Does Your Product Need a Hermetic Seal?

A hermetic seal provides an impenetrable barrier that protects the contents of plastic or glass containers, jars, bottles, pouches, and other packaging against dust, dirt, debris, bacteria, contamination, oxidation, and spoilage. 

These seals provide an extra layer of security while ensuring chemicals, aerosols, liquids, gasses, sludges, metals, and other contents are properly secured and protected.

Within integrated supply chains, a broken, torn, or ripped seal is the first and all-important warning sign that a given batch or shipment might need to be taken back. For consumers, a broken seal signals that the product should not be used or consumed. 

Typical Applications

Foil Sealed container

You would be hard-pressed to find an industry that doesn’t require hermetic sealing due to existing government regulations and/or industry-specific guidelines. Any commercial, consumer, or industrial product that needs protection against the outside elements or must be properly sealed to protect users will invariably use a hermetic seal.

The most widely recognized applications for hermetic seals include food and beverage, medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics. However, while hermetic sealing is most often associated with consumer goods, other far-reaching industrial and commercial applications exist.

Semiconductors, integrated circuit boards, sensors, microchips, switches, and other critical electronic components benefit from being stored and protected in hermetically sealed packaging. Chemicals, petrochemicals, and industrial and commercial aerosols are also examples of contents that should be adequately protected and sealed before use.

Considerations for Hermetic Sealing

When considering hermetic seals for your products, the decision ultimately comes down to whether you need to protect the contents of your container or protect the people who use and interact with the contents in the container. Here are some questions to consider:

  • Is the product sensitive to external conditions/perishable? This is a critical consideration for food and confectionery items where contents can develop microbial or bacterial growth if exposed to the outside elements for extended periods.
  • Will the product degrade if exposed to oxygen or moisture? Oxygen and moisture exposure is often a concern for certain chemicals, which can degrade when exposed to oxygen once the seal is broken.
  • Do health regulations require you to hermetically seal your product? Government regulations and laws typically define specific industrial, consumer, and commercial products and contents that must be hermetically sealed to protect the public good.
  • Do industry quality standards require you to hermetically seal your product? It’s common for industry-specific guidelines, accreditations, and certifications to require hermetically sealed goods and products.
  • Will the product be stored for a long time? A product’s shelf life before use is an important consideration for using hermetic seals. If it will be stored for an extended period, it should be in a hermetically sealed container.

Contact IMS for High-Quality Sealing Solutions

IMS has been a trusted manufacturer of sealing equipment since 1993. We’re proud to be recognized for our exceptional customer service, innovative products, and cost-effective solutions. Our hermetic sealing solutions include manual bench top sealers, inverted punch and seal equipment, induction sealing equipment, and more. Please contact us today to learn more about our products, or visit our blog to view more resources on hermetic sealing.