An orbital stretch wrapping apparatus is provided and includes a base frame, a circular ring mounted on the base frame and rotatable with respect to the base frame about an axis of rotation, a stretch film dispenser mounted on the circular ring and rotatable with the circular ring about the axis of rotation, the stretch film dispenser having a subframe fixed to the circular ring, a roll of stretch film mounted to the subframe and rotatable with respect to the subframe, a first feed roller mounted to the subframe and rotatable with respect to the subframe, a second feed roller mounted to the subframe and rotatable with respect to the subframe, and a brake member connected to the first feed roller and the second feed roller.

A wrapping machine for wrapping groups of products (100) with an extensible plastic film (50) in order to form bundles (200), comprises first conveyor means (2) for supporting and moving a group of products (100) along an advancing direction (A) inside the wrapping machine (1), supporting means (3; 103) for receiving from the first conveyor means (2) and supporting the group of products (100), a wrapping unit (10) for wrapping a portion (51) of film (50) having a preset length around the group of products (100), supported by the supporting means (3; 103), in order to form a bundle (200), a supplying unit (30) of the film (50) to supply the wrapping unit (10) with the film portion (51) having a preset length, separated from the film (50) unwound from a respective reel (55); the supporting means (3; 103) include first gripping means (4; 104) arranged to hold an initial flap (51a) of the film portion (51) during the wrapping of the group of products (100); containment means (6; 60) are provided to abut at least sidewalls of the group of products (100) in order to support and guide said products (100) when moved along the advancing direction (A) through the wrapping unit (10) and/or to support and restrain the group of products (100) during the wrapping with the portion (51) of film (50).

A method, apparatus and program product perform automatic load profiling to optimize a wrapping operation performed with a stretch wrapping machine. Automatic load profiling may be performed, for example, to determine a density parameter for a load that is indicative of load stability such that one or more control parameters may be configured for a wrapping operation based upon the density parameter. Automatic load profiling may also be performed, for example, to detect a load with a nonstandard top layer, e.g., a load with a top or slip sheet, a load with an easily deformable top layer, a load with a ragged top surface topography and/or a load with an inboard portion, such that a top layer containment operation may be activated during wrapping to optimize containment for the load.

A method, apparatus and program product may determine load stability for a load to be wrapped based upon sensing the response or reaction of the load to a disturbance applied to the load, e.g., through intentionally moving, shaking, tilting, pushing, impacting or otherwise applying an input force to the load and sensing the response using one or more sensors. The sensed response may then be used to determine a load stability parameter that may be used in the control of a load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load.

An unwinding apparatus associable with a wrapping machine for delivering films comprises a supporting frame to rotatably support a first reel of a first film; adjustment elements to rotatably support a second reel of a second film and to arrange it in one of a plurality of operative positions, in which the second reel is staggered with respect to the first reel; guiding rollers to guide and partially overlap the first film and the second film at a longitudinal partial overlapping band; joining assembly for joining the first film and the second film along a longitudinal joining band made inside a width of the longitudinal partial overlapping band so as to obtain a single-body composite film; the joining assembly comprises a welding device or a gluing device.

A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.

Methods and means for evaluating and summarizing physical quality metrics associated with stretch films and other plastics are provided. According to one aspect of the invention, a processor- or computer-enabled business method such as a software program or mobile application capable of calculating and comparing stretch film data and conveying easily understood summaries of film characteristics and cost impacts associated therewith is provided. According to a second aspect, the system and method provides a vast plurality of film performance metrics, costs factor, environmental impacts, and so, calculated and presented in a dashboard-type user interface.

Control of a load wrapping apparatus may be based at least in part on packaging material grading and/or factory profiles.

An unwinding apparatus has first and second pre-stretching rollers and a motion transmission system for transmitting a rotation motion from the first pre-stretching roller to the second pre-stretching roller. The motion transmission system has two toothed driving wheels rotated by the first pre-stretching roller, two toothed driven wheels selectively couplable to the second pre-stretching roller, and a selector device operable to couple a toothed driven wheel to the second pre-stretching roller. The selector device has a driven shaft provided with a longitudinal internal cavity having first and second lateral through openings suitable for housing respective locking elements. A selector pin provided with first and second transverse protrusions is movable inside the internal cavity between a first operative position, in which a first toothed driven wheel is coupled to the driven shaft, and a second operative position, in which a second toothed driven wheel is coupled to the driven shaft.

An orbital wrapping apparatus for wrapping a cargo in a stretch film includes a base frame. The orbital wrapping apparatus further includes a circular ring. The orbital wrapping apparatus further includes a stretch film dispenser. The orbital wrapping apparatus further includes a cutting assembly having a thermally heated blade.