Stretch wrapping secures packages and protects them from various elements.
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In our stretch wrap buying guide, we featured a video showing how to apply stretch wrap properly. Notice that it's not an easy job without a machine.
That's why, in our other blog, When the Coronavirus Pandemic Makes Packaging Automation Necessary, we mentioned that repeated hand stretch-wrapping could produce ergonomic injuries.
Stretch wrap machines can help make this task painless. Although they are expensive contraptions, they have other benefits, too. These are the things that we shall tackle in this blog.
A stretch wrap machine is a piece of equipment that aids in applying elastic plastic film around pallets. Its typical parts are:
Stretch wrap machines can be classified into semiautomatic and fully automatic types. They differ based on the presence of parts needing human intervention.
Fully automatic machines work almost without human effort. Semiautomatic ones have more functions that need to be done or guided by humans, such as placing the film edge on the pallet, initiation of stretch wrapping, film cutting, etc. Also, semiautomatic stretch wrap machines will not have all of the parts we enumerated above.
Either type can significantly reduce palletizing time.
Play VideoUsing a stretch wrap machine has many benefits. The most important ones are stated below.
The time spent on hand stretch-wrapping depends on the human operator's skill, height, fatigue level, environmental conditions, etc. Stretch wrap machines shorten the time for palletizing because they eliminate most of the factors that can slow humans down.
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Time saved from palletizing can be spent on other packaging and warehousing tasks. More jobs accomplished in a given workday increases a facility's output.
It is normal to stack boxes in tall pallets. Optimizing palletization helps reduce shipping costs. However, if the pallet is taller than a human operator, the latter will not be able to stretch plastic film to the top effectively. The same goes for irregularly shaped stacks. There are stretch wrap machines designed to address these issues. Business owners just need to find the one best suited for their needs.
Humans tend to pull elastic film inconsistently. Inadequately stretched regions end up as wasted film. Also, people can stretch 80-gauge plastic film only by 10-20% more than its original size.
By comparison, stretch wrap machines pull plastic films evenly, eliminating wasted film spots. They can also stretch the film to 200-300% of its original size. Therefore, they not only reduce waste but also optimize stretch wrap.
Fewer hours spent on a repetitive and ergonomically taxing task like stretch wrapping result in fewer physical injuries. Consequently, less money will go to occupational health expenditures. Ensuring workplace safety enhances employee satisfaction and significantly reduces labor-related litigations.
With a lesser need for human intervention, staggered work schedules can be implemented with little effect on production. Automation allows businesses to comply with government protocols, protecting people from protracted health disasters like the Coronavirus pandemic.
Evenly stretched plastic film produces a neat-looking pallet. Maintaining the professional appearance of packages, especially those requiring colored stretch wrap, reflects on a company's reputation. Distributors and consumers view good product presentations positively.
Optimally stretched plastic film is very strong and secures pallets well. Inadequately stretched regions create weak spots that may render packages prone to damage. Eliminating such weak points increases load stability, lessening the potential for damage.
Poorly stretched film regions create hazy surfaces that reduce barcode scannability. At worst, slits may be needed to extract the barcode labels so they can be read accurately. A single slit may reduce pallet stability and make it prone to pilferage in turn.
In contrast, well-stretched plastic is clearer. Applying stretch wrap evenly throughout the pallet allows barcodes to be scannable in any location.
Stretch wrap machines reduce work hours, labor costs, film waste and worker health expenditures. They also increase production and ensure that pallets are neatly and securely wrapped. Overall, they decrease costs and help increase revenue.
Stretch wrap machines do more than just make a task lighter. Businesses that invest in such equipment enjoy big returns fast.
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Unfortunately, getting a stretch wrap machine is not very easy, for the following reasons:
Stretch wrap machines, whether semiautomatic or fully automatic, cost thousands of dollars. Customizing them for special needs, e. g. tall pallets, dark film, etc., will also require extra fees.
Some relatively inexpensive stretch wrap machine scanners accurately detect pallets that are at least 3 feet in height. Their accuracy is impaired below this level. Using them on shorter pallets may increase stretch film waste.
Taking care of stretch wrap machines is also costly. Technical experts performing the maintenance checks will need to be paid for their services and testing equipment. Proper maintenance reduces breakdowns and extends the machine's lifespan, but these gains can only be realized in a high-demand facility.
Purchasing a stretch wrap machine needs careful planning and timing. It may be too expensive if you're wrapping only a few pallets a day. It will not be practical for all business owners to get one.
Just like in automating other packaging line equipment, a stretch wrap machine should be purchased only when one is ready for it. Below are our rough guides:
This occurs when demands steeply increase, and workers barely manage to palletize numerous packages in a single workday. Stock shortages are known to ward off customers, and they can occur anywhere along the supply chain, including the packaging line. Investing in a stretch wrap machine ensures that product packages are palletized and get to customers on time.
High production volumes open a company up to both increased profit and waste. Businesses that remain heavily reliant on human labor despite high demands use up a lot of time and resources.
In the packaging line, increasing the number of pallets also creates more opportunities for stretch wrap misuse. Stretch wrap machines can help eliminate those opportunities, optimizing resources and profits.
Higher packaging requirements increase work hours, labor costs, worker injury compensation and stretch wrap waste. They also take away time for other income-generating activities, such as production, sales and delivery.
You would notice these things happening to you when you're manufacturing a product that becomes a local hit. You may get overwhelmed by the customers' orders if you and a lone assistant are attending to every task.
A stretch wrap machine can reduce costs and recover valuable time and resources, which are vital for growing businesses. Despite its price and need for electricity, it will pay for itself over time, as it converts waste into value. Consider getting this equipment when it's more cost-effective for you to do so.
The stretch wrap machine is not for everybody. However, the need for one indicates that business is expanding steadily. The time to get this equipment will be busy with planning, but must also be welcomed as a sign of progress.
Gone are the days when the finances of a business could be handled with a cash register and an accounting ledger. With credit and debit cards being so widely used, businesses have had to metamorphose with the changing times and change their business practices to cater to electronic payments.
When you provide your customers with a paper receipt for their purchases or transactions, you need something that will last long, while also being cost-efficient to your business in the long run. Using thermal paper rolls in your POS (Point-of-Sale) systems can help you meet the changing needs of your customers as well as record transactions for accounting purposes, without having to spend too much money in the process. Here below are some benefits of switching over to thermal paper from other traditional methods of printing.
When you use ink cartridges or ribbons, you run the risk of having ink smudges on your receipts. Ink tends to wear off after a while when it is exposed to environmental elements, and normal printed receipts cannot always be stored for long.
Thermal paper, on the other hand, does not require ink cartridges or ribbons. You just need a thermal printer that transfers heat to the thermal paper, and you are ready to go. Add to this the benefit of having clear prints that last for years or even decades ' without smudges, ink drips or faded prints when your cartridges run dry!
If you've had the bitter experience of having to sit beside your printer and watching it print out a receipt line by line, you will find thermal paper rolls a welcome relief. With thermal paper, printing is quite fast and your work becomes more productive. This is one reason why this paper is used extensively in various applications, including medical services that require speed combined with accuracy.
The ultimate aim of any business is to maximize profits while minimizing costs, and when you opt for thermal paper, you achieve this aim. Thermal paper rolls are extremely cost-effective and can be bought in different formats, sizes, and colors to suit your needs. You can buy it from any office supply store, or if your requirement is huge, you can order it from paper dealers and increase your savings on bulk orders. Since thermal paper has no shelf life, it is good for the long haul.
Apart from saving money on paper and ink, you will also save a lot on maintenance as thermal printers have few moving parts, less paper issues and therefore require minimal maintenance. It is quite simple to insert a thermal paper roll into a printer and get started with printing, and you do not have to spend much time, effort or money maintaining it. Compare this with the costs of maintaining regular printers with ordinary paper, and you will be surprised at how much money you end up saving!
If you opt for high-quality thermal paper, your prints can last even for decades, unlike other prints produced by regular ink cartridges. You thereby have prints that you and your customers can keep on file without having to worry about them fading away with time.
To summarize, if you want to simplify your business operations with POS systems, then thermal paper rolls are the best choice you can make in terms of price as well as the quality of service. They are eco-friendly business solutions that are also budget-friendly. Being cost-effective does not mean that you have to compromise on quality, and this is what thermal paper offers you. Combining speed and accuracy for long-lasting prints, they boost your reputation with your customers.
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