When it comes to packaging machines, there are two main types: horizontal and vertical.

But what’s the difference between them? Let’s take a closer look.

What is a Horizontal Packaging Machine (Horizontal Flow Wrap Machine)?

Horizontal packaging machine also called horizontal flow wrap machine, It is best to use horizontal packaging for single solid goods that can be readily handled, such as cereal bars, soaps, tiny toys, bakery products, and other similar items.

When employing the pouch format, we are able to achieve more efficiency and better performance than when using vertical packaging. This is in addition to our ability to ensure hermetic seals.

The horizontal packaging machine is a continuous packaging machine that has a strong packing capacity. This machine is suited for food and non-food packaging of a wide variety of products due to its high packaging capacity.

Each and every horizontal packing machine may be outfitted with robot counting and feed systems, and cartooning machines, and modified with a wide range of options and finishing on the basis of client requirements and for use in the food, chemical, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Advantages of Horizontal Packaging Machine

Some advantages of horizontal packaging machines are as follows:

Can accommodate a wide range of products

One of the biggest advantages of horizontal packaging machines is that they can adapt to a wide range of products. This is because the design of these machines is very versatile. As a result, they can be used to package everything from small objects to large and bulky items.

High speed and efficiency

Another advantage of horizontal packaging machines is that they are very fast and efficient. These machines can package a large number of items in a very short period of time. This makes them ideal for use in high-volume packaging applications.

Precise product presentation

Another advantage of horizontal packaging machines is that they offer precise product presentations. This means that the items that are packaged using these machines will have a very professional and polished look.

Disadvantages of Horizontal Packaging Machine

Limited volume capacity

The low volume capacity of horizontal packing machines is a major drawback. There are only a limited number of things that can be packaged at a time using these machines.

Here is a video on how to pack a mask: Automatic N95 mask pouch packaging machine, flow wrapping packing machinery| How to pack mask

Consequently, they cannot be used in high-volume packing.

Not suitable for fragile items

Unfortunately, horizontal packaging machines cannot be used to package fragile items. This is because these machines are not designed to handle delicate items.

As a result, they can damage fragile items if they are not handled with care.

Inconvenient horizontal bandwidth adjustment

Another disadvantage of horizontal packaging machines is that they can be very difficult to adjust. This is because the horizontal bandwidth adjustment feature can be very inconvenient.

As a result, it can take a lot of time and effort to adjust these machines if you want to make various bag size on one machine.

What is a Vertical Packaging Machine?

On the other hand, vertical packaging machines are designed to work with powdery, granular, or liquid products in form. These items need to be packaged in a way that will ensure their stability and prevent them from leakage.

Some examples of items that need to be packed  using a vertical machine are:

• Granulated coffee
• Sugar
• Powdered milk
• Flour
• Powdered spices
• Rice
• Beans

Vertical packaging machines can also be outfitted with robot counter and feed systems, and cartooning machines, and modified with a wide range of options.

In a vertical packing machine, seal manufacture and bag filling occur simultaneously. The amount of time spent on any further pre-heating, heating, or cooling is determined by the time spent on a single cycle. This can end up producing a less polished appearance, which might not win your approval.

Here is a video of how the vertical packaging machine works:

How to Package Seeds Peanuts and Cashew in Pouch at High Speeds | Spack Machine Packaging Machine

Some advantages of vertical packaging machines are as follows:

Advantages of Vertical Packaging Machine

Heavy packaging efficiency

The vertical packing machine has a bag-support pusher that can also hold heavy items as they are being transported onto an evacuation belt. This allows the equipment to be more efficient.

Easy to operate

Vertical packaging machines are much easier to operate than horizontal ones. They usually have a user-friendly control panel that makes it easy for even first-time users to understand how the machine works.

In addition, vertical packaging machines often come with an automatic weighing and filling system. This means that you won’t have to waste time doing the weighing and filling yourself.

The machine will do it all for you.

Equipped with Various Feeding Systems

The liquid pump, volumetric filler, and multi-head weigher are just some of the several types of feeding systems that may be added to a vertical packing machine to meet the requirements of a wide variety of packaging applications. This is one of the primary benefits of using such a machine.

It is able to fill the product in terms of weight, volume, and individual units. Flow wrap machines, on the other hand, often have the ability to pack products that can be counted by parts.

High speed

Vertical packaging allows for accurate bag filling at a fast rate of speed per minute, making it ideal for items that are sticky or gummy like candies.

Some disadvantages of vertical packaging machines are as follows:

Disadvantages of Vertical Packaging Machine

It is not as fast as the horizontal packing machine

One thing about the maximum packing speed of vertical packing machines is not high as horizontal packing machines. A horizontal packing machine can pack up to 400 bags. But not vertical packing machines can pack that much. That is something you should think about when deciding which type of machine to buy.

Can’t pack solid goods

A vertical packing machine cannot pack solid goods such as bread, cookies, muffin, and even masks. It is also important to think about what type of products you will be packaging. If you plan on packaging solid goods, then we suggest that you opt for a horizontal packing machine instead.

Important Considerations When Buying Horizontal and Vertical Packing Machine

When deciding between a horizontal and a vertical packaging machine, the product that the client wants to pack is the single most crucial factor to consider.

A greater variety of items may be packed with a vertical packaging machine as opposed to a horizontal packing machine.

However, the horizontal packing machine is able to reach its maximum packing speed with some items because these products have consistent forms that allow them to be numbered and filled by pieces.

In the case of the packaging of hard candy, for instance, a horizontal packing machine equipped with a candy feeder is capable of running even more than 400 bags per minute, but a vertical packing machine is unable to achieve such a rate.

Takeaways

In this article, we differentiate the horizontal and vertical packaging machines. We hope you learned about their advantages and disadvantages so you can make a more informed decision about which type of machine is right for your business.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us. We would be happy to help! Spack Machine team is an expert in the packaging industry with a variety of machines to offer that will meet your needs.

Spack Machine is a top Packaging Machine Manufacturer in China, offering high-quality and affordable horizontal and vertical packaging machines. Our team is experts in the packaging industry and we would be happy to help you choose the right machine for your business needs.