Banding Technology

Banding machines / Banderole machines were introduced in the 1970s as a way of bundling stacks of printed products, currency and other smaller items together securely whilst using minimal packaging materials.  Many new applications have since been discovered, including use of bands for labelling, creating multipacks, creating shelf-ready packaging, tamper evidence, pack stability (e.g. airline meals) and "buy one get one free" promotions.  

Banding (not strapping) refers to the sealing of a non-adhesive paper or film band that is drawn around a package, tensioned and sealed. The purpose being to bundle products or to add a secure additional sealed fixing.

Typically the mechanism of the banding machine draws, pushes or twists a band of paper or film material around or into an ‘arch’ with the leading edge held by a clamp and the trailing edge ‘loose’ in tensioning rollers. The product or stack to be banded is placed in that arch and the operation is triggered by a photocell, footswitch or other switch.  The ‘arch’ is collapsed by the withdrawal of the band from the ‘arch’ by the tensioning rollers until an appropriate pre-set tension is reached. At that point a seal bar is raised (usually heat seal, sometimes ultrasonic) which presses the leading and trailing sections of the band together and seals them together. A combined cutter separates the band so the banded pack can be removed and the system automatically reloads.

All heat seal materials consist of a base material that does not melt at heater temperature and a coating that does, becoming sticky and providing the adhesion to seal the band. Ultrasonic materials are uncoated (often cheaper for plastic materials) and are welded by the sealing head.