Stretch wrap, or stretch film, is one of the most frequently used materials in shipping and warehouse environments. It&#;s used to hold boxes and products together on a pallet for transportation and storage. Navigating through the various types of films and knowing what&#;s best for your application can be tricky. We&#;ve put together this usage guide and answers to the most frequently asked stretch wrap questions to help.
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What Size Stretch Wrap Should I Use?
Stretch wrap comes in different thicknesses, known as gauges, as well as different widths. Roll widths ranging from 12&#; to 18&#; are typically classified as &#;hand-grade&#; film while larger roles, most commonly of 20&#; widths, are called &#;machine-grade&#; and for use with a stretch wrapping machine.
Stretch wrap comes in gauges ranging from 37 to 150, with 63 to 80 being the most commonly used. To choose the correct gauge, you need to consider a few factors:
&#; Shape of the load - Irregular shaped loads will require more holding power from a stronger wrap than a uniform load of same sized boxes.
&#; Weight of the load - The heavier the load, the stronger the stretch film will need to be. Refer to the chart below for some general weight and application guidelines.
Stretch Wrap Gauge Chart
What is Pre-Stretched Hand Film?
Pre-stretched film is a type of stretch wrap film applied by hand that has been stretched near its breaking point and then wound onto rolls. These films have been mechanically stretched to around 90% at the factory, resulting in thinner gauges than standard stretch film.
The main benefits of pre-stretched hand wrap are that it&#;s easier to apply, lighter, and offers double the strength at half the thickness of standard wrap. This leads to more efficient use of film, better load stability, fewer damages, and less waste.
When is Opaque or Colored Stretch Film Used?
Opaque stretch film is often used to conceal products or protect contents from theft. It also helps to protect products from UV, so is used in applications where shipments will be stored outside short term.
Stretch film can also come in a variety of colors. These films are great for color-coding products. Green is often used on eco-friendly products or to show products have the green light and are ready to ship.
Is Stretch Wrap Recyclable?
It&#;s estimated that only around 5% of stretch wrap is recovered in the U.S. after use. Stretch film is typically made with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), which falls under category four of recycling programs, but due to the thin nature of the plastic it&#;s not able to be recycled in a curbside bin. It requires a special process to be washed, shredded, and extruded. Check with your local recycling programs to see if there is an affiliate near you that can help with plastic film recycling.
Related: Are you using too much stretch film? Use our Stretch Wrap Efficiency Calculator to find your optimum stretch levels.
Rocket Industrial carries a range of stretch wraps and films in a variety of gauges, widths, colors, and types. If you&#;re not sure which wrap is the best for your application, contact a packaging specialist for guidance.
When the time comes to make a final decision about the right shrink wrapper for your facility, there are a number of things that you need to consider. Here are the top 9 things to think about before making the final decision.
Look to down gauge. The use of polyethylene and similar thin films is a huge cost-cutting opportunity. Fifty percent of customers use heavier gauge film than they need. Why? A thicker gauge buys a lot of &#;forgiveness,&#; allowing companies to get away with sloppier setup, less efficient machines, and less competent operators. Premium films are being used to accommodate these shortcomings. While down gauging involves a lot of work, it can pay off. Instead of using a film that costs $4 a pound, you can use one that costs $0.71 a pound with the right machine. In fact, film suppliers are producing better-quality, inexpensive, thin films.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit shrink wrap gauge chart.
Identify the right technology platform, especially if it&#;s a new process for the business. See what your product and distribution environment can handle. Rigid containers such as metal cans easily transition from a tray to a pad. But what if you&#;re dealing with a 3-ounce plastic bottle with an hourglass shape? Be very careful and do a lot of testing to see if it&#;s even possible to move from a tray to a pad to an overwrap. Shrink-only packs will obviously save corrugated costs, but such a move requires foresight and planning to ensure package integrity with package development experts.
Speed matters. The speed at which you&#;re wrapping is a key parameter. The number of products remains on the upside of the growth curve; consider this as you examine potential equipment. While there are no hard and fast rules, the impact of product development on speed cannot be ignored
Size matters, as well. Pay attention to the length of the shrink tunnel. Don&#;t undersize it. Film takes a certain amount of time to heat up and shrink. Selecting shorter heat tunnels with higher heats is not good logic. For higher speeds, tunnels can become long and are often a target for footprint reduction. Tunnels with small chambers have a tendency for hot spots that can result in poor packages.
Look for shrink tunnels with lower air velocity. Tunnels with high velocity airflow can disturb the film causing more wrinkles.
Storage and handling issues are important. For shrink film, proper storage is essential. Are film roll tolerances within specifications (e.g., tension consistency, minimum edge curl)? Pay attention to what the equipment incorporates to manage film tension and consistency features such as vacuum control for film edges.
Don&#;t shirk on capacity. Flexible robotics requires extra capacity; have one or two extras so, if one machine fails, your whole line isn&#;t down. Designing in excess packing capacity can improve overall uptime.
Consider the ultimate environment and display. If a product is affected by temperature, case packing is preferable to shrink wrapping. If product visibility is important, shrink packing is better, unless the product is affected by shrink wrapping pressure.
The machine must have flexibility. Flexible materials are having an impact on multi-packing. Certain flexible bags cannot be shrink wrapped because they are prone to distortion; otherwise the shrink bundle could be fused onto the primary packaging.
Working with an experienced distributor can help you find the right machine for your needs. You have questions; we have answers. Call us today.
Shrink wrap machines are among the essential equipment for several businesses. The UK shrink wrap machines is used for wrapping goods and other packages more easily. They can be used to wrap food, papers, bottles and cans, homeware, electronics, furniture and many others. There nothing that the machine can not wrap.
These wrapping machines are amazing because they help to save time, easily adjusted to suit all height, easy to operate and requires less human input. It is advisable to buy from reputed dealers who sell machines that are original, affordable and efficient. Apart from considering the dealer, ensure that you consider the aspects of quality, size, requirements and many other key considerations. Now that you have resolved to buy a new wrap shrink machine.
There are three main forms of wrapping things. A shrink wrap machine can be used in packaging of bags, tubing, and center-view. If you do not know the exact model, make sure you consult with the company of the various shrink wrap machines and their uses. This will help you to get the right machine for your business. Knowing the kind of packaging you want, helps you to make the right decision.
Your business environment will play a key role in determining the best shrink wrap model to buy. Always consider the area where you intend to place your new wrapping machine. If you reside in a cold region, you will be required to purchase lubricants. For those who dwell in dirty areas, you will have to buy covers to prevent the dust from entering the wrapping machine.
This is important because you do not want to invest in such an expensive machine and after a short period it spoils because of things that we could have prevented. For regions that experience a lot of humidity, you will be needed to call a technician for time to time maintenance. So, make sure you choose your new shrink wrap machine based on the environment you come from.
It is advisable to predetermine the dimensions of all the items you want to package. Make sure you take the correct measurements of the items with you to the dealer. This will allow you to get a machine that will meet your needs. Take width, length and height measurements so that you buy a machine that will work adequately. If you want to wrap and pack a bed, it is advisable to buy a shrink wrap machine which is high. Consequently, you will be required to have a polyethylene film that can suit such large items.
The cost is a significant factor to consider before buying your new packaging machine. You need to buy a model that meets your needs an affordable at the same time. Try to get quotes from different dealers and weigh the prices while comparing the quality of the machines.
Always choose a machine that is original but make sure you negotiate or buy when there are offers especially during the festive seasons. Most people think that an affordable machine is fake. There are many brands and models in the industry, and you cannot miss getting a machine that fit your budget.
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