Layflat tubing (sometimes spelt Layflat-Tubing or LFT for short) is a continuous tube of polyethylene on a roll. Layflat tubing is ideal for packaging long 'difficult to wrap' items. Insert the item to be packaged into the plastic tubing and cut it to the required length then heat seal, tie, staple or tape shut both ends to create good protective made-to-measure bags.
How Layflat Tubing (LFT) is made
The layflat tubing or poly tubing is made using the blown film process.
The blown film process is the method by which the vast majority of all polythene products are manufactured.
Polythene granules are fed into an extruder. As the granules are transported down the extruder screw, they are continuously heated and eventually become molten.
The melt passes through a narrow slit forming a tube which is extruded vertically until it can be clamped at the top nip rollers, which continuously pull the tube from the die.
Once clamped the tube is inflated to create the desired width, the speed of the nip rolls determines the film thickness. The film is air cooled to set the film dimensions.
The tube is then collapsed prior to the nips to form a layflat tube to a set width and thickness. The flat film is passed through path rollers to a floor mounted winder.
Remember:
Lay Flat Tubing (LFT) is the most basic blown film product - formed by collapsing and flattening the bubble / tube. All other blown film products are derived from the layflat.
Gusseted layflat tubing (GLFT) is formed by using a pair of wooden (or metal triangles) to alter the shape of the bubble as it passes through the collapsing frame.
