Pack rolling is a process used to produce multiple sheets of thin film simultaneously, with advantages including the ability to use conventional rolling equipment and increased tenacity. The process is commonly used to produce aluminum foil for various industries and results in a shiny and dull appearance on either side. Raw sheets must be oiled before lamination and are annealed or heated to remove excess lubricants.
Pack rolling is a sheet metal fabrication process used to produce multiple sheets of thin film at once. The process has several advantages including not requiring the usual small size of rolls due to the increase in the initial stock “pack” thickness. This allows the use of conventional rolling equipment and has no negative effect on the finished product. The process typically produces aluminum foil for lithographic printing, food packaging, and the electronics industry. Rolled papers have a distinctive look with one side being glossy and the other side having a matte finish.
Sheet metal is produced by rolling sheet metal ingots through rollers with progressively smaller tolerances. Once a suitable thickness has been achieved, the sheets are passed through sheet mills to produce the required finished thickness. Sheets are classified as sheets of metal thinner than 0.0079 inch (200 µm). The most common of these sheets is aluminum foil, which is used extensively in a wide variety of applications. Aluminum foil is often produced by an alternative process known as pack rolling.
This process has several advantages over more conventional sheet lamination techniques which require specialized equipment. These film mills are specially configured to produce the thinnest sheets and feature smaller and more expensive rolls. The single layer foils produced on these machines are difficult to work with and tend to tear. The process of rolling up single sheets is also quite slow. These issues are all resolved using the package rolling process.
Rolling the pack involves feeding multiple sheets of material through the roll at the same time. This effectively increases the initial stock thickness and eliminates the need for small rolls. The extruded product is also more tenacious due to its greater thickness; it is also less prone to tearing, thus allowing for higher rolling speeds and better production speeds. This process gives the rolled aluminum foil its characteristic shiny appearance on one side and dull on the other. This is caused by the surfaces in contact with the rollers being polished to a brilliant sheen while those in contact with the foil remain dull.
Pack lamination requires that the raw sheets be oiled before lamination. For non-food grade sheets, a kerosene-based lubricant is sprayed on the sheets while food grade sheet is sprayed with an industry-approved lubricant. The sheets become hard during lamination and are annealed or heated to soften them after the pack is laminated. This heating burns away any excess lubricants from the film and leaves a dry surface.
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