We tend to focus on bags, after all filling bags with your product is the reason you have a VFFS machine in the first place, but you can’t get a proper bag if you don’t have your film roll set up right. Your bags will hit problems.
1. Film eye mark error
If the PEC does not detect a print registration mark within the time set for Timer ‘PEC Scan Time’ the machine will stop and the ‘Print Marker Missed’ message will be displayed.
Possible causes:
•Dirty registration photo-eye sensor lens
•Film is too shiny or reflective*
•Optical probe of registration photo-eye is in a bad position
•The film has been spliced
•The registration photo eye sensor is out of place
•Pull belts slipping
*There needs to be a clear contrast between the mark and the background colour of the film.
2. Film Not Feeding Properly
Film not feeding properly through the machine.
Possible causes:
•Registration photo-eye did not see registration mark on film
•Pull belts slipping
•Film is broken or spliced
•Splice table clamps are down
3. Tracking problems
Film is not lining up properly as it is fed through the machine.
Possible causes:
•Film is not centred on air shaft
•Film is not webbed up properly
•Rollers and dancer levels are parallel
•Film is loose on one side and tight on the other
•Splice table clamps down
•Rollers not spinning freely
•Auto film tracking not working
•Damage to Forming tube or poor installation
•Splice tape stuck in forming tube
•Pull belts not set up properly
•Dirty brake roller
Make sure the film carriage moves freely and check all wiring, relays, and power to the motor.
4. Film unwind fault
Film unwind is not working, which can cause the film web to snap.
Possible causes:
•Film coefficient of friction is too high
•Low or no film
•Film is not webbed up correctly
•Splice table clamps down
•Dancer not set up properly
•Bad cables or sensors
•Film is damaged, rough, or torn
•Film unwind brake is improperly set
5. Bad vertical/cross seals
Error causes inadequate package seals.
Possible causes:
•Incorrect heat seal bar temperature
•Seal bar misalignment
•Incorrect seal bar spring tension
•Forming tube misalignment
•Surface of seal jaws dirty
•Damaged seal jaws
