Economic Cable Coil Packing Machine: FPCA Specs, Wrap Time and Overlap Setup

Executive summary Our economic cable coil packing machine wraps film through the coil eye while driving rollers turn the coil, so one operator packs small coils at 18–30 s per coil on our FPCA-100. The FPCA series covers coils from 2 kg to 200 kg. Overlap is set at the coil OD, because the inner edge always gets more layers. This guide gives the model ranges and the overlap and wrap-time method.

Table of Contents

How the cable coil wrapping cycle works

We built the machine in this video to wrap small cable coils lying flat, eye to sky. The coil sits on driving rollers between guide posts, and a ring passes through the coil eye:

  1. 0–4 s, load. The operator lays the coil on the rollers. Four groups of electric arms set the coil size and centre the coil on the wrapping point.
  2. 4–36 s, wrap. The ring turns through the eye and lays film around the coil section. At the same time the driving rollers turn the coil, so each ring turn covers a new strip of the coil. A press-down device holds the coil steady.
  3. Cut. Automatic cutting and feeding ends the film when the coil is fully covered.
  4. 36–40 s, film reload. At the end of the video the operator places a new film roll on the ring. This is needed only when a roll runs out, and the film fixes directly on the ring.

The coil keeps its position during the wrap. The supportive rollers turn it 360° without shifting, and an encoder checks the roller speed and coil position.

FPCA cable coil wrapping machine models

Parameter FPCA-100 FPCA-200 FPCA-300
Coil ID 90–250 mm 150–400 mm 250–510 mm
Coil OD 150–400 mm 250–500 mm 400–900 mm
Coil width 50–180 mm 80–200 mm 60–300 mm
Coil weight 2–30 kg 2–50 kg 20–200 kg
Ring speed 10–120 r/min 10–120 r/min 10–90 r/min
Wrapping speed 18–30 s per coil 20–30 s per coil 20–38 s per coil
Power 1.8 kW 2.0 kW 2.4 kW

Supply is AC 380 V at 50 or 60 Hz, or to your requirement. FPCA-100 is our economic model, designed for small coil IDs. FPCA-300 takes the heavy coils, up to 900 mm OD.

FPCA-100 cable coil wrapping machine with a green cable coil lying flat on radial driving rollers under the wrapping ring
FPCA-100. The coil lies flat on radial driving rollers.

Overlap: set it at the OD, not the ID

Every ring turn passes through the eye, so the film strips crowd together at the inner edge and spread out at the outer edge. The ratio of the two circumferences tells you by how much:

  • Example coil: ID 90 mm and OD 400 mm, the extremes of FPCA-100.
  • Circumferences: π × 400 = 1257 mm at the OD and π × 90 = 283 mm at the ID.
  • Ratio: 1257 ÷ 283 = 4.4. The ID gets 4.4 times the layers of the OD.
  • Result: 50% overlap at the OD gives two layers there and about nine layers at the ID.

So we set the overlap for the OD. The overlap rate is adjustable from 20% to 90% on FPCA-100, by changing the roller speed or the ring speed. A coil with a large ID and a small OD gets a more even wrap.

Wrap time per cable coil

The number of ring turns comes from the OD circumference and the film pitch:

  1. Pitch at the OD = film width × (1 − overlap). With an illustrative 100 mm film width at 50% overlap, the pitch is 50 mm.
  2. Turns = OD circumference ÷ pitch. A 400 mm OD coil needs 1257 ÷ 50 = about 25 turns.
  3. Time = turns ÷ ring speed. At 60 r/min, 25 turns take about 25 s, plus loading and the film cut.

That result sits inside the 18–30 s per coil of FPCA-100. Higher overlap or a slower ring gives a longer cycle.

Red cable coil wrapped in clear stretch film on a cable coil wrapping machine with guide rollers
Wrapped cable coil. Film strips are tighter at the inner edge.

Film choice for cable and wire coils

FPCA-100 and FPCA-200 run PE, stretch film or PVC. FPCA-300 also runs LLDPE and paper. Choose by what the coil needs:

  • Stretch film or PE for dust and moisture protection and a clear view of the coil label.
  • PVC for a firmer, glossy package.
  • Paper on FPCA-300, when the customer wants a breathable wrap.

The coil can be wrapped without strapping, because the film holds the turns together.

Controls and automation

The machine runs on PLC and HMI. Different cable specifications are stored in the program, so the operator picks the coil type and starts. Inverters set the ring and roller speeds, and the ring has a soft start, soft stop and reset.

An indicator light alarms on a fault, and the fault shows on the screen. The motors have overcurrent protection. FPCA-200 adds a foot switch for manual operation, and the friction between the ring and its drive wheels is adjustable for long service life.

Safety on a cable coil wrapper

The rotating ring is the main hazard. Our FPCA-100 comes with a shield and fence around the ring, and FPCA-200 has a CE standard control panel. Keep hands clear of the coil eye when the ring runs.

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 cable coil packing machine

  • Coil ID, OD and width range, including the smallest ID.
  • Coil weight range per model.
  • Coils per hour, and whether one operator loads by hand.
  • Film type: stretch film, PE, PVC or paper.
  • Overlap needed at the OD for transport.
  • Supply voltage and frequency at site.

Engineering FAQ

Q: Which FPCA model fits a coil with 200 mm ID and 450 mm OD? A: FPCA-200, which takes 150–400 mm ID and 250–500 mm OD. FPCA-100 stops at 400 mm OD.

Q: Why is the film thicker at the inside of the coil? A: Every ring turn passes through the eye. On a 90/400 mm coil, the ID circumference is 4.4 times shorter than the OD, so it gets 4.4 times the layers.

Q: How do I change the overlap? A: Change the roller speed or the ring speed through the inverters. A faster coil turn per ring turn gives a larger pitch and less overlap.

Q: How long does one cable coil take? A: 18–30 s per coil on FPCA-100 and up to 38 s on FPCA-300. The time is OD circumference ÷ pitch ÷ ring speed, plus loading and the film cut.

Q: Does the coil need strapping before wrapping? A: No. The film holds the turns together, so the coil can be wrapped without strapping. The press-down device keeps it steady during the wrap.

Next step

We match the cable coil wrapper to your coils in three steps:

  1. Submit your layout drawing with coil ID, OD, width, weight, coils per hour and film type to info@fhopepack.com.
  2. Receive a machine proposal within 48 hours, with the model, overlap setting and wrap-time check.
  3. Book a site survey to place the wrapper at your coiling line.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-10-03

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