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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 load…

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 and…

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 in the cost…

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 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 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…

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…

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 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…