Blown film: from resin to finished rolls

An overview of extrusion, inflation, cooling, haul-off and winding, with the main factors affecting film quality.

The production sequence

A suitable resin or formulation enters the extruder and becomes a melt through heating and screw action. The melt exits an annular die as a tube. After inflation and cooling, the bubble is collapsed, pulled through the haul-off and wound as tubular film or converted further into film rolls.

Match material and equipment

PE film commonly uses LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE and suitable blends. PP and biodegradable formulations require compatible equipment and processing conditions. A material name alone does not establish machine suitability. Blown film, cast film and biaxially oriented film are distinct processes.

Control the complete line

Material condition, plasticisation, die distribution, inflation, haul-off, cooling and web tension all contribute to the result. Establish a stable operating condition, then assess thickness, layflat width, appearance and downstream requirements. Make controlled adjustments and keep a record of their effects.

Confirm the layer structure before comparing machines

Two-layer co-extrusion, an ABA three-layer structure and a three-layer configuration with separate feeds should not be compared by layer count alone. Confirm the materials, feed arrangement, layer distribution and finished-film requirements. Compare the published SJCO and ABA series and three-layer co-extrusion series before selecting a configuration.