About Vacuum Chamber Sealer and Its Working
A lot of times people get confused about the working of a vacuum chamber machine. What happens inside the chamber is not what you experience in front of the eyes. The air is pumped out of the chamber and the vacuum bag to see the product getting compressed. In this blog, we will show you this through an example. Quite often a vacuum chamber machine is used to vacuum pack food products. But even the non-food products can be vacuum-packed.
It involves three steps such as:
Vacuum Extraction
Put the product in a vacuum bag and position the end of the bag on the seal bar. If your product does not have height, use the ins, use the insert plates for the correct positioning of the bag on the seal bar and a faster vacuum cycle. When your vacuum chamber machine loses the lid of the machine, the pump starts to extract the air out of the vacuum chamber. The entire chamber will get under vacuum, so the pressure inside the vacuum bag and in the chamber remains equal. Vacumatic offers different systems to control the vacuum percentage you would need for specific items.
Sealing of Vacuum Bag
In this step, you can see that the sealing bar and the contra bar are being closed. When they are closed, the sealing wires are heated to melt the layers of the bag. After a few seconds, the bars reopen again. Multiple seal configurations are possible for various sizes and types of bags. Our machines are equipped with double seal wires which we use to close the bags. Cut-off seal and wide seal are free options on our vacuum chamber machines.
Aeration of the Chamber
The last step is the decompression of a vacuum chamber. You can use soft air for a slow decompression of fragile or sharp products. The full decompression goes fast. Lastly, you can see the vacuum with your eyes as the pressure in the chamber and inside the bag is different.
How to Choose Vacuum Chamber Machine?
If you are in the market for a vacuum sealer, you may be asking yourself questions such as – Do I need a chamber sealer? What is the difference between dry pumps and oil pumps? What kind of vacuum bags do I require? and What features are important? In this blog, we will break everything down for your convenience.
Edge Sealers Vs Chamber Sealers
Vacuum chamber machines fall into two main categories such as:
- Edge Sealers
- Chamber Sealers
Edge sealers can be a good choice for beginners who want to vacuum seal at home. These are simple to use and more affordable than a chamber vacuum sealer. Be aware. Even though the upfront cost is significantly less than that of a chamber vacuum sealer, the units require special bags with air channels that are expensive than the chamber bags.
It is not possible to use chamber vacuum bags with edge sealers. The air channels allow the sealer to pull air out around the bag, squeezing the air out. The challenge is that such action squeezes out liquids in the bag as well as any surface moisture on the food. This can make a poor seal. The best practice to avoid is to use a bag that is longer than you think you have to give the moisture some extra space and ensure a good seal.
The vacuum chamber sealers come in different shapes and sizes, fit all kinds of use cases, and are also priced across a wide range of price points.
While considering a chamber vacuum sealer, it is most important to decide the type of pump that will prove to be right for you.
Chamber vacuum sealers with a dry piston pump make an excellent choice for the weekend warriors. If you are considering vacuum sealing moist foods and liquids with some frequency, but you are not ready for the regular maintenance tasks that are involved with owning an oil pump, this is the unit that is right. If you are a professional or you are finding yourself sealing multiple packages back-to-back such as sausage makers, hunters, bulk buyers, then an oil-based system will be right for you. An oil pump offers faster vacuum cycles, getting the job done almost 50% faster, quieter operations, enhanced vacuum capabilities like soft air return, infusion, extraction, marination, and greater longevity of the appliance with regular maintenance and care.
Maintenance of Vacuum Sealer
This is where edge sealers and dry pump chambers shine brightly. Both require almost no regular maintenance except surface-level cleaning.
Occasionally you may wear out a gasket or burn through seal bar tape. With dry pump vacuum sealers, these consumables can be replaced easily without the help of tools.
Just swap the new part for the old part and you will be good to go.
Oil pumps require regular oil changes to flush out the contaminants that might have been sucked into the pump during vacuum. This will also help in removing moisture which might have accumulated in the pump over time. As the pressure in the vacuum chamber falls, so does the boiling point of the liquids in the chamber, even surface moisture.
The moisture will evaporate and re-condense in the pump. Just because oil floats on water, the moisture will collect in the bottom of the pump and finally corrode it. The vacuum infusion chamber features a unique pump that has been internally coated to resist corrosion. This even has an auto-sensing oil health system which will prompt the user to run a regular cleansing cycle. It will also alert them when changing oil becomes important. This will evaporate off the moisture in the pump, therefore, extending the life of the oil. If your unit does not have the above-mentioned feature, we recommend changing the oil on a monthly basis and the oil filter in 6 months. Oil pumps usually have a sight glass which allows you to see the condition of the oil. Whenever it looks murky, just change it.
The number one failure of oil pump vacuum sealers is due to insufficient oil maintenance.
The seal bar of a chamber vacuum machine comprises a number of consumables such as seal wire, possibly trimming wire, and heat resistant Teflon tape.
It is important to replace the wire when it gets dark or discolored or when the seal performance declines. If the seal bar timing sets too high, you can even burn through the tape.
The wires and tape will get worn out over time and must be replaced.
Whether you need a vacuum chamber machine for domestic use or you need it for a large-scale commercial purpose, reach out to Vacumatic. We deal in manufacturing custom-built vacuum chamber machines. For any query related to the machines, contact us.