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Outside printing of a packaging film, also known as front-side printing; Opposite of: Back printing

Food and Drug Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with the mission of ensuring the safety of end consumer products.

Form fill seal machines that fill and seal packages horizontally or vertically (horizontal or vertical FFS machines).

In addition to typical data such as weight per unit area or thickness, films can be distinguished by their mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical properties. Permeability, sealing performance, migration, non-toxic properties, elasticity or shrink characteristics are also important when considering the application.

The mass of a substance per unit volume; g/ m³; PP film has a density of approx. 0.91 g/m³.

A type of flow wrap seal in which the film edges are sealed interior side to interior side. This initially creates a longitudinal seal, a film tube with a seal on one side. With the cross sealing at the top and bottom of the finished package, the seal of the longitudinal seal is then folded over, creating the "fin". The fin sealing process offers a very tight seal and thus is used primarily for modified atmosphere packaging. For packaging film, it is important that only the inside of the film is used for sealing. The film material used is usually polyester/polyethlene or polyamide/polyethlene. These composite films seal on the inside of the film only, thus attaining a very strong seal seam. Also see Flow wrap seam.

Films with low gas permeability are usually also difficult for flavours to penetrate. If the flavour is volatile with water vapour, this value (water vapour permeability) comes into play. These values are supplemented in practice by sensory testing.

A thin dye is transferred to the raised element of the printing form using a screen roller and directly to the substrate from there. High-quality paper and film webs, e.g. for packaging sweets and beverages, are usually used in flexographic printing.

A reversible seam in the production of bags made from plastic films whereby the interior side is sealed or welded to the interior side. (Overlapping seam, outer side to interior side). Also see "Fin seal".

Flowpack film is (generally) a composite film, consisting of a sealing layer and a backing layer, that corresponds to the customer requirements (barrier, stiffness, printability).

"Fog" on the laminate due to unfavourable viscosities; also refers to an increase in opaqueness in transparent films.

Variable used to describe the ability to slip or slide. A distinction is made between values for film on film and film on metal.

Printing on the front side of film as opposed to back printing (reverse-side printing)