Watttron’s patented digital heating system delivers several significant advantages — it enhances sealing consistency for mono-material recyclable packaging, achieves energy savings of up to 50%, and compensates for productivity losses of up to 30%. Impressively, this innovation offers a return on investment in just six months.
In the past year, Germany-based digital heat-sealing start-up Watttron has secured retrofit packaging contracts across four diverse industries — dairy, pet food, beverage, and pharmaceutical — utilizing its patented cera2seal solution.
By providing up to 50% improvement in energy efficiency, the cera2seal system employs targeted, precise temperatures that seal complex packaging shapes and mono-materials suitable for recyclable packaging.
“Winning these contracts across various sectors, from lids for dairy spreads to contact lens seals and pet food packaging, highlights the increasing demand for a digital sealing solution. This not only achieves significant energy savings but also ensures precise sealing to prevent leaks and contamination, contributing to sustainability, higher quality, and reduced waste,” states Dr. Sascha Bach, Chief Technology Officer at Watttron.
The retrofitting contracts, awarded by major consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, have facilitated collaborations with packaging machinery manufacturers, including Volpak, Mespack, and RA Jones. Watttron’s digital sealing solution is anticipated to be integrated into machinery lines.
This targeted temperature control enables energy savings of up to 50% compared to conventional methods, which function like a hot iron with only one consistent temperature setting, resulting in unnecessary heat wastage. The precision application of heat solely to the necessary areas of the sealing surface enables substantial energy efficiencies.
“We also anticipate approximately 30% compensation for productivity losses. Our precise process minimizes both product and packaging waste, as well as labor costs. The retrofit option could yield thousands of Euros in savings within just six months, contingent on production volume,” adds Bach.
While the cera2seal approach is applicable to all packaging types using digital sealing, its adaptable and precise temperature control is especially advantageous for mono-materials required for recyclability. Such materials have historically posed challenges for reliable bonding, potentially affecting manufacturers’ efficiency, productivity, and product quality.
From yogurt pot lids and coffee pods to zipper seals for pet food, Watttron’s patented cera2seal solution features multiple heating pixels, each equipped with independent temperature control. This configuration provides the optimal heat needed for reliable, durable bonding, accommodating a variety of packaging shapes, including round, square, or polygonal designs.
“In food packaging, especially dairy, it is crucial to manage moisture effectively to maintain product quality. Achieving this consistently with existing methods can be challenging. The cera2seal system reliably seals peelable, flexible lids to the rims of rigid plastic containers, thus benefiting perishable goods with a strong emphasis on food safety,” explains Bach, one of the cera2seal inventors.
Chocolate, being sensitive to heat, requires careful handling during sealing. Thanks to Watttron’s targeted digital heating process, neither the machine, the packaging, nor the product is subjected to residual heat, ensuring the chocolate retains its properties and minimizing waste during manufacturing.
“We developed cera2seal to ensure uniform bonding by delivering heat at the required temperature precisely where it is needed. For mono-materials with narrow processing windows, it is essential to maintain specific temperatures to achieve strong bonding without the typical fluctuations of around 10 degrees Celsius observed with standard heating tools,” Bach emphasizes.
Positioned near the contact surface, up to 16 heating pixels, each with an integrated temperature sensor, supply the necessary heat for sealing. These compact pixels measure only a few millimeters and are arranged in bars ranging from 12 to 32 centimeters long.
The system offers temperature capabilities of up to 250 degrees Celsius and continuously monitors at 100 times per second, achieving heating rates of up to 50 K/second and a power capacity of up to 200 Watts per square centimeter. “This level of temperature control has been unattainable until now,” Bach adds.
Manufacturers can program the cera2seal tool to target specific sealing areas, allowing for creative packaging designs, including unique geometrical shapes. The innovative cera2seal holds three patents covering both the system design and the sealing method.
Watttron will showcase its cera2seal solution at the Fachpack exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany, from September 24-26 at stand 322 in hall 2.
