played an important role in maintaining human health.

Bubble film quickly found its new widespread use. This happened thanks to a sudden incident with one of the inventors. While landing at the airport on a plane, he noticed the airiness and lightness of the clouds, which made the landing soft. At that moment he remembered his invention and noted that the air bubble film will be able to protect the cargo during transportation and soften falls and impacts. He patented his discovery, which was loved by many manufacturers for its ability to provide High Quality transported goods.

And also one of the functions of the material is to cover greenhouses and greenhouses on summer cottages and farmland. It not only acts as an excellent shelter, but also has soundproofing and insulating qualities. For agricultural needs, many choose ordinary PE film, because the price of 200 micron polyethylene film, so popular among summer residents, is much lower.

One of the entertainments in offices is the so-called bursting of bubbles. Pimples or bubble wrap help reduce nerve tension and avoid the occurrence of stressful situations, which may appear during the working day. Psychotherapists advise this, and enterprises often organize competitions to see who can burst the bubbles the fastest.

The packaging material bubble film has confidently entered our lives thanks to its features - air bubbles in the inner layer. This type of packaging is the best for protecting products from shock, moisture, dirt, and cold. In this article we will tell you what bubble film is, its properties, types, features of production and use.

What is bubble film and its characteristics

Air bubble film (AFB) - polymer material, in which smooth polyethylene and a bubble layer are combined. It is also commonly called “bumpy”, “bubble”, “film with bubbles”.

Small spheres filled with air work for compression. Upon impact, the energy of destruction goes to compressing the bubble, and not to damaging the packaged item. Bubble film has heat-saving properties, since air is a good heat insulator.

GOST for air bubble film has not been developed, so the material is manufactured in accordance with TU 2245-001-96117480-08. Characteristics of the raw material from which it is made - polyethylene high pressure(PVD), must comply with the requirements of the GOST 16337-77 standard.

Main characteristics of air bubble film:

Number of layers. The industry produces 2- and 3-layer air bubble film. The two-layer one has one layer of smooth polyethylene and one layer of corrugated polyethylene with bubbles. In a three-layer film, the bubbles are the middle of the “sandwich”, sealed between two layers of smooth polymer material.
Roll sizes. Standard width runway rolls: for furniture packaging - 1.0; 1.2 and 1.6 meters; for packaging equipment - 0.8 meters; for packaging dishes - 0.3 and 0.4 meters. Roll meter: 25, 50 and 100 meters.
Film density:

Two-layer: from 45 to 300 g/m2;

Three-layer: from 90 to 260 g/m2;

Covering (for greenhouses) - 83-120 g/m2.

The higher the density, the greater the load the packaging bubble film can withstand. Three- and two-layer bubble film, with a density of 200-250 g/m2, is used for transporting computers and radio equipment, thin antistatic film (65-90 g/m2) is used for packaging electronic components, a three-layer runway with the addition of antifog (250 g/m2) is covered swimming pools and greenhouses.

You can check this parameter without special equipment. If the density is less than 50 g/m2, then the bubbles can be easily crushed with your fingers and no popping noise will be heard. At a density of 50-120 g/m2, the sound of a bursting bubble is clearly audible. Packaging with a density of more than 120 g/m2 is difficult to crush with your fingers, and if this parameter is higher than 180 g/m2, then it is completely impossible.

The thickness of one layer of bubble film varies from 45 to 150 microns.

Air bubble height and diameter. The shock-absorbing properties of bubble wrap depend on these dimensions. The higher the sphere, the better material protects cargo from mechanical damage. Film is produced with a bubble diameter of 6,10,30 mm and a height of 3-10 mm. The most common type of runway is a two-layer one, with a bubble height of 4 mm and a diameter of 10 mm.
Temperature range of application. Air bubble film can be used in the temperature range from -60 0 C to +80 0 C.
Film marking is written as follows:

For example, VP 3-4-75 means:

VP - air bubble;

3 - three-layer;

4 - diameter of bubbles, mm;

75 - density, g/m2 (1 meter weighs 75 grams).

Sometimes, at the end of the marking, the roll footage is added (25,50,100 m).

Another example of air marking bubble wrap:

Modifications of air bubble film

In addition to the usual bubble wrap, there are several modifications of the runway:

Penobabal is a combination of AFFF and polyethylene foam. The material is used for transporting expensive goods. This protective packaging is made of 2 or 3 layers of bubble film with a polyethylene foam backing, 1-4 mm thick. Penobable has remarkable shock-absorbing and heat-insulating properties, does not allow water and dust to pass through, and is very durable - it can be used several times.
Kraftbubble is a combination of runway and paper. Conventional bubble wrap stretches longitudinally, which is not always desirable. Once it is reinforced with kraft paper, it does not deform even under the influence of a heavy load. Used for transportation antique furniture, mirrors, office equipment. The paper layer absorbs moisture well, preventing the cargo from becoming damp, so it is better to use kraftbubble in autumn and spring, when air humidity is high.
Alubable is a bubble film coated on one or both sides with aluminum foil or metallized polypropylene film. The low thermal conductivity coefficient (0.007 - 0.011 W/(m*deg) and good reflective ability of aluminum bubbles allow the use of this durable (more than 50 years) material for thermal insulation load-bearing walls, roofs, balconies.

Production of air bubble film

The film is made from high-density polyethylene, which is supplied to production in the form of translucent white granules. Even before melting, special additives can be added to the granules to prevent the accumulation of static electricity in the finished film.

The mixture is fed into the extruder hopper, where it is heated to 280 0 C. The straightened homogeneous mass is poured out of the extruder in two thin streams. The first stream enters the forming drum. The drum has a perforated surface, the diameter of the holes corresponds to the diameter of the bubble. A vacuum is maintained inside the drum, so the mass is drawn to a certain depth inside (the height of the bubble) and freezes. The second molten flow covers the stamped bubble layer and seals it, leaving air inside the bubbles.

This is how a two-layer runway is made. When making a three-layer bubble film, a third stream of molten polyethylene is released over the bubbles. When frozen, such a “sandwich” forms a sealed and durable packaging material.

Advantages of air bubble film

Bubble film has many advantages, the main ones:

Protects packaged cargo from all factors external environment– dust, dirt, water, damage;
Protects the product from vibration, mechanical shock, friction, and damage from falling due to good shock absorption;
Keeps you warm. The thermal conductivity coefficient of the film 0.06 W/(m*K) approaches the thermal conductivity indicators mineral wool- one of the most popular insulation materials. This makes AFFF an indispensable packaging material for transporting goods that are harmful to temperature changes.
Resistant to tearing. Tensile strength packaging film with bubbles - 70-90 N/m. For comparison, for stretch, one of the main competitors of the runway, this parameter is within 50 N/m.

Application

Bubble film has many applications:

Bubble material is most widely used in packaging. In this film you can safely transport (at any distance) valuable and fragile things - mirrors, glass, equipment, antiques. Since the runway is made of food-grade polyethylene and has a hygienic certificate, it is used for transporting food. Roll material used for packaging large cargo (the edges are secured with tape), bags made of air bubble film are used as containers for telephones, accessories, car parts, and plumbing fixtures.

Interesting. A new packaging solution has appeared - an envelope with bubble wrap on the inside. They are bought when they need to be sent electronic circuit or a lampshade, a souvenir or a DVD. Waterproof kraft paper is used for the outer layer, and two-layer bubble polyethylene is used for the inner layer. There are 11 standard sizes of “bubble” envelopes - from 100x160 mm to 350x470 mm.

Film for swimming pools (solar). The two-layer bubble wrap spreads directly onto the surface of the water. Thanks to the layer with air bubbles, the material adheres perfectly to the water, protects the pool from pollution, and prevents evaporation. The lower, smooth layer of polyethylene is made colored. The standard thickness of the runway for swimming pools is 500 microns, the thickness of the “package” is determined by the height of the bubble.
Greenhouse film. This covering material, due to its bubble layer, is an excellent heat insulator. Due to its light weight, the runway does not require a serious frame. She is stronger than others polymer films- even if you do not remove it for the winter, the runway can last on vertical surfaces for at least 3 years. At the manufacturing stage, light stabilizers, antifog, and a luminescent additive are introduced into the polyethylene granulate. They slow down the destruction of polyethylene, prevent it from fogging from the inside, and convert UV radiation into a blue and red spectrum useful for plants.
In construction, runway is used as steam, hydro and thermal insulation of walls, engineering systems, roofs, floors.

The production rate of bubble film is growing every year by 15-20%. The main consumers are furniture manufacturers. They account for almost half of the volumes. 31% is taken by companies producing electrical equipment and electronics, 17% by “dishware makers” and “glass makers.” The demand for these packaging products is huge. In Russia, 25 large enterprises are engaged in the production of multilayer films, including air bubble films, but imports still account for a large share of consumption.

How to make bubble wrap aslan wrote in September 5th, 2017

There is probably not a single person who would indifferently throw this packaging in the trash. Bubble wrap not only protects the goods on the way from the seller to the buyer, but is also an excellent anti-stress remedy. It's hard to resist popping all the bubbles after you unpack the box that contains this very film.

Today we'll look at how bubble wrap is made.

In order to find out how anti-stress bubble wrap is made, I went to the company’s production "Beta-Kuvert", which is located in the Moscow region of Lytkarino.

It all starts with these bags containing polyethylene granules. Russian-made raw materials.

The granules are poured into a container where a hose is placed that sucks the granules up into a machine where the plastic melts and turns into polyethylene. The granules consist of primary - plastic from the factory, and secondary - plastic, which is produced right there.

This is what the granules look like in the box. A non-specialist will not understand where the primary is and where the secondary is.

The granulate is loaded into this machine, which actually makes the film. The machine is made in Italy.

During production, all these shafts rotate, and of course you can’t touch them if you don’t want to lose your hand.

In case of an emergency, protection is provided here in the form of a fuse - a red cord, by pulling which the machine can be stopped instantly.

And this is the main roller that makes the bubble wrap. Above it is a container with molten granulate, from which two strips of polyethylene flow onto the roller. On one side, a smooth roller forms the flat side of the film, on the other hand, a roller with indentations forms the pimpled side.

See the tiny holes in the indentations? When it comes into contact with the roller, the still hot film is sucked through the holes into the recess with the help of a vacuum, and this is how those same pimples are obtained. Clap clap.

The formed bubble wrap is then pulled and moved further along the machine.

This is the second half of the machine. In the middle you can see a block that allows you to make bubble wrap special purpose with various additional layers.

The film is pulled onto these rollers, where the edges of the film are trimmed (so that the roll is even) and then fed through a shiny roller for final winding into the finished roll.

After which it is wound into a large roll, the winding can be from 50 to 100 m depending on the client’s needs. Some unscrupulous manufacturers sin by not wrapping the film for customers up to 10 m or more. In film rolls from Beta-Kuvert, the footage always corresponds to acceptable standards.

After the roll is ready, the film is cut, the machine turns the roll over and immediately begins winding the film onto another sleeve. The ends of the film are sealed with tape and packed in a bag, after which the roll is removed from the pin.

At this time, the worker puts a spool (cardboard sleeve) on the pin for the next roll.

These same spools...

The bag with the roll is tied and taken to the warehouse, from where it will go to the customers.

Few people know, but there is bubble film with large pimples called Bigbubble. For its production, a shaft with large cells is used.

Did you know that the diameter of Bigbubble’s bubbles is 30 mm, and the film density reaches 148 g/m2. This great option for packaging particularly fragile items, such as antiques, mirrors, vases.

The lighter in the photo makes it clear how large the pimples are on such a film.

In the next room, the finished film is wound into rolls of smaller footage.
Airbasic mini-rolls with a winding of 5 and 10 meters and a roll width of 0.4 - 1.2 m will become an indispensable assistant:

summer residents (transportation of jars of jam and other preserves)

for motorists (trunk protection from dirt)

for household members (lining for cans and glass containers)

In another room, bags are produced from the same film.

You've probably received parcels from online stores in these places. They are the main customers of such packaging.

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To date, there has been no better packaging material than bubble wrap. They prefer to use it to preserve a variety of things - souvenirs, gifts, furniture, musical instruments, various household appliances and much more. But the popularity of runway is not surprising, because it combines such qualities as:

minimum weight and volume
high strength indicators
elasticity
excellent shock-absorbing properties
absolutely waterproof
high thermal insulation properties
low cost

Thus, the runway is universal material, which allows you not only to pack, but also to ensure the safety of items during transportation.

But for this you need to know important parameters this packaging material.

Deciding on the number of layers

Air bubble film is available in two varieties:

Two-layer, having one smooth side and the other completely covered with bubbles. This is the most common option;
Three-layer, which has two smooth surface, between which there are bubbles. This is the most durable and reliable option for packaging.

In addition, the smooth coating can be made of different materials:

foamed polyethylene, which is considered ideal option for packaging particularly valuable and fragile items;
cardboard, which is most often used on envelopes and small packages;
metallized, used in films for construction purposes.

Thus, the quality of the product, its strength and scope of use depend on the type, number of layers and type of their coatings.

Our company specializes in the production and sale of high quality AFFF. We offer two- and three-layer film With different diameters bubbles and different color palette.

What else do you need to know about film?

When purchasing, you need to know that the main selection criterion is the weight of one square meter of the product. The more raw materials used in production, the heavier and stronger it is and, as a result, more expensive.

The weight of 1 sq.m of runway varies from 32g to 400g.
Standard sizes rolls 1.2m*100m and 1.5m*100m.

To ensure that our products have antistatic properties, we introduce a special antistatic additive into the raw materials during production. As a rule, a small amount of pink dye is added to such a film.

Our company LLC MRB LEADER is a manufacturer of bubble film, so we can produce for you durable packaging of any color, with any weight characteristics and roll sizes. It will become a reliable packaging material for your product.