Stretch wrap films

Categories and sub-categories of stretch wrappers:

Manual (or Hand) Wrappers:

·         Extended Core: An extension of the film's core serves as a handle for wrapping; this type of wrapper offers little stretch control and is hard on hands.

·      Mechanical Brake: A simple structure supports a film roll and a mechanical brake system provides resistance creating stretch of the film.

·         Pole Wrappers: Similar to the Mechanical Brake system, but the roll and brake are at the end of an extended pole, creating an ergonomic design which eliminates the need to bend to wrap the bottoms of loads and strain to reach the tops of loads. Used for space missions too.

Semi-Automatic Wrappers:

·         Turntable Wrappers: The load to be wrapped sits on a turntable which spins the load relative to the film roll, which is housed in a carriage which can move up and down a fixed "mast". Stretch is achieved by rotating the load at a faster rate than the film is fed.

·         Orbital Wrappers: The film is housed in a carriage on a vertical ring, the load is fed horizontally through the eye of the rotating ring, applying film to the load. A variation of an orbital stretch wrapper is a horizontal ring system, in which the load remains still while a horizontal ring is rotated around the load and moves up and down vertically relative to the load, similar to a rotary arm stretch wrapper.

·        Rotary Arm Wrappers: In this system, the load remains still while a rotating arm turns around it wrapping the load. This system is used for light loads or for speeds which would otherwise cause the load to topple due to high rotation speeds.

Automatic Wrappers:

Automatic wrappers are generally a variant of a semi-automatic system. Automatic wrappers include a conveyor system to automatically load the wrapping machine and automatic systems to apply, seal, and cut the film.

·         Turntable Wrappers: The load to be wrapped sits on a turntable which spins the load relative to the film roll, which is housed in a carriage which can move up and down a fixed "mast". Stretch is achieved by rotating the load at a faster rate than the film is fed.

·        Rotary Arm Wrappers: In this system, the load remains still while a rotating arm turns around it wrapping the load. This system is used for light loads or for speeds which would otherwise cause the load to topple due to high rotation speeds.

·         Rotary Ring Wrappers: The film is housed in a carriage on an horizontal ring in which the load remains static while the horizontal ring is rotating around the load and moves up and down vertically relative to the load, similar to a rotary arm stretch wrapper. The rotary ring technology is really a more balanced system with less wear and maintenance than the other available wrapping technologies. These wrappers are capable to reach the highest production capacities (up to 160 pallets/hour).