Induction Sealers

Why Induction Sealers are Needed

The sealing requirement was in response to the Chicago Tylenol Murders, a series of poisoning deaths resulting from drug tampering in the Chicago metropolitan area some years ago. The victims had all taken Tylenol-branded acetaminophen capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide.

As a result, some government agencies now require products to have induction fused cap liners. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires tamper-evident packaging for any over-the-counter pharmaceutical products. Hazardous materials like automotive fluids and other chemical industry products may also require cap seals for safety purposes. Other organizations, such as Amazon, are pushing more companies to outfit their containers with these seals for increased shipping safety. Regardless of your need, sealed cap liners meet these requirements for your products.

The FDA regards induction sealing to be an effective method for providing tamper evidence. When properly applied, induction sealed caps provide a hermetic, leak-proof, and tamper-evident seal. In addition, using an induction sealing system increases your product’s value by extending product shelf life and preserving freshness.

How an Induction Liner Works

Induction cap sealing is a non-contact method of heating an inner seal to hermetically seal the opening of plastic or glass containers. The sealing process begins by placing a laminated flat disc inside a container cap. The disc usually has a layer of coated paper, conductive foil, and a ring of thermoplastic around the perimeter of the disc. When the cap is screwed down, the disc is compressed between the cap and the container. However, a seal is not formed until the thermoplastic ring is melted, fusing the disc to the container opening.

An induction sealer uses an electromagnetic field to induce eddy currents in the conductive foil to generate heat. The generated heat melts the thermoplastic material adhered to the foil, thereby fusing the disc or cap liner to the container opening.

Accutek semi-automatic and automatic induction sealers are compatible with but not limited to, 3M, Tri-Seal, Top Seal, and Enercon induction seal foil liners and inserts.

Handheld Induction Cap Sealer

Automatic Induction Cap Sealer

Using an Induction Sealer

Something to be aware of when using caps with induction heated liners is that the liner’s thickness decreases slightly due to the heating process. This loosens the cap requiring a retorquing of the cap.

Accutek sales engineers have the product knowledge needed to specify the right cap sealing equipment for your application. If you are sealing food, beverages, or dairy products for freshness, sealing chemicals and oils for leak prevention, or pharmaceuticals for tamper evidence, Accutek has the right sealer for your project.