Executive summary An orbital stretch wrapper winds film round a long bundle as it passes through a turning ring, so pipe and tube leave clean and held together. Our economic model does this with a yellow ring on a white frame and plain roller conveyors either side. Film use follows from the bundle section, its length and the overlap. All are set per project to your pipe.
Table of Contents
- What the video shows
- How the orbital wrapper works
- Planning film per bundle
- What makes it an economic model
- Controls and safety
- Selection checklist for an orbital pipe wrapper
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the video shows
A bundle of six long white pipes lies on the black rollers of the infeed conveyor, tied loosely with red tape. The white frame carries the yellow orbital ring at its centre.
An operator loads a film roll onto the carriage on the ring and threads the film. The ring then turns round the bundle as it moves through, and clear film winds along the pipes. Warning labels mark the ring housing.
How the orbital wrapper works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Infeed | The bundle lies on the infeed rollers |
| Orbital wrap | The ring turns round the bundle as it passes through |
| Film cut | The film is cut once the bundle leaves the ring |
| Outfeed | The wrapped bundle runs out on the rollers |
The bundle moves and the ring turns, so film goes on as an even spiral along the length. The pipes are never turned, so their ends and faces are not rubbed. The film roll on the ring carriage is changed only when it runs out, with the ring stopped.
Planning film per bundle
Illustrative example for a bundle of 6 pipes in two rows of 3, each 110 mm across and 6,000 mm long, wrapped with 250 mm film at half overlap:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bundle section, 3 × 110 by 2 × 110 | 330 × 220 mm |
| Section perimeter, 2 × (330 + 220) | 1,100 mm |
| Advance per ring turn at half overlap | 125 mm |
| Ring turns, 6,000 ÷ 125 | 48 |
| Film laid, 48 × 1.1 m | about 53 m |
Less overlap cuts film use for indoor storage. More overlap gives better cover for outdoor storage.
What makes it an economic model
| Point | Economic model |
|---|---|
| Conveyor | Plain rollers either side of the ring |
| Loading | By hand or crane onto the infeed |
| Film | Single film carriage on the ring |
| Controls | Simple settings for ring speed and overlap |
It suits plants that pack a moderate number of bundles a shift and do not need a fully automatic line.
Controls and safety
The ring turns at speed round the bundle, and warning labels mark the ring housing. Stop the ring before threading film or changing a roll.
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 an orbital pipe wrapper
- Pipe diameter, length and bundle shape.
- Largest bundle section.
- Bundles per shift.
- Overlap and storage conditions.
- Manual or automatic infeed.
- Floor length for infeed and outfeed.
Engineering FAQ
Q: What is an orbital wrapper? A: A wrapper whose ring turns round a long product as it moves through, laying film in a spiral.
Q: How much film per bundle? A: Ring turns times the section perimeter. Our 6 m example lays about 53 m.
Q: How is film loaded? A: The roll fits on the carriage on the ring, and the film is threaded by hand with the ring stopped.
Q: Can it wrap single pipes? A: Yes, if the pipe is long enough to ride the conveyor through the ring.
Q: Why choose the economic model? A: It suits moderate output without a fully automatic line.
Next step
We plan your orbital pipe wrapper in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with pipe sizes and output to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours, with the bundle and film plan.
- Book a site survey to check the floor length and loading.
Related reading
- Orbital stretch wrapper
- Steel tube strapping machine
- Video: rod orbital wrapper and bar wrapping machine
Sources
- Machine content: FHOPE engineering team, 2026-10-04
- Film 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
