Generally the cheapest pallet wrapping machine type, this option is entirely mechanical and requires no electrical supply.

Advantages

• Low initial outlay
• No requirement for electrical supply
• Very easy to use

Disadvantages

• No Power Pre-Stretch System (which means a higher cost of wrapping)
• Uses a lot more plastic than necessary to wrap pallets
• Still requires operative to walk around the pallet

The most basic of all motorised pallet wrapper machines, this option has a couple of advantages but many drawbacks – as you can see below:

Advantages

• Low initial outlay
• Can be moved using a fork lift truck

Disadvantages

• No Power Pre-Stretch System (which means a higher cost of wrapping)
• Ineffective when wrapping light items, as load stability is gained by increasing the tension as the film is applied to the pallet
• Uses a lot more plastic than necessary to wrap pallets
• Although it can be moved, it’s not designed to be moved on a regular basis

These are often the most efficient, and therefore popular, machines on the market. When optimised properly these machines take some beating – as  you can see from the pros and cons below:

Advantages

• The power pre-stretch head stretches the film in the head before it is applied to the pallet, creating better load stability when optimised.
• Minimises film used per pallet
• Easy to set up and use
• Can be moved with a fork lift truck
• Low maintenance
• Can be set up with many different programs to meet the needs of different pallet load types

Disadvantages

• Has a large footprint so needs more space than some other types of machine
• Can generally only be used in one location.

These machines have all the advantages of the Turntable Semi-Automatic Pallet Wrappers, but with the added benefit of having a very low profile, meaning that pallets can be placed on the turntable very easily.

Advantages

• The power pre-stretch head stretches the film in the head before it is applied to the pallet, creating better load stability when optimised
• Low profile enables loading using pump trucks or PPTs
• Minimises film used per pallet
• Easy to set up and use
• Low maintenance
• Can be set up with many different programs to meet the needs of different pallet load types

Disadvantages

• Has a large footprint so needs more space than some other types of machine
• Can generally only be used in one location
• Can not be moved easily once installed

These models feature a machine head that circles the pallet, rather than the pallet turning on a turntable, so are great for situations in which pallets are transported on powered pallet trucks or when loads are very unstable prior to wrapping.

Advantages

• Allow easy access when using PPTs
• No base at all – so pallets can stay on the floor
• Small footprint

Disadvantages

• No Power Pre-Stretch System, which means a higher cost of wrapping
• Not effective at wrapping light items as load stability is gained by increasing the tension as the film is applied to the pallet

With Rotary Arm machines, a machine head circles the pallet rather than the pallet turning on a turn able, which means they are great for situations in which pallets are transported on powered pallet trucks or when loads are very unstable prior to wrapping. The power pre-stretch head also delivers excellent load stability, but these machines do still have their pro’s and con’s:

Advantages

• Allow easy access when using PPTs
• No base at all – so pallets can stay on the floor
• The power pre-stretch head stretches the film in the head before it is applied to the pallet, creating better load stability when optimised.
• Minimises film used  per pallet
• Easy to set up and use
• Can be set up with many different programs to meet the needs of many different pallet load types

Disadvantages

• Large base footprint
• Often a more expensive option
• Cannot be moved once installed

The latest in the pallet wrapping innovation – the Robot follows the contours of the pallet and literally ‘runs’ round the pallet wrapping it as it goes in much the same way as a human would. Robot pallet wrappers have a lot more advantages than disadvantages.

Advantages

• Easily movable, so can be used anywhere that pallets need wrapping
• Battery operated, so don’t need a local power supply
• Wraps pallets of any shape and size as the robot follows the contours of the pallet
• Power pre-stretch head ensures that film usage is minimised when optimised

Disadvantages

• Pallets need some space around them to allow them to be wrapped.
• Spare battery required to avoid downtime.

The secret to a really well wrapped, safe and stable pallet lies in the quality of the stretch film used, and how well it is stretched. Perhaps unsurprisingly, stretch film is designed to stretch – and only when it is stretched to its optimum level is it truly stable. The properties of stretch film allow it to be stretched to a given point before it snaps – and many film manufacturers state this stretch level as part of the film specification. This is usually stated as a percentage (150% stretch for example), and is the point at which a film is fully optimised. Stretch film typically stretches to a greater or lesser degree in line with the indicative graph to the right.