Modelling of flow, heat and thermal deformations to understand and optimize the performance of a hot air side sealer machine
(2026) MMKM05 20261Innovation
- Abstract
- In this master’s thesis work, numerical simulation tools- computational fluid dynamics
(CFD) and finite element method (FEM)- are used to predict the flow, the
temperature field and the deformations within a machine for sealing the vertical seam
of a carton package. The blank- the packaging material folded as a U-shape- is fed
into the machine- the side sealer- where hot air is blown toward both edges of the
blank. The purpose is to melt the polymer layer at the heated edges. Later the edges
are folded onto each other, resulting in a sealed sleeve.
The process in the side sealer can lead to overheat on machine parts, malfunction
and therefore decrease of the throughput of the complete production line. In this
thesis numerical... (More) - In this master’s thesis work, numerical simulation tools- computational fluid dynamics
(CFD) and finite element method (FEM)- are used to predict the flow, the
temperature field and the deformations within a machine for sealing the vertical seam
of a carton package. The blank- the packaging material folded as a U-shape- is fed
into the machine- the side sealer- where hot air is blown toward both edges of the
blank. The purpose is to melt the polymer layer at the heated edges. Later the edges
are folded onto each other, resulting in a sealed sleeve.
The process in the side sealer can lead to overheat on machine parts, malfunction
and therefore decrease of the throughput of the complete production line. In this
thesis numerical simulations were used to identify the critical thermal deformations
of the side sealer parts and understand the root cause. Thereafter multiple concepts
were generated and the simulations results showed their impacts on the side sealer
performance.
In this work, we used a product development methodology, in which numerical simulations
are used to develop and validate potential concepts. In total, three concepts
were implemented, simulated and analyzed. The first concept is to make small cuts in
certain regions, where large magnitudes of thermal deformation were observed. The
second concept delved into a potential material change, to use aluminum instead of
the typical stainless steel. The last concept is a classic engineering solution, adding
beams to reinforce the identified problematic areas. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- I detta examensarbete, numeriska simuleringsverktyg- CFD och FEM- användes för
att beräkna flödet, temperaturfältet och de termiska deformationerna inuti en maskin
för försegling av den vertikala kanten av en kartongförpackning. Arket- förpackningsmaterialet
har en U-form- matas in i maskinen- side sealer- där varm luft blåses
mot båda kanterna av arket. Syftet är att smälta polymer lagret på kanterna. Därefter
viks kanterna mot varandra, detta resulterar till en kapsel.
Denna processen i side sealer kan leda till överhettning av maskin komponenter och
därmed minska den totala produktionen. I detta examensarbetet har numeriska simuleringar
använts för att identifiera de kritiska termiska deformationer av side sealer
... (More) - I detta examensarbete, numeriska simuleringsverktyg- CFD och FEM- användes för
att beräkna flödet, temperaturfältet och de termiska deformationerna inuti en maskin
för försegling av den vertikala kanten av en kartongförpackning. Arket- förpackningsmaterialet
har en U-form- matas in i maskinen- side sealer- där varm luft blåses
mot båda kanterna av arket. Syftet är att smälta polymer lagret på kanterna. Därefter
viks kanterna mot varandra, detta resulterar till en kapsel.
Denna processen i side sealer kan leda till överhettning av maskin komponenter och
därmed minska den totala produktionen. I detta examensarbetet har numeriska simuleringar
använts för att identifiera de kritiska termiska deformationer av side sealer
komponenter och förstå grundorsaken. Därefter utvecklades flera koncept och simulerings
resultaten visade deras påverkan på maskinens prestation.
I detta arbete, använde vi en produktutvecklingsmetod, där numeriska simuleringar
används för att utveckla och validera koncept. Totalt, tre stycken koncept implementerades,
simulerades och analyserades. Det första konceptet är att införa små
genomskärningar i vissa regioner, där de högsta termiska deformationer observerades.
Det andra konceptet undersökte ett potentiellt materialbyte, att använda aluminium
istället för den typiska rostfritt stål. Det sista konceptet är en klassisk ingenjörslösning,
att tillägga balkar för att förstärka identifierade problematiska områden. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9243909
- author
- Karlsson, Mikael LU
- supervisor
-
- Axel Nordin LU
- organization
- course
- MMKM05 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Computational fluid dynamics, Finite element method, Simulations, Product development, Side sealer, CFD, FEM, Simulering, Producktutvecklingsmetod
- language
- English
- id
- 9243909
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-25 10:21:45
- date last changed
- 2026-06-25 10:21:45
@misc{9243909,
abstract = {{In this master’s thesis work, numerical simulation tools- computational fluid dynamics
(CFD) and finite element method (FEM)- are used to predict the flow, the
temperature field and the deformations within a machine for sealing the vertical seam
of a carton package. The blank- the packaging material folded as a U-shape- is fed
into the machine- the side sealer- where hot air is blown toward both edges of the
blank. The purpose is to melt the polymer layer at the heated edges. Later the edges
are folded onto each other, resulting in a sealed sleeve.
The process in the side sealer can lead to overheat on machine parts, malfunction
and therefore decrease of the throughput of the complete production line. In this
thesis numerical simulations were used to identify the critical thermal deformations
of the side sealer parts and understand the root cause. Thereafter multiple concepts
were generated and the simulations results showed their impacts on the side sealer
performance.
In this work, we used a product development methodology, in which numerical simulations
are used to develop and validate potential concepts. In total, three concepts
were implemented, simulated and analyzed. The first concept is to make small cuts in
certain regions, where large magnitudes of thermal deformation were observed. The
second concept delved into a potential material change, to use aluminum instead of
the typical stainless steel. The last concept is a classic engineering solution, adding
beams to reinforce the identified problematic areas.}},
author = {{Karlsson, Mikael}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Modelling of flow, heat and thermal deformations to understand and optimize the performance of a hot air side sealer machine}},
year = {{2026}},
}