Deep-drawing packaging machine and method for producing a perforation

A deep-drawing packaging machine comprising a work station for heating a lower film for a forming process in which a trough is formed in the lower film, and lateral transport chains configured to grip the lower film laterally at an input of the deep-drawing packaging machine and to transport the lower film intermittently through the work station in a working direction,

• wherein the work station comprises a height-adjustable tool lower part, a tool upper part positioned above the tool lower part and including a heating body for heating the lower film, and a punching device including a punching unit for producing a perforation in an edge strip area of the lower film configured to allow for an atmosphere to be exchanged in the trough during an evacuation process or a gassing process at a scaling station located downstream from the work station in the working direction,
• wherein the punching unit comprises a punch provided on the tool lower part and a hold-down device configured to interact with the punch and provided on the tool upper part,
• wherein the punch has a punch body with an outer edge area facing one of the lateral transport chains and with an inner edge area facing the heating body,
• wherein the hold-down device is at least partially arranged between the one lateral transport chain and the heating body, and
• wherein the hold-down device is positioned further towards the outer edge area of the punch body than towards the inner edge area of the punch body.