WENZHOU BOJING PLASTIC MOULD CO., LTD.
WENZHOU BOJING PLASTIC MOULD CO., LTD.

Dual Lip Air Ring: Key to Uniform Film Thickness

Jun 11, 2025

Uniform film thickness is a critical factor in blown film extrusion, directly impacting the quality, strength, and functionality of plastic films used in packaging, agriculture, and industrial applications. Achieving consistent thickness requires precise control over the extrusion process, particularly in cooling and bubble stabilization. Dual lip air rings have become a pivotal technology in this regard, offering superior airflow management to ensure even film gauge. Bojing, a leading CNC machining specialist based in Wenzhou, China, crafts high-precision dual lip air ring components that optimize film production. This 1200-word SEO-optimized article explores how dual lip air rings ensure uniform film thickness and how Bojing’s expertise enhances their performance.

Understanding Blown Film Extrusion and Film Thickness Challenges

Blown film extrusion involves melting plastic resins, such as LDPE, HDPE, or PP, and extruding them through a circular die to form a thin tube. Air is blown into the tube to create a bubble, which is cooled and flattened into a continuous film. Uniform thickness, or gauge, is essential for ensuring film strength, clarity, and suitability for applications like food packaging or agricultural covers. Variations in thickness can lead to weak spots, poor printability, or material waste, increasing costs.

The air ring plays a crucial role in cooling the molten bubble and stabilizing its shape. Traditional single lip air rings often struggle with uneven airflow, causing bubble instability and gauge variations. Dual lip air rings address these issues with a two-stream airflow design, delivering precise cooling and stability. Bojing’s precision-machined components, as detailed on their products page, ensure these air rings perform reliably, achieving film thickness tolerances as tight as ±5%.

How Dual Lip Air Rings Ensure Uniform Film Thickness

Dual lip air rings feature two concentric air outlets: a primary lip for high-velocity cooling air and a secondary lip for lower-velocity stabilizing air. This design offers several advantages that directly contribute to consistent film thickness.

1. Precise Airflow Control

The primary lip delivers a focused, high-speed air stream to rapidly cool the molten bubble, solidifying it evenly. The secondary lip provides a gentler airflow curtain, reducing turbulence and maintaining bubble symmetry. This dual-action approach minimizes oscillations that can cause thickness variations, ensuring a uniform gauge across the film.

2. Enhanced Bubble Stability

Bubble instability, often caused by turbulent airflow, leads to uneven stretching and thickness inconsistencies. Dual lip air rings create a stable cooling environment, with the secondary airflow acting as a buffer to prevent bubble wobbling. This stability is critical for maintaining consistent film thickness, especially in high-speed production lines.

3. Optimized Cooling Efficiency

Uniform cooling is essential for consistent film solidification. Dual lip air rings distribute air evenly across the bubble’s surface, preventing hot spots that can cause localized thinning. This results in films with superior mechanical properties and gauge uniformity, ideal for demanding applications like barrier packaging.

4. Support for Multi-Layer Films

Multi-layer films, used for advanced packaging, require precise thickness control across multiple layers. Dual lip air rings, supported by Bojing’s precision components, ensure even cooling for each layer, maintaining consistent thickness ratios in films with up to 11 layers, as required for high-barrier applications.

Bojing’s Role in Crafting High-Performance Dual Lip Air Rings

Bojing’s advanced CNC machining capabilities, as highlighted on wenzhoubojing.com, make them a trusted supplier of dual lip air ring components. Their expertise in materials and precision manufacturing ensures these components deliver optimal performance.

Key Dual Lip Air Ring Components

Component

Material

Function

Bojing’s Contribution

Primary Lip Nozzle

Aluminum, Stainless Steel

High-velocity cooling air delivery

5-axis CNC milling for precise channels

Secondary Lip Nozzle

Aluminum

Stabilizing airflow for bubble control

Polished surfaces for smooth air distribution

Airflow Guides

Stainless Steel

Directs air for uniform cooling

Tolerances of ±0.005mm for accuracy

Mounting Frame

Aluminum, Titanium

Supports air ring alignment

Lightweight, durable, precision-machined

Precision Nozzles

Bojing uses 5-axis CNC milling to create primary and secondary lip nozzles with intricate airflow channels. Aluminum nozzles offer lightweight durability, while stainless steel options resist corrosion in humid environments. Their surface finishing services, including polishing, reduce air turbulence, ensuring even cooling and consistent film thickness.

Airflow Guides

Bojing’s airflow guides are machined to tolerances as tight as ±0.005mm, ensuring precise air distribution. Crafted from stainless steel, these components withstand wear and maintain performance, contributing to stable bubble formation and uniform gauge.

Mounting Frames

Bojing’s mounting frames, made from aluminum or titanium, provide robust support and precise alignment for air ring assemblies. Their CNC machining ensures seamless integration, critical for maintaining bubble stability in high-speed extrusion lines.

Quality Assurance

Bojing’s ISO 9001-certified quality control, as noted on their website, involves rigorous inspections using coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and laser scanners. This ensures every component meets exact specifications, delivering reliable performance for uniform film thickness.

Benefits of Bojing’s Dual Lip Air Ring Components

Bojing’s precision components amplify the advantages of dual lip air rings, delivering measurable benefits for film production:

  • Consistent Film Thickness: Precise airflow control ensures gauge uniformity within ±5%, reducing defects and waste.

  • Improved Film Quality: Even cooling enhances clarity and strength, ideal for packaging and agricultural films.

  • Higher Productivity: Optimized cooling supports extrusion speeds up to 100 mpm, increasing output without compromising quality.

  • Cost Savings: Durable components and reduced waste lower maintenance and material costs.

These benefits make Bojing’s components essential for manufacturers aiming to achieve high-quality, uniform films.

Applications of Dual Lip Air Rings

Dual lip air rings, enhanced by Bojing’s components, support a wide range of film applications, including:

  • Packaging: High-clarity films for food packaging, shrink wraps, and barrier films for extended shelf life.

  • Agriculture: Greenhouse covers and mulch films requiring uniform thickness for durability.

  • Industrial: Geomembranes and protective films for construction, demanding consistent gauge for strength.

Bojing’s custom fabrication services, as outlined on their website, allow for tailored components that accommodate film widths from 1000mm to 3000mm, meeting diverse industry needs.

Bojing’s Global Support and Efficiency

Based in Wenzhou, Bojing serves clients in North America, Europe, and Asia, offering lead times as short as 7 days for standard orders and 3 days for expedited services, per wenzhoubojing.com. Their customer-centric approach includes design consultation and prototyping, ensuring components align with specific production requirements. Clients can request quotes directly online, streamlining procurement.

Bojing’s commitment to sustainability aligns with eco-friendly film production trends. Their machining processes minimize waste, and durable components reduce replacement frequency, lowering environmental impact.

Why Bojing is the Choice for Dual Lip Air Ring Components

Bojing’s expertise in CNC machining, material versatility, and rigorous quality assurance make them an ideal partner for dual lip air ring components. Their precision parts ensure uniform film thickness, enhancing quality and efficiency in blown film extrusion. With a global supply chain and fast turnaround, Bojing empowers manufacturers to achieve consistent, high-quality film production.

Conclusion

Dual lip air rings are a key innovation for achieving uniform film thickness in blown film extrusion, offering precise airflow control and bubble stability. Bojing’s CNC-machined components, including nozzles, airflow guides, and mounting frames, enhance these benefits, delivering films with consistent gauge, clarity, and strength. As a trusted supplier, showcased on wenzhoubojing.com, Bojing combines advanced technology, quality, and customer support to drive film production success. Contact Bojing today to explore their dual lip air ring solutions and optimize your film manufacturing process.