Horizontal Wrapping Machine Solutions

Executive summary

Eliminate manual handling and prevent load shifting on awkward, compressible, or long products with automated horizontal ring wrapping. Operating at ring speeds up to 100 rpm with 20 to 35 s cycle times, FHOPE horizontal orbital wrappers secure stationary cargo under uniform film tension on the conveyor line. The accompanying video demonstrates a complete automated cycle.

Table of Contents

Automated Horizontal Wrapping Cycle and Throughput

Horizontal ring wrapping secures products vulnerable to shifting or unwieldy to rotate—including compressible hose coils, cable bundles, extrusions, and boxed goods—by orbiting stretch film around a stationary load traveling through the ring axis.

The automated cycle follows a coordinated mechanical sequence:

  1. Infeed Transfer: The powered conveyor advances the load into the wrapping centerline.
  2. Stationary Clamping & Orbiting: Top-press or side-guide rollers secure compressible products while the orbital ring accelerates up to 100 rpm, applying pre-stretched film under closed-loop tension.
  3. Cut and Wipe Sequence: An automated pneumatic clamp-and-cut unit grips the film, cuts it cleanly, and secures the trailing tail at cycle completion before outfeed indexing.

Why Ring-Wrap Large Objects

Orbital wrapping eliminates centrifugal forces acting on the cargo. By keeping the load stationary on the horizontal conveyor while rotating the lightweight film carriage around it, even unstable or compressible goods (such as flexible corrugated pipe coils or light bundles) are wrapped without distortion or falling over.

For cylindrical coils wrapped horizontally (eye-horizontal / through-the-bore configuration), the equipment clears internal core dimensions while enclosing the outer perimeter. For rigid boxes, panels, and linear profiles, sizing is governed by the total cross-sectional diagonal clearance relative to the ring diameter.

Because every FHOPE system is custom built, machinery envelopes are tailored to customer product matrices. Standard coil configurations span an inner diameter (ID) of 250 to 650 mm, an outer diameter (OD) of 450 to 800 mm, and widths from 120 to 280 mm, accommodating unit loads from 5 to 30 kg.

How a Horizontal Wrapper Works

The wrapper mounts over the conveyor gap. The structural steel ring supports a balanced pre-stretch film carriage driven by heavy-duty polyurethane friction drive wheels or timing belts.

  • Film Delivery: A motorized pre-stretch unit elongates the film prior to product contact, minimizing core compression on delicate goods while maximizing holding force.
  • Tension Control: The carriage dispenses film smoothly at speeds up to 200 m/min to maintain throughput matching high ring RPM.
  • Cycle Coordination: A central PLC synchronizes ring rotational speed (RPM) with conveyor linear speed (m/min) to achieve exact film overlap percentages (typically 30% to 60%). The cycle completes within 20 to 35 seconds per bundle.

Wrapping Cover and Film Budget

Three baseline engineering checks verify throughput and material consumption prior to line commissioning:

1. Full-Cover Pass Calculation

For a stationary radial wrap or coil perimeter wrapping:

  • Coil outer diameter (OD) = 0.8 m
  • Effective band width (W_film) = 0.5 m
  • Overlap target = 50% (effective step advance = 0.25 m)
  • Perimeter coverage length = π × OD = 3.1416 × 0.8 m = 2.513 m
  • Required passes = 2.513 m / 0.25 m = 10.05 passes The PLC rounds this up to 11 ring revolutions to guarantee complete outer overlap.

2. Film Stock Mass Budget

Stretch film inventory is budgeted by polymer areal density:

  • Roll length = 1,000 m
  • Roll width = 0.5 m
  • Film thickness = 25 µm (0.000025 m)
  • LLDPE resin density = 920 kg/m³
  • Film mass = 1,000 m × 0.5 m × 0.000025 m × 920 kg/m³ = 11.5 kg (Note: This represents raw net film mass before pre-stretch elongation).

3. Cycle Time vs. Line Takt

  • Target output = 144 units/hour
  • Available cycle budget = 3,600 s / 144 = 25.0 s per piece This budget easily accommodates 5 s infeed, 15 s orbital wrapping (at 50–60 rpm), and 5 s clamp/cut/outfeed sequence.

Specifications

The values below represent standard engineering envelopes for coil and bundle ring wrapping models. Dimensions for extended linear profiles or boxed loads are engineered against your cross-sectional drawing.

Parameter Standard Range Engineering Remarks
Coil Inside Diameter (ID) 250 to 650 mm Sized for orbital ring wall clearance
Coil Outside Diameter (OD) 450 to 800 mm Must fit inside maximum ring opening circle
Coil Width / Package Height 120 to 280 mm Conveyor gap width clearance
Load Weight Capacity 5 to 30 kg Standard roller conveyor load rating
Total Cycle Time 20 to 35 s per piece Dependent on package size and pass count
Maximum Ring Speed Up to 100 rpm Frequency inverter (VFD) controlled
Film Carriage Delivery Speed Up to 200 m/min High-speed powered pre-stretch option
Film Gauge Compatibility 17 to 35 µm Cast or blown LLDPE stretch film

Selection Checklist

  • Cross-Section Diagonal: Confirm maximum product cross-section (√(Width² + Height²)) to ensure a minimum 100 mm radial clearance inside the ring.
  • Load Rigidity: Determine if top vertical hold-down rollers are needed for compressible coils or lightweight boxes.
  • Takt Time Alignment: Match ring acceleration, wrap cycle time, and indexing conveyor speed to the upstream packing rate.
  • Film Specification: Define stretch film width (typically 250 mm or 500 mm), gauge, and required pre-stretch ratio (150% to 250%).
  • Safety Guarding Integration: Confirm perimeter interlocks, light curtains, and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) interface locations.

Controls and Safety

The machine operates in an automated continuous cycle under strict safety interlocks. High-inertia rotating assemblies require defined safeguarding protocols:

  • Zone Interlocking: Infeed and outfeed portals feature Category 4 / PLe light curtains or perimeter safety fencing with monitored door interlocks. Opening any access gate triggers an immediate Category 0 controlled stop.
  • Maintenance Safety: Power isolation points must be locked out per OSHA / EN standards before servicing film carriages, adjusting clamp blades, or entering the ring envelope. Reaching into the rotating ring during operation is strictly interdicted.
  • Harmonized Standards: Built in compliance with ISO 12100 (Safety of machinery — General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction) and EN 415-10 (Safety of packaging machines — General requirements).

Engineering FAQ

Q: What products are best suited for horizontal ring wrapping? A: Long extrusions, pipe and hose coils, wire bundles, lumber, and boxed goods. It is especially beneficial for products that deform or tip over if turned on conventional turntable wrappers.

Q: How does the system achieve 20 to 35 second cycle times? A: By combining ring rotation speeds up to 100 rpm with rapid automated pneumatic clamp-and-cut units. Film is captured immediately at the wrap position without manual tying.

Q: How is full film coverage determined? A: The onboard HMI calculates passes from the product dimensions and user-selected overlap percentage. For example, a 0.8 m OD coil wrapped with a 0.5 m band at 50% overlap requires 10.05 theoretical passes, which the PLC rounds up to 11 full revolutions.

Q: What international safety standards govern the machine? A: Machines destined for CE markets follow ISO 12100 for comprehensive risk reduction and EN 415-10 for packaging machinery mechanical and electrical safety integration.

Q: Can this wrapper integrate directly into an automated production line? A: Yes. The orbital unit features dry contacts and industrial Ethernet (Profinet/EtherNet/IP) protocols to handshake with upstream coiling/stacking stations and downstream sorting conveyors.

Next Step

  1. Submit Drawings: Provide product cross-section dimensions, weight range, and target hourly takt time.
  2. Receive Technical Proposal: Obtain a custom ring layout, cycle simulation, and formal quotation within 48 hours.
  3. Site & Line Integration Survey: Schedule an engineering review with our project team for mechanical and controls tie-in.

Contact our packaging engineering group: info@fhopepack.com

Sources

Last updated: 2026-10-28

Related Posts

Book A Call
Book A Call