Executive summary Plasterboard edges crush easily, so stacks are banded over timber battens rather than straight onto the board. Our strapping machine in this video stands ready with a board stack on its conveyor, timber strips on a side feeder and an orange arm over the stack. Strap and timber per bundle follow from the bundle size and the number of bands. We set both per project.
Table of Contents
- What the video shows
- How the strapping station works
- Strap and batten use per bundle
- What we set per board size
- Controls and safety
- Selection checklist for a plasterboard strapping machine
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the video shows
Light brown-faced plasterboard sits on the conveyor of our white-framed strapping machine, held with green bands, and an orange multi-joint arm hovers above it. Light timber strips wait on a side conveyor on the left of the station.
A man in a dark suit stands at the control cabinet, which has round buttons, a small display and red, yellow and green lamps, while visitors watch. Near the end of the clip the orange arm starts to come down toward the stack.
How the strapping station works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Feed | The board stack runs in on the conveyor |
| Timber | Battens come from the side feeder to the band positions |
| Place | The arm sets the battens at the band positions |
| Band | Straps go round the stack over the timber |
| Out | The banded bundle leaves the station |
Timber under the band spreads the strap load, so the band cannot cut into the board edge.
Strap and batten use per bundle
Illustrative example:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bundle width (illustrative) | 1,200 mm |
| Bundle height (illustrative) | 400 mm |
| Band length, 2 × (1,200 + 400) | 3,200 mm |
| Bands per bundle (illustrative) | 4 |
| Strap per bundle before seal overlap, 4 × 3.2 m | 12.8 m |
| Battens per band (illustrative) | 2 |
| Battens per bundle, 4 × 2 | 8 |
Check the seal overlap on trial with your strap, since it adds to every band.
What we set per board size
| Setting | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Band positions | Spaced along the board length |
| Batten length | Covers the bundle width |
| Band tension | Tight without crushing edges |
| Bundle height | Matches your forklift and truck |
We set these on trial with your boards and keep them as recipes. For timber bundles, see our automatic lumber bundle strapping packing line.
Controls and safety
The arm moves over the stack and the strap is under tension. Keep people out of the station while it runs, and handle boards or timber only with it stopped.
The standards that apply depend on the destination market. For CE markets, ISO 12100 sets the risk-assessment method and EN 415-10 sets general requirements for packaging machines.
Selection checklist for a plasterboard strapping machine
- Board length, width and thickness.
- Bundle height and weight.
- Bands per bundle.
- Timber batten size.
- Bundles per hour.
- Conveyor height and line layout.
Engineering FAQ
Q: Why band over timber battens? A: The timber spreads the strap load so the band cannot cut into the board edge.
Q: How much strap does a bundle take? A: About 12.8 m for four bands on a 1,200 mm wide, 400 mm high bundle in our example, plus the seal overlap on each band.
Q: How many battens does a bundle need? A: 8 at two per band with four bands in our example.
Q: Where do the battens come from? A: A side conveyor feeds them to the station.
Q: What is saved per board size? A: Band positions, batten length, band tension and bundle height, kept as recipes.
Next step
We plan your plasterboard strapping machine in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with board sizes, bundles and output to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours, with the band and timber plan.
- Book a site survey to check the conveyor layout.
Related reading
- Automatic strapping machines
- Video: gypsum board packaging line with orbital wrapper
- Video: wooden timber wrapping and strapping machine
Sources
- Machine content: FHOPE engineering team, 2026-10-04
- Strap example: our worked example, illustrative values
- Machine in action: our video on YouTube
- Standards scope: ISO 12100:2010, EN 415-10:2014
Last reviewed: 2026-10-04
