Frequently Asked Questions about
Instapak® Quick™
RT Packaging
Are the Quick™ RT
bags supposed to fill up completely with foam?
Can I use more than two cushions for top and bottom protection?
What if I activate a bag and then realize it was the wrong bag? Can I re-use
this bag?
Can I shake the bag, once the foam starts to rise, to spread the foam throughout
the bag?
Which type of Instapak® Quick™
RT bag should I use?
What is a product positioner and why would you use one?
How can I tell if I have the original Instapak® Quick™,
or new Instapak® Quick™ RT
bags?
These questions apply to the original version of Instapak® Quick™
packaging, which requires a warmer
Can I activate the Quick™
bags without using the Quick™
warmer?
What happens if I activate a cold bag?
Can I microwave the Instapak® Quick™
bags instead of using your Quick™
warmer?
Can I use an alternative heating source for Quick™ bags?
Are the Quick™ RT bags supposed
to fill up completely with foam?
The bags are designed to have some air space after the foam has risen. This allows
the foam to expand unrestricted around the product to be packaged.
Your #80 does not look big enough to fill the bottom of my box. Can I use more than
two cushions for top and bottom protection?
Yes, it is very common, with the foam-in-bag packaging method, to use more than
two bags to protect a product. See our packaging examples.
What if I activate a bag and then realize it was the wrong bag? Can I re-use this
bag?
If the bag you activated was too big, put it aside and use it as a voidfill cushion
for another pack. If the cushion you activated was too small, then use it and supplement
it with additional bags.
Can I shake the bag, once the foam starts to rise, to spread the foam throughout
the bag?
No, do not shake the bag at anytime. Shaking the bag can cause the foam cells to
break down resulting in a cushion that is smaller than it should be. Proper placement
of the product, on the rising cushion, will help the foam spread throughout the
bag. Refer to the Quick™
RT User’s Guide for complete activation instructions.
Which Instapak® Quick™ RT
bag should I use? Instapak® Quick™
RT or Instapak® Quick Tuff™
RT?
This is determined by the size and weight of your product. See the Instapak®
Quick™ Packaging Performance
Chart to determine which Instapak® Quick™
packaging foam is best suited for your application.
What is a product positioner and why would you use one?
A product positioner is used when the product to be packaged is difficult or awkward
to handle while placing it into the rising foam. A positioner is a block of polyethylene,
polyurethane, polystyrene or wood used to lift, hold, center or help position the
product to be packaged within the center of the shipping box. The thickness of the
positioner is determined by the size of the shipping box and the amount of foam
needed to surround the product. For example: If the product and the shipping box
dictate that 2 inches of foam protection is needed, then fabricate a 2 inch thick
piece of wood or other suitable material to act as a product positioner.
How can I tell if I have old Instapak® Quick™,
or new Instapak® Quick™ RT
bags?
Instapak® Quick™ bags are
silver colored and must be heated prior to activation. This is done by placing them
in the Quick™ Warmer for
at least one half hour prior to use. Quick™
RT bags are blue colored and are activated at room temerature (RT), right out of
the box.
These answers apply to the original version of Instapak® Quick™
packaging, which requires a warmer.
Can I activate the Quick™
bags without using the Quick™
warmer?
If the color of the Instapak® Quick™ bag is silver, you cannot activate it without a using an Instapak® Quick™
Warmer, manufactured by Sealed Air Corporation. Use of the Quick™
warmer assures the Quick™
bags will produce top quality foam.
If the color of the Instapak® Quick™
bag is blue, you can activate without a warmer. For best results, activate bags
that have been stored between 65° F to 90° F / 18° C to 32° C
What happens if I activate an unheated or cold bag?
The silver Instapak® Quick™
packaging bags will take a long time to react, and the foam quality will be unacceptable,
resulting in little or no cushioning effectiveness.
Instapak® Quick™ RT foam packaging,
distinguished by blue film, can be activated right out of the box and require no
additional equipment or warming. For best results, activate bags that have been
stored between 65° F to 90° F / 18° C to 32° C
Can I microwave the Instapak® Quick™
bags instead of using your Quick™
Warmer?
No, never use a microwave to heat the bags for the following reasons:
Component "A" and "B" will not heat up in a microwave.
The foil in the internal pouch could damage your microwave.
Can I use an alternative heating source for Quick™
bags?
No, never use an alternative heating source to warm the Quick™
bags. Only the Instapak® Quick™
Warmer, manufactured by Sealed Air, should be used to heat the bags. Instapak® Quick™ foam packaging has been designed
and formulated to be reacted at a prescribed temperature and any deviation from
that temperature will cause you to make a finished cushion that will not protect
your product.
