Is Using a Hair Dryer to Shrink Plastic Film the Best Way?
In daily life, we also encounter scenarios where we need to shrink plastic film, such as books, music albums, or handmade DIY products. Have you also tried to use a hair dryer to shrink plastic film to wrap your unpacked books or music albums?
In fact, the answer is obvious. You can use a hair dryer to shrink plastic film, but some conditions limit whether the temperature of the hair dryer you use reaches the melting point of the shrinking film.
Why does plastic heat shrink?
According to the principle of heat shrinkage of plastic film, in the manufacturing process of heat shrink film, the molecular chains are disordered by radiation cross-linking or chemical modification. When heated, the molecular chains of the plastic film are reoriented due to thermal activation, and the material shrinks in a specific direction. This “memory effect” allows the film to fit the surface of the object tightly, forming a new shape that fits the product, thereby protecting the product.
Our common shrink films (such as PVC, POF, etc.) usually need to be heated evenly at a temperature of 120°C-180°C to shrink effectively. In daily life, the hot air temperature of ordinary hair dryers is generally 60°C-100°C. Obviously, the high temperature of the hair dryer may be close to the lower limit of the shrink film, which has certain limitations.
If the hair dryer is used for shrinkage, two situations may occur: when the temperature is insufficient, the low temperature may cause incomplete shrinkage, the surface of the film will wrinkle instead of tightening evenly, and the appearance may not be very good. Another situation is uneven heating. Since the wind power of the hair dryer is output in one hole, it is easy to cause local overheating, which may burn through the film and emit harmful gases.
So when is the best time to use a Hair Dryer to Shrink Plastic Film?
- This application scenario is recommended for temporary, small-area, simple treatment. When using a hair dryer, such as when repairing the edge of the package, keep a distance of more than 10 cm from the film and keep moving the hair dryer to ensure that the area is evenly heated.
- If you encounter a temporary situation at home, you can use a hair dryer for an emergency, but be careful.
Learn More About The Proper Tools For Shrink Film Applications
- If you have a small-scale DIY need, you can use a dedicated hot air gun. The temperature of the hot air gun on the market can be adjusted to about 200°C, which can meet the needs of PVC and POF films, but you also need to pay attention to the operation. The popular car film can also use this method to give your car a new look.
Hair dryer vs. heat shrink tunnel– The correct way to shrink plastic film
Today, I can introduce you to a tool for shrinking plastic film for commercial or industrial heat shrink tunnels. If you need to process plastic film products efficiently and in large quantities, the heat shrink oven is more suitable for industrial production and large-scale commodity packaging. It can achieve a fast and uniform shrinking effect by precisely controlling the temperature and airflow.
4 Advantages of a Heat Shrink Machine
- Accurate temperature control
Our heat shrink ovens can adjust the ideal problem of different materials and can avoid overheating or underheating caused by different shrinking temperatures of different films. The shrinking temperature of your common PVC film is about 150°C, and POF is about 180°C.
- Uniform heating
The heat-shrinking oven has a built-in circulating hot air system or infrared radiation technology to ensure that the film is heated evenly in all directions. This is a great advantage compared to the limitation of the single heating and shrinking of the hair dryer.
- High efficiency and energy saving
In addition, the heat shrink tunnel has an automatic conveyor belt design. After the machine locates the position of the product, it can continuously process large quantities of products, and the energy consumption is only 1/10 of that of the hair dryer, which is more worry-free than moving your hands all the time.
- Safety and environmental protection
You can see that the heat shrink tunnel is in a closed environment as a whole. Only one inlet and one outlet are covered with anti-radiation cloth. The closed structure can reduce heat loss, and it is equipped with an exhaust gas filtration system to ensure safe operation.
Shrink Film Applications
In our lives, we have come into contact with many cases of heat shrink film.
When used for food packaging: For example, when we buy a box of beverages, in addition to using a carton pallet to organize the outer packaging, the outer packaging is also fixed with a heat shrink film to prevent the beverage from loosening during transportation. You can also use heat shrink film to package and fix a cardboard egg in the supermarket, etc.
When used for electronic product packaging: For example, batteries, mobile phones, head-phones, and other accessories sealed with film ensure that they are in a brand new state before they are sold.
When used for medical product packaging, for example, the sealed packaging of sterile instruments can avoid secondary contamination of the equipment and prevent bacteria.
When used for daily chemical product packaging: For example, the cosmetics you use for prenatal examinations, bottled laundry detergent, etc., can be protected by plastic sealing in their original state.
Conclusion
We must correctly understand the principle of heat shrink film shrinkage and the temperature of heat shrinkage so that we can choose the right equipment to complete it. Of course, although a hair dryer can achieve simple shrinkage of plastic film, its efficiency and safety are far less than professional equipment.
In the real world, whether it is a home user or a corporate producer, understanding the characteristics of materials and choosing the right tools can make technology truly serve your needs. The existence of heat shrink furnaces is the perfect combination of technology and physics to optimize our lives through thermodynamics.
