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What is an Impulse Sealer?

Impulse sealers are possibly the most common type of bag sealers. They are able to seal a wide variety of bags, but most often seal polyethylene which is seen most commonly as Ziploc bags or any type of freezer bag.

Impulse sealers use an impulse of electricity to heat a metal wire which melts one side of the bag to the other. The impulse lasts one to two seconds however the sealer should be held closed for twice the length of the impulse. This allows for the freshly sealed bag to congeal creating a stronger seal. For example, if the impulse time is only one second, the heat sealer should be held down for two seconds.

Impulse sealers come in a wide variety of seal lengths and widths to accommodate your sealing needs. Lengths are usually between 4 to 24 inches and thicknesses come between 2mm and 10mm, 2 and 5mm being the most popular. Even though the length of a seal may be a certain number, we recommend that the length of the bag used be 2 inches shorter; this will give you an inch on each side, ensuring that your bag will have a full, secure seal. Also, the thicker the width of the seal, the thicker the bag can be to be sealed. A 2mm seal width will seal a bag up to 6mil thick, whereas a 5mm sealer seals an 8mil bag, and a 10mm seal can handle bags up to 20mil in thickness.

There are also double impulse sealer options. Double impulse simply means that there are two heat conducting devices on the sealer, one on the top and one on the bottom. This melts both sides of the bag to each other. On double impulse sealers, you have the option of using one or both of the sealing devices. Using both devices allows you to seal much thicker bags. Where a single impulse sealer of a 5mm width will seal an 8mil bag, a double impulse sealer of the same width will seal a bag of 20mil.

At Boatman Marking, we also offer a variety of impulse sealer models with attached cutters. These models are most often used for creating and sealing bags of poly tubing. Poly tubing comes in unsealed roles and allows the user to create bags of different lengths. The user usually measures out the needed length first, creates a seal, and makes a cut using the sliding cutter behind the seal.

Hear at Boatman Marking, we offer a wide array of impulse heat sealers of different widths, lengths and capabilities. We hope that we are able to provide for your sealing needs.
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