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Neha Tiwari
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4 min read
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Nov 29,
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Buying a stretch wrapper need not be a complicated or painful process. Yet, you must invest in some quality time finding answers to some simple questions and identify the right Stretch Wrap Machine which can balance your budget, needs and efficiency.
The first step in your buying process for a stretch wrap machine is determining whether you need a fully automatic or semi-automatic machine. You should also remember that there are multiple variants within these two categories. Let us find answers to some of the crucial questions that will help you arrive at the right decision in this regard.
2. How do you achieve the task presently
3. Number of loads moving out per day
4. The extent of shipping damages, if any, and the cause of damage
5. Does the load stay intact, or rotate
6. What is the size of the pallet in use
7. What is the weight of the heaviest pallet
8. Maximum height at which you stack the products
9. Weight of the lightest pallet
10. Do you weigh your loads and if yes why?
11. What is the mode of loading the pallets on your stretch wrapper- do you use a forklift or pallet jack
12. Number of pallets wrapped every hour or the total per day
13. How many shifts do you operate in a day
When you have found the answers to these questions, the process of choosing the right stretch wrap machine gets a lot easier.
Things such as the size of the pallet, weight and height of the loads can have a huge impact on the stretch wrap machine that can work best for you. When the pallets you employ are larger compared to the usual 40x48&#; you may need a wrap zone or larger turntable. If the pallets extend beyond the wrap zone or turntable can be fraught with risk and therefore the right size becomes crucial. Similarly, the height of the load is another factor that will have a bearing on the size of components in the machine. For example, in semi-automatic machines, the standard height is 80 inches. When your loads are taller, you should add an extended mast.
Another aspect to be considered is extremely heavy or extremely light loads when you are considering various options. At times, a stretch wrap machine employs a top platen to hold or stabilize/ hold down unstable or light loads. Straddle style wrappers, on the other hand, comes with a wrapped arm rotating around the pallet is ideal for very heavy loads (>5,000 pounds).
Your stretch wrap machine is expected to serve your needs for a reasonably long time. Therefore, your focus should be on a reputed vendor who has several installations in your neighbourhood than someone who has a just a few installations. You can expect the top quality machines from vendors who have been in the business for several decades can generally give you machines of the best quality.
The next consideration is reliability. Once you have purchased the right machine for you, you may need help getting acquainted with the machine. There may also be situations when the machine throws up problems that you cannot resolve. In all these situations, you need a reliable vendor who will provide immediate assistance and ensure that your work suffers the least disruption.
Some vendors may offer quotes that are far below the average quote that you get from different vendors. But if you focus on quality that can serve you for several years, your initial investment may be relatively expensive. The best way to understand this in-depth is to analyse the cost of the machine vs. its expected life and arrive at a cost per year. Once you have these numbers you can easily see why quality is a better option than the initial gain from a cheap vendor.
Consider how certain key factors influence your cost of the stretch wrapper.
Material, labour and damage are among the highest costs involved in using a stretch wrapper. Understand how these costs will be impacted when you invest in a stretch wrapper.
Safety is important for you and your employees alike. When your stretch wrap machine comes with in-built safety features, you have lesser worries. Check out the following elements:-
These are among features that help reduce workplace injuries and keep your operators protected.
Conclusion
Being an informed customer before you start shopping for your stretch wrap machine will ensure that your investment returns hassle-free working for several years to come.
ISSUE:
SOLUTION:
Mach 1 Packaging has given careful consideration to the mechanical and electrical design of these machines, ensuring that the machine will electrically protect itself from severe electrical damage in the case of an electrical overload or short.
It is fortunate that external factors tend to be the cause of drive board issues the majority of the time, and that correction of most drive issues is the simple replacement of a blown fuse.
Scope: This document describes the procedure to resolve the most common cause of a drive board issue ... a blown fuse. It is not a comprehensive trouble-shooting guide that deals with other solutions to drive board issues. See the ADDITIONAL SUPPORT section of this document if fuse replacement does not rectify the issue.
Caution: Take steps to ensure that any potential causes of the issue are rectified before proceeding.
Blown fuses are the the result of electrical overload conditions that typically occur due to factors external to the machine.
Electrical
The machine is rated to operate at 110/120 VAC, 15 AMPS, 60 Hz.
Potential causes of power supply issues can be:
Link to Eopac Machinery
electrical interference or current draw from other devices on the same supply circuit
under normal operating conditions, at the start of a wrap cycle, the machine can draw close to the 15 AMPS it is rated for
we recommend that the wrapper should NOT SHARE a circuit with other high current demand devices (eg. air conditioner, space heater, hot plate, etc.)
improperly sized or damaged power feed wiring
poor quality power feed wiring
low power supply voltage
high power supply voltage
running the machine on a long or insufficiently rated extension cord
ELECTRICAL TROUBLE-SHOOTING TIPS:
measure the supply voltage at the plug where the machine is connected
measure the supply voltage both when the machine is at rest, and when it is running a normal wrap cycle with a load on the turntable and the film attached to the load
Mechanical
Potential causes of mechanical binding or blockage can be:
the turntable physically contacting or binding on something
loading ramp (ensure sufficient clearance between turntable and ramp)
poor condition skids over-hanging the turntable and contacting the turntable surround or ramp
improperly centered skids/loads contacting the film carriage
skids/loads contacting nearby adjacent objects
excess film caught under the turntable and getting caught in the turntable casters
starting a wrap cycle without backing the forklift out from the load
"joy-riding" on the film carriage
machine film "wrap up" on the pre-stretch rollers
Determine that the problem could be a blown fuse in one of the drive boards!
At least one of the following conditions will be true:
the machine display will power up when the machine power is turned on
manual control [jogging] will function as expected
turntable rotation
film carriage up and down
the film carriage will feed film manually (TIP: after pressing the PAUSE button to enable the pre-stretch)
the machine will start a wrap cycle, however, one of the above functions (turntable, film carriage up/down, or pre-stretch (film feed)) will not work
1. Ensure that the power to the machine is off. Preferably unplug the machine, or turn off the circuit breaker (or remove the fuse) at the panel supplying power to the machine, or ensure the main power switch is off.
2. Remove the control panel access plate that is located at the same height, but at the rear of the tower. Use a hex key to remove the machine screws. (The plate is not otherwise attached to the tower, but sometimes the plate will need to be pried away from the tower with a screw driver.)
3. Once the control panel access plate is off, you will see the three drive boards to the right. Each are three slightly different versions of the same DC drive board. On each, you will see a fuse, the same kind commonly found in vehicles.
4A. The pre-stretch (film feed) drive board is the one at the top.
4B. The film carriage (up / down) drive board is the one in the middle.
4C. The turntable drive board is the one on the bottom.
5. A factory supplied spare fuse, in a bag (or attached with silver duct tape), can be found at the bottom of the panel. The same fuse can typically be used in all three of the drive boards.
6. Replace the fuse in the suspect board.
7. Power up the machine and test for functionality.
8. Replace the control panel cover.
We encourage stocking a small supply of extra fuses to minimize downtime should another blown fuse issue occur.
Fuse details:
The fuse is MDA-xx-R.
XX stands for the amperage -> MDA-8-R and MDA-10-R
Please do not use any other value fuses in these machines unless verified with the factory design engineer.
The motor size dictates the fuse size:
0.50 HP -> 8 amp
0.75 HP -> 10 amp
(The standard motor size in most applications is 0.50 HP.)
Should the above procedure not rectify the issue with the machine, please contact Wrapper Direct, or technical support at the factory for additional assistance.
Mach 1 Packaging Technical Support
Technical Support Manager: Alex B., 514-737- (dial zero "0" and ask for Alex B.),Alex B., 514-737- (dial zero "0" and ask for Alex B.), [ protected]
Please Note: If you do require factory support, the machine serial number will be required. It can be found on the nameplate of the machine.
The services of a stretch wrapper service technician are often available in major industrial centers, however, installation of parts, trouble-shooting, repair services, and the cost of returning warranty parts to the factory is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
Contact Wrapper Direct Inc. for details.
The company is the world’s best pallet wrapper with top platen supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.