What are the differences between mechanical drilling, roller needle drilling and laser drilling?

Food packaging determines the extent of food waste. Packaging uses mechanical punching, roller needle punching and laser punching to extend the shelf life and freshness of products. Different punching methods have different effects on extending the shelf life of products. Laser punching is a microporous gas-regulated packaging design that is more effective in extending the shelf life of products.

Below we will compare mechanical perforation, roller needle perforation and laser perforation:

1. Mechanical perforation

These holes are made by mechanically punching through the film, and the commonly used hole diameters are 3 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm or 10 mm.

Mechanical perforation is widely used in packaging fresh fruit and vegetable products, including films and bags. Mainly used for packaging products such as potatoes and carrots

The large holes allow the product to breathe, ensuring that the food is more effectively preserved throughout the distribution and retail display process.

2. Roller Needle Perforation

These holes are made by a series of hot needles. Usually they are 1-2 mm in size and can be made into rows of holes.

Microperforations are most commonly used for packaging fresh baked goods and pies, and are also commonly used to package cereals, dry pasta, bulk beans and vegetable products.

Microperforations allow excess water to escape, thus extending the shelf life of the product. If vegetables or cereals can stay fresher longer, suppliers can reduce waste and consumers can store them for longer periods of time.

3. Laser punching

Laser PerforationsMade by laser. The size and position of the holes on the package can be customized. The hole size can range from 80渭m to 160渭m.

Laser perforations can be used to design gas-regulated packaging to control the gas composition in the package. Ideal for fresh produce including but not limited to pre-cut vegetable mixes and salad mixes. It is also suitable for fresh produce with a short shelf life, such as berries. State-of-the-art controlled laser systems with CCD can create micro-perforations with the highest precision and consistency.