1. Describe the finished pack
Begin with a sample your team can point to. Is a film sealed directly onto an open container? Is there an inner foil liner beneath a screw cap? Is a filled tray closed with lidding film? Describe what the customer removes to open it and which surfaces need to bond.
A useful first sentence is: “We want to seal this material to this container, with this opening behaviour, at this stage of our line.” That gives an equipment supplier a more precise starting point than “we need a foil sealer.”
2. Identify the likely process route
These are starting routes for discussion. The final choice depends on the actual pack and trials.
| Pack design | Route to discuss | Take to the review |
|---|---|---|
| Film on a bottle or jar opening | Direct heat-press sealing | Container, film and a clear view of the sealing rim. |
| Foil inner seal beneath a cap | Cap-liner induction sealing | The complete container, cap and liner combination. |
| Lidding film on a preformed tray | Tray heat sealing; assess MAP if the process requires it | Tray, film, filled-pack condition and a defined process brief. |
Sealerweb's inline bottle heat-press sealer illustrates direct film sealing. Its induction foil sealing equipment covers a different process route. Treat these as separate equipment discussions.
“Aluminium foil” does not define the whole material.Ask for the material supplier's complete specification. The layers, sealant and intended container matter more than the metallic appearance.
3. Bring a material set, not isolated parts
Put the container and closure samples in one labelled set. Record each supplier reference and lot. Include variants that look alike but have different drawings or material specifications.
For the first review, a top view, side view and close-up of the rim are useful. Mark the opening dimensions and describe any ribs, corners or features that may affect how the pack is held. Keep one unopened reference set so later conversations use the same baseline.
If the material specification is incomplete, make that an open question in the enquiry. It is better to identify a missing film specification early than to carry an assumption into tooling manufacture.
4. Describe the work around the sealer
Draw a simple line: what happens before sealing, what happens at the sealing station, and what happens immediately afterwards. Note who loads the pack, how it is supported, where a rejected pack goes, and how formats change.
- Output: give your required good packs per shift and the production time available. Label it as a target for the supplier to assess.
- Changeovers: list the actual container variants and which ones run most often.
- Integration: record conveyor direction and height, available space, and the upstream and downstream equipment.
- Trial scope: include representative loading and discharge work when discussing a line demonstration.
An empty machine cycle or a short video cannot define the output of your full production process. Ask what was included in a demonstrated cycle and which samples were used.
5. Define what a successful trial must show
Write the acceptance questions before the samples are tested. What appearance is acceptable? How should the pack open? Which inspection method will your quality team use, under what conditions, and who will approve the result?
For modified atmosphere packaging, provide the process specification developed for your product. The Sealerweb MAP tray equipment page calls for project-defined gas, residual-oxygen and leak criteria. A machine selection does not establish a product's shelf life.
Your enquiry brief
- Pack purpose and opening requirement
- Labelled container and closure samples
- Dimensions, drawings and material references
- Output target and production layout
- Formats and changeover expectations
- Trial method and named acceptance criteria
With that brief prepared, send a sample enquiry to Yijia Packaging at Sealerweb. Ask the response to distinguish confirmed points from details still awaiting a sample test.
Equipment references
Product routes and enquiry requirements were checked against the public Sealerweb pages linked above on 9 September 2026. This guide offers a sample-planning framework; settings, suitability and acceptance remain specific to the project.