See What’s Possible in Packaging & Processing @ PACK EXPO International
See packaging & processing solutions from 2,600 exhibitors and gain insights from 150+ free educational sessions at PACK EXPO International.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Create a free Packaging World account to continue reading

Understanding film manufacturing techniques

Conceptually, making a thin polymer film is an easy proposition—just melt one or more polymers, force the melt through a long, narrow opening, freeze the extruded melt into a solid film, and wind it into a roll.

Like most important things, there is a rich and extremely varied menu of material and process variables that offer the opportunity to create widely differing useful films. The opportunities, and the devils, are in those variables.

Setting aside material for the moment, there are four film-making processes, each with their own pros and cons:

• Extrusion
• Cast film
• Air-cooled blown film
• Water quench blown film

Download “Understanding film manufacturing techniques” a full primer on these processes.

Liked this article? Download the entire playbook here.

Co-packers: the competitive gap is widening
Brands want more than low bids. See what automation, services, and sustainability mean for CM/CPs in 2026.
Read More
Co-packers: the competitive gap is widening
Discover How to Stay Ahead of the Competition at PACK EXPO International
See new solutions from 2,600 exhibitors. Gain insights from 150+ free educational sessions. From automation & robotics to real-time data insights, find the tech for your company’s future at North America’s largest packaging & processing event.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE
Discover How to Stay Ahead of the Competition at PACK EXPO International