As you know, the name “vertical packaging machine” comes from its vertical structure, where materials are fed vertically into bags. In traditional vertical forming machines, products fall a long distance, directly impacting the bottom of the bag and causing breakage (e.g., chips, cookies, etc.).This, of course, can present some challenges. For example, when packaging fragile products such as biscuits, crackers, potato chips, popcorn, and other snacks, the material often breaks during the packaging process due to the material dropping from a high position into the bag, and the uncushioned exit of the packed bag.In contrast, an inclined design (e.g., a 45° angle) allows products to slide down the slope, reducing the vertical drop distance by over 50% and significantly reducing the impact of gravity on the product.
Use vertical tilt packaging machine to prevent product breakage
So, we devised a method to reduce product breakage by using a large vertical tilting packaging machine to package biscuits.
The tilting design protects the biscuits intact, ensuring smooth conveying and bagging. The automatic bagging process ensures crisp, fresh-sealing, and rapid batch production, ensuring each bag is crispy and plump. The packaged products drop onto the conveyor belt at an angle for transport to the next packaging stage, effectively minimizing biscuit breakage.The inclined former creates a “soft landing” effect: When the product contacts the bag, the tangential force of the inclined surface offsets some of the impact energy, reducing instantaneous stress concentration.The tilting design can be integrated with flexible feeding devices such as volumetric scales and screw feeders to control product flow rate. For example:
The screw feeder slowly pushes tea leaves to prevent leaf breakage caused by free fall;
A multi-head weigher precisely distributes nuts and chips, reducing collisions within the package. We used a multi-head weigher here.
Other Anti-Breakage Measures
- Nitrogen-Filled Packaging (Suitable for Food and Fragile Items)
Principle: Nitrogen (N₂) is an inert gas that displaces oxygen within the packaging, reducing oxidation reactions while providing a cushioning effect, preventing food or fragile items from breaking during transport.
Application: Potato chips, corn chips, and other puffed, fragile foods are often packaged with nitrogen-filled packaging to preserve freshness and prevent crushing.
Some electronic products (such as precision instruments) are also nitrogen-filled to reduce the impact of transport vibrations. - Cushioning Packaging Materials (Suitable for Express Delivery and Logistics)
Bubble Cushioning: Multiple layers of bubble film are used to wrap fragile items to absorb impact.
Foam Packaging Bags: Automatically expand when pressed, tightly conforming to the shape of the product and providing comprehensive protection.
Double Boxing: The inner layer is secured with a hard plastic box, and the outer layer is filled with cardboard and cushioning material (such as foam or paper confetti). - Structural Reinforcement Design (Applicable to Electronics and Glass Products)
Shatterproof Glass Technology: For example, aluminosilicate glass improves crack resistance by adjusting its molecular structure and is used in mobile phone screens. - Vacuum Sealing (Applicable to Food and Precision Instruments)
After vacuuming, the packaging bag fits snugly against the product, reducing internal vibration and preventing collisions during transportation.
Some vacuum packaging machines also incorporate nitrogen filling, providing dual “vacuum + nitrogen” protection (such as anti-shatter vacuum packaging machines).
- Shockproof Transportation and Labeling
Use “Fragile” labels to remind logistics personnel to handle with care.
Shockproof Shipping Boxes: For example, specialized boxes with internal springs or shock-absorbing materials.
Summary
Tilted vertical packaging machines (such as the 45° tilted VFFS model) can significantly reduce breakage for fragile products by optimizing the product’s drop path and cushioning mechanism. What other packaging tips do you know to prevent breakage? Share them in the comments! If you’d like EasternPack to help you design a packaging solution for fragile products free of charge, please contact us directly!