A system, method and kit permitting more accurate determination of film usage in a pallet wrap machine involves rotary encoders that engage with the actual film, rather than a pre-stretch or stretch roller. At least one rotary encoder engages with unstretched film before a pre-stretch roller takes up the film and at least one rotary encoder engages with stretched film after the film leaves the stretch roller. Slippage of the film on the rollers, which is a common occurrence, is not a factor that affects the data generated by the rotary encoders.

A robot system and a method for packaging coils of sheet metal is provided. The method and robot system for coil packaging, having two industrial robots, each robot being provided with a robot arm provides for a solution where the direction of travel along the envelope surface of the coil is inclined relative the rotational axis of the coil, positioning of the roll of wrapping material in three-dimensional along the circumferential edge may be adjusted for each pass and/or where the positioning of the longitudinal axis of the roll or wrapping material is in an inclined angular direction relative the direction of rotation.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine that includes an indicating device including one or more light sources configured to project a visible wrapping-zone indicator. The wrapping-zone indicator includes a boundary at least partially surrounding a wrapping zone of the wrapping machine to indicate the wrapping zone.

A machine for wrapping a load with a film made of synthetic plastics includes a first frame suitable for supporting second frame that rotatably supports around, and slidably parallel to, a wrapping axis at least one wrapping unit including a reel of the film and a roller assembly arranged for unwinding and prestretching the film. The second frame is slidably mounted on the first frame and is movable along an advancing direction that is transverse, and in particular orthogonal, to the wrapping axis. A conveyor is provided for moving the load along the advancing direction. The conveyor and the second frame are movable in a mutually coordinated manner to wrap the load with the film also while the load is moved along the advancing direction.

A method, apparatus and program product monitor a wrap force during a wrap cycle to dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser to meet a desired containment force to be applied to a load. A conversion may be performed between wrap force and containment force for the monitored wrap force or a containment force parameter to facilitate the performance of a comparison between the monitored wrap force and a containment force parameter associated with the desired containment force to be applied to the load. A wrap force parameter may also be dynamically adjusted, and in some instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored wrap force, and may be used to meet a load containment force requirement for a load. In other instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored packaging material breaks to reduce the occurrence of packaging material breaks.

An adaptable spacer roping installation system includes a robot for positioning adjacent a palletizing surface, and a rope-positioning bar for positioning adjacent the palletizing surface. The robot is equipped with a tool head that allows receiving and dispensing a plurality of ropes from different dispensing positions along the tool head. The rope-positioning bar includes at least a same number of grippers than the number of dispensing positions along the tool head. The grippers is so positioned along the rope-positioning bar to allow grippers thereon gripping in unison the plurality of ropes dispensed by the tool head. The robot is movable from a first position, wherein the tool head is so positioned relative to the rope-positioning bar that each of the dispensing positions is registered and adjacent one of the grippers, to a second position, wherein the tool head is positioned distanced from the rope-positioning bar, parallel thereto, above the palletizing surface.

A method, apparatus and program product monitor a wrap force during a wrap cycle to dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser to meet a desired containment force to be applied to a load. A conversion may be performed between wrap force and containment force for the monitored wrap force or a containment force parameter to facilitate the performance of a comparison between the monitored wrap force and a containment force parameter associated with the desired containment force to be applied to the load. A wrap force parameter may also be dynamically adjusted, and in some instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored wrap force, and may be used to meet a load containment force requirement for a load. In other instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored packaging material breaks to reduce the occurrence of packaging material breaks.

An apparatus and method for wrapping a load with paper-based packaging material include one or more of a paper-based packaging material holder, a paper-based packaging material roping mechanism and a paper-based packaging material pressing mechanism.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine that includes an indicating device including one or more light sources configured to project a visible wrapping-zone indicator. The wrapping-zone indicator includes a boundary at least partially surrounding a wrapping zone of the wrapping machine to indicate the wrapping zone.

A pallet wrapping system with at least one spindle, a support bar, a perforation roller, and a pre-stretch machine. The support bar has a plurality of arms that are configured to receive stretch film from the at least one spindle and create banded edges on the stretch film as it passes through the plurality of arms. The pallet wrapping system is configured to form a reinforced stretch film using the plurality of arms and the stretch film from the at least one spindle. The perforation roller is configured to form a plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film as the reinforced stretch film passes over the perforation roller. The pre-stretch machine is configured to receive the reinforced stretch film and stretch the reinforced stretch film prior to wrapping a palletized load with the reinforced stretch film.