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Why Are We Seeing Load Failures on Short, Smooth Routes?
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 coaster will only…
How Stretch Wrap Machine Condition Impacts Load Containment
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 machine, and the…
How Do High-Performance Stretch Films Compare to the Rapid Bander?
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 to deliver improved…
Does the Rapid Bander’s Two-Roll System Double the Wraps?
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 two rolls, you…
How Do Stretch Wrap Machines Work—and What Can You Adjust?
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 as the film…
How Much Stretch Film Do You Really Need for Effective Load Containment?
How Much Film Do We Need to Apply to a Pallet of Our Product for Good Load Containment? Hi Ally, and thanks for your question. Let’s start by defining the role that stretch film plays in load containment, and then we can get into more specifics. First and foremost, the job of the stretch film is to prevent movement of product throughout the load. So, by definition, it must resist the forces which are applied to the load during transport. This is achieved in two ways: First, it must unitize the load by applying force, around the load, as the stretch…
Do Punctures from Tier Sheet Corners Affect Load Containment?
Do the Corners of the Tier Sheets Poking Through the Stretch Film Affect Load Containment? Hi Jordan, thanks for the question. I know this will come as a surprise, but there are two answers to this question. First, if you are using conventional stretch film and a sharp corner pierces the film, the hole is likely to propagate or enlarge. The extent of the enlargement depends on the tension (between the pre-stretch carriage and load). However, it is certain that if the tension is set for maximum load containment, the web will break immediately when the corner of the tier sheet…
How Much Stretch Film Should You Use Per Pallet?
How Much Film Should We Be Using to Wrap Our Pallets? Hi Eli, thanks for submitting your question! There are several factors that come into play when determining the right amount of film to apply. First and foremost is to identify what is most important to you. Limiting stretch film cost per pallet, preventing load failures during transportation (or in the warehouse), or reducing source material are the three main categories. For some, it may be increasing capacity or throughput, without adding facility, equipment, or personnel by reducing the number of wraps applied, although I know that does not apply in…
Can Lab-Tested Load Containment Results Be Reproduced in the Field?
Have You Been Able to Duplicate Your Test Lab Results at Customer Locations? Hi Howard, what a great question, and one I am sure is in the mind of anyone with whom we discuss a lab project. The short answer is yes, in every case we have been able to duplicate our lab results at customer locations, improving load containment, reducing film usage, increasing machine throughput, and saving them money. There are several reasons that we have had such great success. First, we use scientific method in our testing. The forces we apply to the load during testing are measured by…
