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Distortion-Free Shrink Labeling For Complex Curves
Eliminate the “smiling effect” and water spots. Industrial steam shrink tunnels designed for PVC, PETG, and OPS full-body sleeves.
Experience: 10 Years Manufacturing
Why Standard Tunnels Fail on Curved Bottles
Understanding the physics of shrinkage is key to a perfect finish.
❌ The Problem: Uneven Shrinkage
Standard hot air or single-zone steam tunnels often apply heat too uniformly. For contoured bottles, this causes the label to shrink in the middle first, trapping air at the ends. This results in:
- The “Smiling Effect”: Label bottom curls up.
- Fish Eyes/Bubbles: Trapped air pockets.
- Pattern Distortion: Logos look stretched or warped.
✅ The ALF Solution: Precision Zoning
Our ZBS series utilizes a 6-section adjustable steam spray bar. This allows us to create a specific temperature gradient:
- Zone 1 (Low Pressure):Tacks the bottom of the label first.
- Zone 2 (Med Pressure):Shrinks the label up the bottle body.
- Zone 3 (High Pressure):Final finish on the neck/cap.
Result: Air is pushed out naturally from bottom to top. Zero bubbles. Perfect alignment.
ZBS Series Steam Tunnels
Perfect Shrinkage Finish: Steam heat distribution is incredibly uniform, ensuring a smooth, wrinkle-free finish even on irregular, curved, or unique bottle shapes where electric tunnels often struggle.
High Efficiency & Low Energy: Designed with high thermal efficiency and uniform temperature zones to minimize energy waste.
Versatility: Capable of handling a wide variety of bottle types (round, square, flat, curved) and label types (full body, partial) with easy adjustments.
Adjustability: Features like the ZBS83A’s 5-segment design allow for independent control of different heating zones, ensuring precise shrinkage for complex jobs.
Key Specs:
Power: 9/18 KW (Steam Generator)
Tunnel Size: $1000 \times 110 \times 350$ mm
Max Packing Size: $\Phi 80 \times 300H$ mm
Speed: 0-10 m/min
Best For:
Small to Medium Bottles: Ideal for containers with a diameter under 80mm.
Space-Constrained Facilities: Offers the quality of steam shrinkage in a more compact footprint ($1520$mm length) compared to the ZBS83A.
Cosmetics & Dairy: Perfect for smaller, high-value items like lotion bottles or yogurt drinks.
Key Specs:
Power: 150W (Machine) / 24KW (Steam Generator)
Tunnel Size: $1350 \times 180 \times 380$ mm
Max Packing Size: $\Phi 120 \times 350H$ mm
Speed: 0-10 m/min (5,000–15,000 bottles/hour)
Best For:
High-End Products: Premium beverages or cosmetics requiring a flawless, “painted-on” look.
Irregular Shapes: Bottles with complex curves or non-standard shapes that require precise heat application.
High Volume Production: Suitable for faster production lines needing consistent quality.
BSS Series Tunnels
Series Advantages:
Universal Application: Widely used across food, beverage, pharmacy, and cosmetic industries for standard packaging needs (glass, plastic, paper cups).
Cost-Effective & Compact: Generally more affordable and compact than steam systems, making them ideal for standard production lines.
Targeted Design: Different models in this series are specialized for specific tasks (e.g., full-body sleeves vs. neck banding), allowing buyers to choose the exact tool for the job.
Ease of Use: Features adjustable conveyor speeds and tunnel heights (on specific models) for straightforward operation and maintenance.
Key Specs:
Power: 9 KW
Tunnel Size: $1000 \times 150 \times 380$ mm
Max Packing Size: $\Phi 105 \times 350H$ mm
Speed: 0-10 m/min
Best For:
Enhanced Full-Body Shrinking: Features a longer tunnel (1000mm) compared to the ‘D’ model (800mm).
Quality & Speed: The longer heat zone allows for more gradual and thorough heating, resulting in a better finish at higher conveyor speeds for standard-sized bottles ($\Phi 105$mm).
Key Specs:
Power: 6 KW (Lowest energy consumption)
Tunnel Size: $1000 \times 150 \times 150$ mm (Low height)
Max Packing Size: $\Phi 105 \times 350H$ mm
Speed: 0-10 m/min
Best For:
Neck Banding & Cap Sealing: Specifically designed with a low tunnel height (150mm) to concentrate heat on the top of the bottle.
Tamper-Evident Seals: Ideal for shrinking safety seals on jars, bottles, and cups without wasting energy heating the entire container body.
Key Specs:
Power: 8 KW
Tunnel Size: $800 \times 200 \times 400$ mm
Max Packing Size: $\Phi 160 \times 350H$ mm
Speed: 0-10 m/min
Best For:
Large Diameter Containers: Handles the widest bottles in the list (up to 160mm), such as large water jugs or bulk food jars.
Standard Full-Body Sleeves: The reliable choice for standard sleeve labeling on larger products.
From Blueprint to Production: Our Workflow
We don’t just sell machines; we engineer the shrinking process.
Bottle Analysis
Send us your bottle & label samples. We analyze the geometry to determine the required steam zoning.
Lab Testing
Manufacturing
FAT (Factory Acceptance)
You (or a 3rd party) verify the machine running at full speed via video call or on-site visit.
Global Install
We ship securely. Our engineers are available for overseas setup and staff training.
See Our Machines in Action
Watch how our ZBS-83A handles irregular curved bottles with zero distortion
Machine running at 250 BPM with PETG shrink film.
Technology Comparison: Steam vs. Electric
Choosing the right technology for your material (PVC/PETG/OPS).
| Feature | Steam Shrink (ZBS Series) | Electric Heat (BSS Series) |
|---|---|---|
| Shrink Quality | Perfect. Uniform heat envelops the bottle. No distortion on curves. | Good for simple shapes. Can cause uneven shrinkage on complex curves. |
| Suitable Materials | All types (PVC, PETG, OPS, PLA). Especially good for high-shrinkage PETG. | Primarily PVC. PETG may wrinkle due to high heat sensitivity. |
| Energy Source | Requires Water + Electricity (to generate steam). | Electricity only. |
| Cost | Higher initial investment (Machine + Generator). | Lower initial cost. Simple setup. |
| Best Application | High-End Products: Beverages, Cosmetics, Full-body sleeves. | Safety Seals: Neck bands, Cap seals, Pharmaceutical tamper-evidence. |
Success Stories (Case Studies)
Answers from our technical team.
Challenge: New curved juice bottle had 20% reject rate with old heat tunnel.
Solution: Installed ZBS-83A Steam Tunnel.
Result: “Zero distortion labels and increased speed by 40%. The ALF engineer stayed for 3 days to train our staff.”
zevia Drinks USA
Challenge: Needed high-speed tamper bands for pharma line.
Result: “The BSS-1538D was easy to integrate. John from ALF provided excellent video support during setup.”
DoughGirl UK
Engineering FAQ
Answers from our technical team.
🔧 Technical Questions
Water spots occur when wet steam hits the bottle. The ZBS series includes a Steam-Water Separator at the inlet to ensure “dry steam.” Additionally, we recommend maintaining stable boiler pressure (0.3MPa) to prevent condensation surges.
📦 Shipping & Service
Technical Reviewer
Chen Wei (Senior Packaging Engineer)
With over 10 years at ALF Equipment, John specializes in thermodynamics for packaging machinery. He has overseen 300+ steam tunnel installations across 40 countries. He is a member of the PMMI engineering council and frequently writes about sustainable packaging materials (PLA/PETG).
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