How much should you overlap the film when stretch wrapping a pallet?

Pallet wrapping is an essential part of the warehousing process. It keeps goods secure, reduces the risk of lost inventory, and improves warehouse organization. Whether you own a warehouse or are just getting started in the industry, it's essential to familiarize yourself with pallet wrapping. We'll walk you through how to wrap a pallet, investigate different types of pallet-wrapping equipment, and answer frequently asked questions about the topic.

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Pallet Wrapping Video

Watch the video below for a comprehensive guide on how to wrap a pallet:

How to Wrap a Pallet

Though wrapping a pallet may seem simple, there are several details to keep in mind for the best results. To wrap a pallet the right way, follow these steps:

1. Stack the pallet: Before wrapping, verify that your pallet is properly stacked. Inspect the structure of the pallet, stacking pattern, and weight of the boxes to keep them from falling as you wrap. Fasten the pallet with strapping bands to hold everything in place.
2. Secure the wrap: Secure the stretch wrap before you begin wrapping to maintain tension and prevent anything from coming loose. You can secure the wrap by tying one end to the pallet's base or wedging the end of the wrap between two boxes.
3. Secure the bottom: The base is integral to the structure of the pallet. If it is not secure, your wrap will not be effective. Secure the bottom of your pallet by starting at the pallet base, covering at least 1 inch in pallet wrap. For the best results, wrap around the bottom up to five times before advancing.
4. Wrap upwards: Hold the wrap roughly 10 inches from your pallet and walk forward. If you are using stretch wrap, stretch the wrap about 30-50% around the corners of the stack to ensure complete coverage. Maintain tension as you wrap the pallet and aim for 50% overlap between layers to enhance the strength of your wrap.
5. Wrap the top: Once you reach the top, stretch the film around the top corners of the pallet and pull slightly downwards. Secure about 1 inch of film over the top of your pallet corners to finish the wrap.

How to Shrink Wrap a Pallet

Shrink wrapping your pallets creates an air-tight seal, ensuring the pallet is secure and ready for shipping. By creating this seal, shrink wrap also provides an added layer of protection from environmental hazards. To shrink wrap a pallet, follow these steps:

1. Stack and wrap the pallet: Using shrink wrap, follow the steps outlined above to wrap your pallet. Verify the entire pallet is wrapped and that there are no gaps in coverage.
2. Heat the shrink wrap: Once the pallet has been wrapped, use a heat gun or shrink wrap gun to apply heat. This will shrink the wrap to the size of the pallet, creating a tight seal.

It's important to note that you can also use heat-shrink bags to shrink wrap a pallet. While these bags are more convenient than shrink wrapping the pallet by hand, they may not fit the size of your pallet.

Pallet Wrapping Tools

The pallet wrapping process can be physically taxing, and various equipment and tools exist to assist your employees as they wrap. With these tools, you can create a more efficient process and allow your warehouse staff to focus on other tasks in the workplace. Some of the most common pallet-wrapping tools include the following:

Stretch Wrap Machines

A stretch wrap machine is a form of automated warehouse technology that wraps pallets on its own. They come in both automatic and semi-automatic varieties and allow you to reduce wrapping waste. There are three main types of stretch wrappers:

• Turntable stretch wrappers: These machines feature a spinning turntable that rotates the pallet to dispense stretch wrap. They are ideal for most commercial wrapping applications.
• Rotary arm stretch wrappers: This stretch wrap machine utilizes a mechanical arm to wrap pallets. They can be used for all types of pallets, but are particularly useful when working with light loads or heavy loads.
• Horizontal stretch wrappers: This machine utilizes a horizontal ring that surrounds pallets and wraps them. They are ideal for wrapping lengthy items that would otherwise be difficult to wrap such as doors, windows, and textiles.

Stretch Wrap Dispensers

A stretch wrap dispenser makes applying stretch film by hand easier. It gives the user enhanced control over the wrapping process, improving accuracy and ensuring the entire pallet is secure. We'll introduce the four main types of stretch wrap dispensers below:

• Handheld stretch wrap dispensers: These dispensers give you increased mobility as you wrap your pallet. They feature small handles that can be placed on a roll of pallet wrap, allowing you to maintain tension. Some handheld stretch wrap dispensers feature an extended handle that enhances your reach.
• Adjustable stretch wrap dispensers: An adjustable stretch wrap dispenser offers superior control while wrapping pallets. These dispensers are easy to use and feature two conveniently placed handles that you can adjust to ensure optimal tension as you wrap.
• Stationary stretch wrap dispensers: A stationary stretch wrap dispenser can be placed on the floor or mounted on a wall. They are designed to hold large amounts of stretch wrap and are perfect for wrapping large pallets. Some stationary stretch wrap dispensers can even hold multiple rolls.
• Mobile stretch wrap dispensers: These dispensers feature wheels, allowing you to move the dispenser through the workplace. Many of them are adjustable, giving you flexibility as you work. Because of this, they are ideal for busy working environments.

Shrink Guns

If you plan on wrapping your pallet with shrink wrap, you'll need a heat gun or shrink gun to complete the job. These versatile tools apply heat quickly, reducing the shrink wrap to fit the pallet. In general, shrink wrap needs to be heated to about 250-350 degrees Fahrenheit to shrink.

Pallet Wrapping FAQ

We'll answer frequently asked questions about pallet wrapping below:

How Big Is a Standard Pallet?

The standard packing height of a pallet is 48 inches. This includes 6 inches for the pallet base and 42 inches of product.

How Much Can a Pallet Hold?

A standard pallet can hold up to 4,600 lb. of materials.

How Much Stretch Wrap per Pallet?

In general, it takes 176 feet of stretch wrap to cover a standard 48-inch pallet. The amount of stretch wrap you need can vary depending on the size and weight of a pallet and how much stretch you can get out of the wrap.

Wrapping a pallet is an important process that requires precision and concentration. When executed correctly, wrapping a pallet keeps your goods safe and maintains an organized warehouse space. With the information above, you can educate your staff on pallet wrapping and ensure that every pallet is wrapped the right way.

Stretch wrapping is considered the most common and efficient method for securing pallets. The goal of stretch wrapping is for products to arrive at their destination in perfect condition. Unfortunately, there's no universal method for wrapping pallets for shipping. The process involves many variables, including different load configurations, contents, and more. That doesn't mean the process of stretch wrapping is a complete mystery, though. There are certain principles that apply to stretch wrapping a pallet, all of which can help you quickly and effectively secure your loads for shipping. If you're interested in learning more about stretch wrapping your pallets, let's go over some of the most important pallet wrapping guidelines to follow.

The Basics of Stretch Wrapping

Before we delve into the specifics of how to wrap a pallet, it's important to familiarize yourself with the basics of stretch film material. The most common stretch film plastic is made from low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). LLDPE is a complex chemical film. Depending on its gauge and thickness, it can expand up to five times its inert length. You can divide LLPDE products into two categories: cast film and blown film. Cast film is suitable for light-to-medium-duty pallet wraps. It's clear, glossy, and easy to unwind. It also has a consistent cling quality and a uniform thickness. Blown film is tougher and suited to medium-to-heavy-duty loads. Blown film is more expensive to manufacturers than cast film. For this reason, packaging facilities rely on cast film for most of their pallet shipments. Knowing the difference between these two types of stretch film is a crucial part of understanding proper stretch film techniques. Let's look at the main differences between cast and blown stretch film. These qualities can have a major impact on the proper stretch wrapping techniques:

Strength

If you're looking for strength, blown stretch film is your best bet. Even when the thickness or gauge is equal, blown stretch film is stronger than cast film. It's also less likely to tear when snagged on a sharp edge.

Film Yield

Blown stretch film has a higher yield point, or breaking point, than cast film. It can stretch well beyond its design capacity before snapping.

Film Memory

This refers to the film's elastic qualities, or how well the film reverts to its original, inert state. Blown stretch film has a better memory capacity than cast film, which makes it ideal for tough applications.

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Load Retention

Blown stretch film won't continue stretching after it's applied. Cast stretch film, on the other hand, will continue to expand.

Puncture Resistance

Compared to cast film, blown stretch film is more resistant to punctures and cuts.

Visual Clarity

If you want your pallet to be visible, cast film is more transparent than blown stretch film, which is naturally opaque.

Rewind Noise

Blown stretch film is tougher and more durable than cast film, but it's also noisier when it's unwound from its spool. When you're applying cast stretch film, it's virtually silent.

Film Cling

Blown stretch film has one-sided cling, while cast film will cling on both faces. Pallets wrapped with blown film won't ever stick to each other, but pallets wrapped with cast film might.

Proper Pallet Wrapping Techniques

There's a long list of proven and practical techniques for stretch wrapping pallets. These techniques apply regardless of the type of film or equipment you're using. Insecure or improper pallet wraps can result in damaged, destroyed, or lost goods, but by training your employees in effective pallet wrapping techniques, you can cut down on loss. To effectively stretch film a pallet, you'll need to:

Pick the Right Pallet

Picking the right pallets is important. They should be made of the proper material, in good condition, and capable of supporting the full weight of the load.

Choose Your Stretch Wrapping Equipment

For light pallet wraps, some handlers might prefer to hand-wrap their loads. If your warehouse is continually shipping out larger loads, mechanical stretch wrapping machines are better. You can use a semi-automatic turntable model, overhead rotary arm, horizontal machines, or'for complete automation'an automatic stretch wrapper.

Secure the Film

Start wrapping at the bottom and spiral up toward the top. Make sure to fix the leading end of the film to the pallet base before you wrap it. For semi-automatic models, your operator will need to tie the film to the base or the pallet or into the film cup on the turntable. Many automatic stretch wrappers are available with a film tucking system where the device clamps, cuts, and threads the film.

Wrap the Product

Start with full coverage of the product laps to the pallet base. You can make two or more revolutions around the base to ensure there's a sufficient grip anchoring the load to the pallet frame. You'll want to make sure 50 percent of the material overlaps as the film move upwards. You can set certain machinery, like automatic pallet wrappers, for specific overlap coverage.

Control Wrap Tension

Tension controls how tightly the load is compressed. Sensitive products need light tension in relation to the wrap's stretch factor, while heavy and solid loads can withstand greater tension.

Decide Whether To Double Wrap

When you reach the top of the upward spiral, you need to decide whether to tie-off the film on top of the load or spiral downhill. When in doubt, you're better off double wrapping. Double wrapping uses more stretch film but can protect your product against damage.

Adhere Film Tail

Finally, you'll want to adhere the film tail at the end of the wrap cycle. Many automatic stretch wrappers come with various film clamps for cutting film and adhering to load at the end of the wrap cycle. This avoids loose film tails that get caught by the truck forks or other items during shipment, compromising containment force at the bottom of the load. This can lead to failure during shipment and damaged products. A pneumatically driven film clamp unit with hot wire film cutting incorporates the device for final sealing of the film tail. A nip and tuck device clamps, cuts, and threads the film without a sealer. The last tail of the wrapping film is inserted into the winding itself.

Tips for Safely Wrapping Pallets

Protecting your parts from damage is important. To help your pallet get to its destination safely, here are some pallet wrapping guidelines to follow:

Use the Right Amount of Containment Force

Containment force is what holds loads together. Depending on the products you're shipping, you'll need different amounts of containment on different areas of the load. Thankfully, containment force is easy to calculate. To calculate containment force, multiply the amount of wrap force by the number of film layers. Wrap force refers to how tightly each layer of film is wrapped around the load. Containment force is the total pressure of all layers of the film. The wrap force multiplies as you continue to add layers. When you're measuring containment force, you'll need to check the top, the middle, and the bottom of your stretch wrapped pallet. Having the correct amount of force in all three areas is crucial to ensure your products arrive at their final destination without primary packaging or product damage.

Use Film Cable

To prevent them from sliding off their pallet, you'll need to lock your loads to the pallet with a film cable. Applying film to the bottom of the pallet might make it look secure, but it doesn't properly lock the load to the pallet. When it's picked up by a forklift or pallet jack, the forks will tear the film. This can spread up the load, which reduces containment force and increases the risk of load failure. Full web film roping is the best way to lock the load to the pallet.

Check for Long or Dragging Film Tails

Always check your pallet for long or dragging film tails. These tails can get tangled in conveyors, forklift wheels, automatic storage and retrieval systems, and other downstream equipment, which can cause the film to unravel or pull products off their pallets.

At Robopac USA, we pride ourselves on our shrink and stretch wrapping machinery's superior technology and quality. If you're in need of fast, reliable, and consistent machines for your packaging facility, come and shop our full line of equipment today!

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