How Converting Is Used in the Consumer Goods Industry

10 April 2024 - 10:20, by , in Converting News, Comments off

How the Converting Industry Touches Your Everyday Life

Most Americans use items touched by the converting industry on a daily basis, if not several times a day. From airplane and automotive manufacturing to healthcare supply production, many industries rely heavily on converting equipment for their materials.

Household consumer goods are also converted, often with the help of Pinnacle equipment. If you host a backyard birthday party with a balloon arch, clean your little one’s frosting-caked hands with wet wipes, then microwave a TV dinner at the end of the day because you’re too exhausted to cook, your day has been filled with items that are converted before being shipped off to consumers.

Let’s examine some of these consumer goods more closely to learn how they’re manufactured and the types of converting equipment used to make them.

Wet wipes

Wet wipes—or moist towelettes—have become indispensable in the post-Covid world, but parents have been well aware of their usefulness for decades!

Initially meant for convenient cleaning and baby care, these pre-moistened pieces of cloth have evolved into essential tools for promoting public health, with germ-fighting versions used in hospitals, clinics, and all kinds of public spaces. They play a critical role in disinfecting everything from massage tables to headphones for plane travel.

The process for manufacturing wet wipes begins with non-woven fabric, chosen for its softness, durability, and absorbency. The master roll of fabric is cut with a slitter rewinder, then the smaller cut rolls are slit and perforated for packaging into buckets or canisters. The canisters are loaded, filled with fluid, sealed, and packaged for consumers.

Examples include:

  • 220” Non-Woven Surface Slitter Rewinder, which slits large rolls of non-woven materials
  • 50” Coreless Wipes Slitting and Perforating Rewinder, which is designed specifically for handling the manufacture of wet wipes for packaging in canisters or buckets

Balloon arches

Balloon arches have become a popular decoration for all kinds of celebrations, from backyard birthday parties to baby showers and corporate functions. They’re made by inflating latex balloons and forming them into an arch; their visual appeal and the rainbow of colors available make balloon arches a go-to choice for adding a festive touch to any occasion.

If you purchase a kit from a party store to assemble your balloon arch, it comes with a plastic hanging strip to use as a base; the balloons are attached to this strip to hold them in place and give them shape. This strip is made with a converting machine.

Examples include:

  • 24’ Simplex Turret Slitter Rewinder, a machine that continuously rewinds material while manual unloading is taking place

Air filters

Similar to wet wipes, air filters have been around for decades, but their use has increased in the wake of the pandemic. They’re critical components for maintaining clean air quality in residential and commercial buildings, and also in vehicles.

Air filters are designed to trap dust, pollen, mold spores, pathogens, and other particulates, removing them from the air to improve indoor air quality, protect HVAC systems, and keep people healthy.
The manufacturing process of air filters involves the use of wide web surface slitter rewinders, which precisely cut the filter material into narrower rolls or sheets, according to the specifications required. Precision is key, as the filter material often needs to be sized to fit a holding frame.

Examples include:

  • Wide Web Surface Slitter Rewinder, which is designed to handle large rolls and cut them into smaller widths

Lidding films

Lidding films play an important role in the food packaging industry, especially when it comes to premade frozen or refrigerated dinners. These special films are designed to seal the top of food containers, preserving the meal’s freshness, flavor, and nutritional value until it’s ready to be heated or eaten. Lidding films also serve as a barrier against contaminants and bacteria, extending the shelf life of a food product.

Examples include:

The bottom line

From the manufacture of wet wipes and the fun, festive look of balloon arches at parties, to the air filters that clean the air we breathe, you can easily see the importance of the converting industry in the consumer goods we use in our daily lives. Converting equipment contributes to many of the simple, modern conveniences we take for granted.

To learn more about how our converting equipment is used for manufacturing consumer goods, reach out to Pinnacle today.

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