Devices and method for accurately measuring the length of film feeding into a pre-stretch carriage from a supply roll and the length of film exiting after the pre-stretch carriage in order to accurately determine the actual percentage of film stretch occurring during the wrap cycle are provided. A first idler roller mounted on the frame of a pre-stretch carriage before the pre-stretching rollers and second idler roller mounted to the frame after the pre-stretching rollers are included. Optical rotary encoders are driven directly by idler roller shafts as stretch film passes around the shafts during film application. Systems including internet of things (HOT) devices can be fitted or retro fitted to a wide variety of stretch wrapping machines

A film packing device capable of replacing gears includes a handle. Two ends of the handle are provided with a coupling rod and a base, respectively. A film application unit and a pair of rollers are pivotally connected between the coupling rod and the base. Two ends of each roller are provided with an axle gear, respectively. The outer toothed portions of the axle gears mesh with a drive gear and a reduction gear, respectively. The drive gear meshes with the reduction gear. Through the outer toothed portions of the axle gears to mesh with the drive gear and the reduction gear, the drive gear and the reduction gear can be installed easily. The drive gear and the reduction gear having different numbers of teeth on the outer toothed portions thereof are selective so as to change the gear ratio thereof to provide a different binding force for packing.

An orbital wrapping apparatus for wrapping a cargo in a stretch film comprises a base frame, a circular ring assembly 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 assembly and rotatable with the circular ring assembly about the axis of rotation, and a cutting assembly mounted to the base frame and extending through an opening defined by the circular ring assembly. The stretch film dispenser has a roll of stretch film dispensing the stretch film by rotation of the circular ring assembly. The cutting assembly is adapted to cut and hold the stretch film.

A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. An apparatus may be used to sense flaws in packaging material, and in some instances, to accommodate such flaws by temporarily increasing a dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser.

A wrapping machine for wrapping material around a load includes a wrapping unit to wrap a portion of the material around the load and a supplying unit to supply the material portion to the wrapping unit. The wrapping unit includes wrapping device to unwind the material portion from the supplying unit and wrap it around the load. The wrapping unit includes a supporting ring, rotating around a wrapping axis and provided with a plurality of wrapping rollers, and an unwinding arm having a first end rotatably fixed to the support ring and a second end supporting at least one unwinding roller to abut and guide the portion of material towards the load during wrapping. The unwinding arm is movable to move the unwinding roller to/from the load during wrapping.

An apparatus associated with a wrapping machine includes at least one unwinding unit for the wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a film, and shuttles that are movable along a path and suitable for receiving and supporting an unwinding unit to be replaced and to be dismantled from the wrapping machine, or a new unwinding unit to be mounted on the wrapping machine. The shuttles operate along a substantially horizontal operating direction to dismantle and receive from the wrapping machine an unwinding unit to be replaced or to transfer and mount on the wrapping machine a new unwinding unit. The apparatus includes a supporting unit fixed to the wrapping machine and arranged to be coupled to, and supported by, the unwinding unit, the unwinding unit including a first coupling device, and the supporting unit including a second coupling device, the first coupling device and the second coupling device being mutually coupled or uncoupled along the operating direction.

An apparatus associated with a wrapping machine includes at least one unwinding unit for the wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a film, and shuttles that are movable along a path and suitable for receiving and supporting an unwinding unit to be replaced and to be dismantled from the wrapping machine, or a new unwinding unit to be mounted on the wrapping machine. The shuttles operate along a substantially horizontal operating direction to dismantle and receive from the wrapping machine an unwinding unit to be replaced or to transfer and mount on the wrapping machine a new unwinding unit. The apparatus includes a supporting unit fixed to the wrapping machine and arranged to be coupled to, and supported by, the unwinding unit, the unwinding unit including a first coupling device, and the supporting unit including a second coupling device, the first coupling device and the second coupling device being mutually coupled or uncoupled along the operating direction.

A method, apparatus and program product implement top layer containment operations to optimize containment of various types of loads such as loads with top/slip sheets, ragged topographies, and/or inboard portions. Bidirectional control of the elevation of a web of packaging material may be performed within one or more revolutions between a load and a packaging material dispenser to selectively engage one or more corners of the load with a web of packaging material while passing the web of packaging material inwardly of one or more other corners of the load.

A control system for a wrapping apparatus may include a packaging material dispenser configured to dispense packaging material for wrapping a load. The control system may also include at least one sensor assembly configured to generate a signal based on instantaneous demand for packaging material at the load. The control system may further include a controller configured to control operation of the packaging material dispenser based at least in part on the signal.

A method for producing a roll of stretch film comprises the steps of passing a stretch film web over a first roller, and winding the stretch film web around a second roller against the first roller, where the first roller has a surface for enabling the introduction of air into the wound stretch film web.