Questions to Ask Before Buying a Pallet Wrapping Machine

A pallet wrapping machine can be a savvy investment for your business, especially if you’re experiencing bottle necks in shipping. A machine can wrap up to 30 pallets an hour with a single operator—this frees up staff for other operations.

Speed and productivity aren’t the only benefits of such machines: consistency in wrapping, and savings in wrapping film matter too.

A pallet wrapping machine applies wrapping film consistently: you can choose precisely how you want a pallet to be wrapped, and it will be wrapped exactly the same way every time. If you’ve suffered product damages during shipping, or badly wrapped pallets which shifted in transport, a machine can save you time and money, as well as frustration.

How much wrapping film do you use? Did you know that a machine can pre-stretch your film to around 250%? Pre-stretching ensures that loads are wrapped securely, while saving film.

Chances are you have many questions before you consider a pallet wrap machine.

Questions: do you need a pallet wrap machine?

If you answered “yes” to the above question, you have other questions.

Your questions may include:

• Production: does your production rate necessitate a machine, or will the machine stand idle for days and weeks at a time?
• What products are you wrapping?
• Pallet sizes: what size pallets are you wrapping?
• Location: where should you place the machine in your facility?
• How many pallets a day will you wrap: what’s your maximum production rate?
• Weight requirements—should the pallet wrapping machine incorporate a scale?
• What kind of pallet wrapping machine: semi-automatic, or fully automatic?

Let’s look at some answers.

1. Forward planning: does current and future production necessitate a pallet wrap machine?

If your increased production calls for a pallet wrap machine, avoiding a purchase may be a false economy. Consider your competitors—are they wrapping pallets manually, or via machine?

What about breakages and damage? Have you had customer complaints?

2. What products are you wrapping? What’s their shape?

If the size of your pallets varies: some pallets have tall loads, others have awkwardly-shaped, irregular loads, you may be concerned that a machine would need trained operators and lots of fussy adjustments.

That isn’t the case. Both semi-automatic and automatic pallet wrap machines incorporate photocells. The photocells automatically detect the height of a pallet’s load and adjust the wrapping appropriately.

Irregularly-shaped loads on pallets aren’t a challenge for pallet wrap machines either. You can make adjustments simply and quickly; the machine does the rest.

3. Pallet sizes: what size pallets are you wrapping?

If you’re loading pallets of different sizes, you’ll need a machine which can handle your largest pallet size. Measure your pallets, so you have the sizes ready when you’re looking at various pallet wrapping machines.

4. Location: where should you place the machine in your facility?

You’ll have considerations of security, operator comfort, and workflows when you choose a location for your pallet wrapping machine. Will the wrapped pallets be stacked in a storage area, or loaded for shipment immediately?

You can move a pallet wrapping machine of course, but make the most of your machine from the first day by locating it in the best position in your facility.

5. How many pallets a day will you wrap: what’s your maximum production rate?

Both semi-automatic and fully automatic pallet wrapping machines can wrap up to 30 pallets an hour. The loads on the pallets can be up to 2000 kilos.

The major benefit of a fully automatic pallet wrapping over the semi-automatic machines is remote operation. With a fully automatic machine, the operator doesn’t need to get off his forklift. He can place the pallet, press a button, and then remove the pallet without any assistance.

If you have a high production rate, consider a fully automatic machine.

6. Weight requirements—should your pallet wrapping machine incorporate a scale?

If you need to specify each pallet’s weight, you’ll want to incorporate a scale into your pallet wrapping machine. Get advice from your vendor on the best options for your needs.

7. What kind of pallet wrapping machine: semi-automatic, or fully automatic?

If you have a high production rate, a fully automatic machine may be the best solution. As we’ve said, fully automatic machines feature remote operation.

An operator can load a pallet onto the machine, then remove the wrapped pallet, without making manual adjustments to the machine’s digital control panel.

Do you have additional questions about pallet wrapping machines?

Make a note of all your questions, and consult your vendor, who will help

you to select the best machine and/or best packaging solutions for your business.