Tips to Avoid Incidents and Material Waste with a Stretch Wrapper

Material waste and incidents are two problems that can negatively affect the productivity of a stretch wrapper. However, there are some practical tips that can help prevent these issues during equipment operation.

What is a stretch wrapper?

A stretch wrapper is a machine designed to apply stretch film during packaging processes, aiming to facilitate logistics and protect goods during handling and transport. The market offers several models of stretch wrappers, ranging from manual to fully automatic versions.

The manual stretch wrapper involves slower application of the stretch film, with the process carried out manually. The main drawback of this model is that, in addition to generating film waste, the wrapping process is time-consuming, which contributes to reduced competitiveness for the company.

In addition, the ergonomic and accident risks for operators are higher, as they must work in uncomfortable postures and are exposed to manual handling of weight. Semi-automatic and automatic stretch wrappers, on the other hand, are designed to facilitate the film application process, avoiding waste and accidents while delivering greater speed. However, even being highly efficient machines, stretch wrappers — whether automatic or semi-automatic — require special care to prevent accidents or material waste.

Therefore, follow the next topic, where we will present some tips to avoid these issues during stretch wrapper operation.

How to avoid incidents and waste during stretch wrapper operation?

Like all industrial machinery, stretch wrappers must be developed in accordance with regulatory standards, especially NR-12.

Therefore, it is essential to acquire equipment from manufacturers that guarantee this compliance. An example is MRSUL solutions, manufactured in accordance with all required standards.

In the case of stretch wrappers, it is essential to carry out certain actions that ensure safe equipment use and help prevent accidents, such as:

● When acquiring the equipment, check compliance with regulatory standards;

● Perform periodic maintenance to prevent failures that may compromise operator safety;

● Train operators responsible for the stretch wrapper so that they use the machine correctly;

Regarding training, it is essential that employees receive proper guidance on the correct use of the stretch wrapper to prevent workplace accidents.

Avoiding material waste with the stretch wrapper

Even when using a stretch wrapper, it is essential to establish certain parameters to avoid film waste. These parameters must also be included in operator training, as they are directly linked to correct usage practices.

● Number of wraps:

The number of wraps corresponds to the number of film rotations around the load. For any automatic or semi-automatic stretch wrapper model, it is essential that the first film layer is applied at the base, which may require a higher number of wraps.

Along the height of the load, the number of wraps can be reduced. Therefore, standardising this number is recommended to ensure proper film usage.

● Overlap:

During full wrapping, the film must rotate while also moving upwards and downwards to cover the entire load area.

This process is defined by the width of the film layer overlapping the previously applied layer. It is worth noting that for more fragile loads, a minimum overlap of 50% is recommended to maintain greater load stability.

● Pre-stretch:

Pre-stretching the stretch film increases its rigidity and ensures lower film consumption.

During application, this process should be set to stretch the film within the stretch wrapper head, maintaining a speed difference between the rollers before the film is applied to the load.

● Tensioning:

This process increases load compaction, keeping the film under pressure to ensure greater stability. Tensioning is generated by braking the film output from the head and increasing the stretch wrapper speed.

When tensioning reaches excessive levels, it may cause damage to packaging and products and even lead to film breakage, resulting in material waste. All these parameters must undergo regular inspections to ensure not only safe stretch wrapper operation but also to avoid material waste, maintaining higher operational efficiency.

Purchase high-performance stretch wrappers from MRSUL.

When seeking stretch wrapper solutions for your production line, choose MRSUL equipment.

With more than 30 years of experience in the market, MRSUL works with a complete range of solutions for material handling.