Additives: The Basics
John P. Heaton, Flex-Pack Engineering, Inc.
Though commonly overlooked, additives are an extremely important part of film and packaging design/function. They are often responsible for many specialty performance characteristics of the substrates that we use every day. Without additives, our packaging would not be capable of keeping our food fresh, protecting the contents from harmful UV rays, running smoothly on high-speed equipment, stacking neatly and cleanly in a display, or simply looking more aesthetically pleasing.
This presentation gives a practical introductory overview of many additive families, explaining the characteristics of those additives, their purpose, and how they can be used to enhance or provide physical attributes necessary for proper packaging design and use.