Impulse Heat Sealing Bag Ports: Flange Ports and Boat Ports
Sealing bag ports into flexible film
Sealing bag ports requires custom tooling also known as a heat seal platen which accommodates a specific port shape. Several different port designs are available including circular flange ports or boat ports.
Flange ports
Flange ports are designed to be heat welded into one film layer of a bag offering a way to transfer media through the bag. Nordson Medical manufactures several versions of flange bag ports. To install a flange port, a hole must be created to provide access so the port can be installed and heat sealed. The hole can be pre cut into film through various means. One way is to utilize a hole cutting device such as the Soft Punch manufactured by Canopy Design Group.
Boat ports are another version of a bag port
Instead of sealing to one layer of the bag, a boat port is sealed in between two layers of film at the bag edge. Boat bag ports typically have a barbed port fitting or multiple barbs to allow access through the bag. Qosina offers versions of bag boat ports. One critical heat sealing factor to consider is if the port has enough structure to support itself under heat and pressure. If the port incorporates larger cavities, the port could collapse creating undesirable heat seals.
This effect can be circumvented by utilizing a mandrel to support the port structure. Incorporating a mandrel may necessitate specific manufacturing steps so the mandrel can be removed from the bag after heat sealing. Boat ports are typically a better solution versus sealing a tube directly between two layers of film, which is possible but can be more challenging due to the geometries involved.
Bag flange ports and bag boat ports are used across several industries
PackworldUSA's core customer base is within the life science industries and these ports are used in various applications. Large formate 3D single use bio-reactor bags, cell culturing bags, and ostomy bags are a few examples.
