Equipment

Sealed Air, the protective packaging manufacturer, has launched the Instapak AIM system that automatically produces foam cushions, without needing a dedicated operator.

The cushion-moulding system precisely centres and draws the expanding Instapak foam bags into a mould, producing up to four foam cushions a minute in sizes from 27cm up to 1m in length.

Cushions can be batched into a bulk cushion bin or delivered directly to a packaging line.

Instapak product manager at Sealed Air, Simon Davis said: "The Instapak AIM system provides a cost-effective solution that minimises waste, while enabling personnel resources to be more effectively utilised."

Instapak foam moulds around a product within an outer case to provide premium protection during transit. It is suitable for transporting fragile, delicate and valuable products.

The foam bags are stored flat and manually activated at room temperature by applying pressure on them to break a seal, which causes the two liquid components in the bag to combine, forming expanded foam that Sealed Air claims will be 27 times larger than its original volume.