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What’s the difference between stretch film and shrink film?
Question from Toby: I am new to the company, and one of the commodities I purchase is stretch film. When I get requests from the plant, they refer to it as shrink film. Are they the same thing? Hello Toby, thanks for sending in your question. I am glad you asked because many people confuse the two. Spoiler alert – they are not the same thing. Let’s break down the differences between the two films to understand what they are and how they are used. Stretch film is used to wrap pallets that are ready for shipment. After a pallet…
Why Load Failures Happen Even with High Force-to-Load
QUESTION: WE ARE PLAGUED WITH LOAD FAILURES, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE GOOD FORCE-TO-LOAD. IF WE PUT ANY MORE TENSION ON, WE WILL CRUSH OUR BOXES. IF WE HAVE GOOD FTL, WHY ARE WE SEEING SO MANY LOAD FAILURES? Hi Andrew, thanks for sending in your question. You may be surprised to learn that it is a very common problem. You will be happy to know that it can be solved, it just requires the application of a little science. Let’s start by understanding what is causing your load failures. Fundamentally, the job of the stretch wrap is to resist the…
Does Thicker Stretch Film Mean Greater Strength and Stretchability?
QUESTION: I WAS TOLD BY A SUPPLIER THAT THE PERCENT YOU CAN STRETCH FILM INCREASES WITH THICKNESS AND THE TERM ULTIMATE STRENGTH WAS USED. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND IS IT TRUE THAT THICK FILMS CAN BE STRETCHED MORE? Hi Gavin, thanks for the question, it is a subject that is widely misunderstood. Let me begin by defining the functional role of stretch film, because we should never lose sight of that. Motion of product on the pallet during transportation is at the root of most all load failures. Stop the movement, stop the load failures. When forces act upon the…
Does the Rapid Bander’s Two-Roll System Count as Two Wraps? What About PCR Film Performance?
QUESTION: I SEE THAT YOUR RAPID BANDER SYSTEM USES 2 ROLLS OF FILM AS OPPOSED TO THE NORMAL 1 ROLL. DOES IT MEAN THAT EACH REVOLUTION OF THE MACHINE COUNTS FOR 2 WRAPS? Hi Miles, Your question could not have been better timed. There is a lot of discussion regarding corporate directives as well as upcoming state and federal regulations that are pushing in the direction of PCR films, and I see a growing number of products that are marketed specifically to answer that demand. So, I am going to step away from the marketing hype you may be hearing…
What Are the Risks of Downgauging Stretch Film to Save Money?
QUESTION FROM ALFRED: I’M CONSTANTLY TOLD BY SALESPEOPLE THAT DOWNGAUGING OUR STRETCH WRAP WILL SAVE US MONEY. WHAT ARE THE RISKS (PITFALLS/POTENTIAL ISSUES) OF DOWNGAUGING STRETCH WRAP TO REDUCE FILM COSTS? Hi Alfred, I am sure everyone reading this has had the same thing presented to them at some point by a salesperson selling stretch film. While that may be true on paper, let’s explore what really happens when you downgauge film. If you apply the same number of wraps at the same tension and total stretch, the film weight will be reduced, that is a fact. However, the reduction…
Why Are We Seeing Load Failures on Short, Smooth Routes?
QUESTION FROM SALLY: WE ARE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF LOAD FAILURES BETWEEN OUR PLANT AND WAREHOUSE, WHICH IS JUST ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY. THERE ARE NO BUMPS, FEW TURNS, ONE STOP LIGHT, AND NO HILLS. WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THE FAILURES? Hi Sally, I am very impressed with the great questions people in the industry are asking, and this is certainly one of them! Forces experienced during normal driving conditions (turning, start/stop, up and down hill) should not be sufficient to cause a load failure between your facilities if the pallets are properly wrapped. Let me explain why. The fastest roller…
How Stretch Wrap Machine Condition Impacts Load Containment
QUESTION FROM ABBY: HOW DOES STRETCH WRAP MACHINE CONDITION AFFECT LOAD CONTAINMENT? Hi Abby, that is a great question! I can confirm that machine condition will affect load containment, and in addition, it will affect your film usage. Now, let’s explore why machine condition is tied to load containment and film usage. We stretch wrap products to prevent load failures during transportation. To be effective, the stretch film must unitize the load (pull all the components of the load together, minimizing movement), and it must resist further stretch when transportation forces are applied. To contain the load, the stretch wrap, the…
How Do High-Performance Stretch Films Compare to the Rapid Bander?
QUESTION FROM ROB: HOW DO THE NEW HIGH-PERFORMANCE STRETCH FILMS COMPARE TO YOUR RAPID BANDER. Hi Rob, great question, and one I am certainly not afraid to answer. For many years there was little advancement in stretch film technology because, after all, it’s just something you wrap around the product before it ships! More recently, when pressed by customers experiencing significant load failures, stretch film companies began looking closer at various resin blends to achieve higher performance. And by higher performance, I mean an improvement in load containment. By Adopting more complex resin blends and upgraded manufacturing techniques, they were able…
Does the Rapid Bander’s Two-Roll System Double the Wraps?
QUESTION FROM RAY: I SEE THAT YOUR RAPID BANDER SYSTEM USES 2 ROLLS OF FILM AS OPPOSED TO THE NORMAL 1 ROLL. DOES IT MEAN THAT EACH REVOLUTION OF THE MACHINE COUNTS FOR 2 WRAPS? Hi Ray, thanks for the question and the opportunity to clarify something that a lot of people have misunderstood. The quick answer: we apply one wrap for each revolution of load, not two. Or to put it another way, you are wrapping the pallet with a single web of film, formed from two layers provided by the two rolls. Now, let me explain why, even with…
How Do Stretch Wrap Machines Work—and What Can You Adjust?
QUESTION FROM TED: WE HAVE STRETCH WRAP MACHINES, BUT I REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE BASIC FUNCTION AND WHAT ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE? Hi Ted, thanks for a really great question. I have talked at length about stretch film and the physics of load containment, but have not really focused on the stretch wrap machine itself, which is an integral part of the process. There are several types of machines in use, but they all have some basic elements in common. There are rotary table machines, where the load is placed on a table which rotates…
