FAQ
Can you perforate customer-supplied material?
Yes. Perftech provides toll perforation services for customers who supply their own film, paper, nonwoven or other flexible substrate. We can perforate the material to the required specification and provide slitting and rewinding when needed. This allows customers to incorporate Perftech’s perforation capabilities into their existing supply chain without changing their material supplier.
What materials and flexible substrates can you perforate?
Perftech can perforate a wide variety of flexible films, papers and other roll-fed substrates. Common materials include polypropylene (PP and OPP), polyethylene (PE), polyester (PET), nylon, nonwovens, paper, laminations and other specialty materials. The best perforation technology depends on the material, construction and requirements of the application. Capabilities
How wide can you perforate?
Perftech’s perforation capabilities vary by technology and equipment. Our hot needle perforation equipment can accommodate web widths up to 80 inches. Depending on the technology, perforation can be applied across the full web width or in specific lanes or zones to meet the requirements of the application.
How thin or thick of a substrate can you perforate?
Depending on the material and perforation technology, Perftech can typically perforate flexible substrates ranging from approximately 16 gauge (0.16 mil / 4 µm) to 5 mil (125 µm). Material construction and the requirements of the application can also affect the suitable thickness range.
How small or large can you make the perforations?
Perftech can produce perforations ranging from approximately 80 to 1,600 microns in diameter, depending on the material, perforation technology and available tooling. For applications requiring a hole size or pattern not available in our existing tooling inventory, custom tooling can be fabricated.
Can you perforate in registration?
Yes. Perftech’s laser technology can use printed registration marks to precisely position perforations in relation to the package graphics. This allows holes, scores or perforated zones to be placed consistently in the same location on each printed package across the web. Registered perforation is a laser capability; hot needle perforation can instead be configured in continuous strips or lanes in the machine direction.
Can you perforate printed film or other printed substrates?
Yes. Perftech can perforate many printed flexible films and other printed substrates, depending on the material and perforation technology. When precise placement relative to the printed graphics is required, our laser perforation technology can register to the print and position the perforations consistently on each package.
How do I know which perforation technology is right for my application?
You don’t need to determine the perforation technology before contacting Perftech. Our team can evaluate your material, application and performance requirements and recommend the most appropriate approach. Factors such as substrate construction, perforation size, pattern, density, web width, registration requirements and the intended function of the perforation can all influence whether laser, hot needle, cold needle or thermal perforation is the best solution.
Can you perforate only specific areas of the web?
Yes. Depending on the perforation technology, Perftech can control where perforations are placed across the web. Laser perforation can be used to create perforations in specific zones or locations, including patterns registered to printed packaging. Hot needle perforation can be configured in continuous strips or lanes running in the machine direction.
Can Perftech help determine the perforation pattern I need?
Yes. Perftech can work with customers to develop and evaluate perforation patterns based on the material, application and desired performance. For fresh produce packaging, we can help determine the required oxygen transmission rate (OTR) for the product and develop a perforation solution to achieve the desired package performance. We can also assist with product development and testing, establish appropriate perforation parameters, and scale a successful solution from initial trials through commercial production.
Can Perftech supply the material and manage the entire converting process?
Yes. In addition to toll perforation of customer-supplied materials, Perftech can provide complete turnkey converting solutions. We can source materials and coordinate services such as printing, laminating, perforation, slitting, pouch making and other converting operations through our network of trusted suppliers. Perftech can manage the supply chain from raw material through finished production, giving customers a single point of contact for the project.
Can Perftech run trials before commercial production?
Yes. For new products and applications, Perftech prefers to conduct trials before moving into commercial production. Customers can supply smaller rolls of material for trial runs, allowing us to develop and evaluate the perforation process and establish appropriate parameters. The customer can then evaluate the performance of the perforated material in their actual application before the product is scaled up to full commercial production.
How does Perftech ensure consistent perforation quality?
Perftech takes a retain sample from every finished roll. Perforations are inspected under a microscope, hole sizes are measured, and average measurements are recorded in our Statistical Process Control (SPC) system to monitor consistency and production trends. Additional testing, such as Gurley airflow testing, can be performed when required by the customer’s application or specification.
Can Perftech provide samples of perforated materials?
Yes. Perftech can provide representative samples to demonstrate different perforation patterns and allow customers to see the appearance of the finished perforations. For application development and performance evaluation, however, we recommend running a trial using the customer’s actual material whenever possible, since different substrates and material constructions can respond differently to perforation.
What are Perftech’s typical lead times for perforation projects?
Typical production lead times are approximately 2–3 weeks from receipt of the customer’s material. Lead times can vary depending on the perforation technology, project requirements, production volume and current scheduling. For new applications, trial and development work may be required before the project moves into commercial production.
