BOPP/BOPET Extrusion Lines

BOPP (Biaxially oriented polypropylene) and BOPET (Biaxially oriented polyester) films are the most common supports used in the food packaging and printing. BOPET is more stable through printing and laminating processes than BOPP and is often preferred where high-quality graphics are required.

These plastic films are produced in tender-frame lines where the material (PP or PET) is melted through a flat extrusion die (T-die) and solidified onto a cooled roller. The material is then stretched in the machine direction in an MDO and then in the transverse direction in a TDO. Solid-phase orientation processes create very significant changes in film properties that can be quite valuable in packaging structures. These changes permit films that are lighter weight and thinner than standard blown or cast films to satisfy performance needs by generating significant increases in such properties as tensile strength, toughness, heat stability, tear initiation resistance, and barrier.