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Once formed, molded-fiber packaging must be dried in a hot-air convection oven with specific characteristics.
Molded paper-pulp packaging material - also referred to as molded fiber - is a fast-growing, environmentally friendly segment of the packaging market. It is manufactured using recycled paper products such as paperboard, newsprint and other post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Molded paper-pulp is used to produce fast-food drink trays, egg cartons and protective packaging for consumer and industrial products as well as disposable plates, bowls, plant trays and clamshell containers, among many others.
Molded paper-pulp is an attractive alternative to foam packaging, expanded polystyrene (EPS) and vacuum-formed PET and PVC. It has gained popularity in recent years because it is made entirely from recycled materials and can be recycled again and again. * e raw ingredients are simply paper and water; no binders or additives are required. No wastewater is generated in the manufacturing process because any excess water either evaporates or is returned to the system. For these reasons - and due to its landÿ ll friendliness - paper-pulp packaging is considered a sustainable packaging material.
Molded paper-pulp packaging was invented in 1903 by Martin Keyes, who was awarded a patent for the process. In 1920, additional patents were granted for molded-pulp packaging designed for light bulbs, fruit, radio tubes and other objects. Yet, it was not until the late 1980s, with increased environmental awareness regarding consumer packaging, that the market gained a strong foothold. More recently, molded-pulp packaging with a thin plastic lining - often called "paper bottles" - has been used in wine, beer and some other drink containers.
Manufacturing Molded Paper-Pulp Packaging
* e raw material (paper waste) is dumped into a vat, and warm water at 109 to 149°F (43 to 65°C) is added. * e warm water swells the ÿ bers, causing them to break apart. * e mixture is stirred thoroughly until the paper ÿ bers are unbound and become a slurry-like pulp.
* e pulp is formed into the ÿ nished-packaging shapes using custom-designed one- or two-part molds. * e upper mold is lowered into the pulp mixture, and a vacuum is pulled...