Executive summary A no tray wrapping machine stretch-wraps a stack of cartons straight on the turntable, without a pallet or tray underneath. Our clip, about 92 s long, shows a turntable wrapper with a top press wrapping two carton stacks in turn, with the operator at the column. Our A-series wrapper turns at up to 13 r/min and handles 20 to 40 loads per hour.
Table of Contents
- What the clip shows, in order
- Cycle time on the clip
- How wrapping without a pallet works
- Pallet wrapper with top press specifications
- Takt check
- Selection checklist for a no tray wrapper
- Controls and safety
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the clip shows, in order
The wrapper has a dark mast with a film carriage and a yellow top press arm reaching over the round orange turntable. Several more turntable wrappers stand in a row behind it in our workshop.
- 0 to about 6 s. A stack of brown cartons stands on the turntable with no pallet under it. The operator stands at the mast, by the controls.
- About 6 to 46 s. The yellow top press holds the stack from above. The turntable turns and the film carriage climbs, laying stretch film around the cartons.
- About 46 to 52 s. The wrapped stack is finished. The operator steps to the turntable, beside the load.
- About 52 to 69 s. A lower, flat stack of cartons is placed on the turntable, and the top press comes down onto it.
- About 69 to 92 s. The second stack is wrapped. The operator stands at the column while the turntable turns, then the wrapped stack comes to rest.
Cycle time on the clip
| Step on the clip | Time window | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| First stack wrapped | about 6 to 46 s | about 40 s |
| Load change | about 46 to 52 s | about 6 s |
| Second stack placed and pressed | about 52 to 69 s | about 17 s |
| Second stack wrapped | about 69 to 92 s | about 23 s |
The times come from frames about 5.7 s apart, and the clip may be edited. They show the order of steps, not a rated cycle time.
How wrapping without a pallet works
Without a pallet, a stack of cartons is light and loose at the top. As the turntable starts, the film tension would pull the top cartons out of line. The top press solves this. It comes down onto the stack and holds it from above, so the stack stays still while the machine wraps.
The top press can be driven by a motor or by a pneumatic cylinder, and the press plate comes in different shapes to suit the load. The film carriage pre-stretches the film and climbs the mast, and a photocell finds the top of the load. Wrap counts at the bottom, middle and top are set on the controls.
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Turntable | Turns the load during wrapping |
| Top press | Holds the stack from above |
| Film carriage | Pre-stretches the film and climbs the mast |
| Photocell | Finds the load height |
| Controls | Set wrap counts, overlap and re-wrap |
| Emergency stop | Red mushroom head on the controls |
The same machine also holds odd loads such as chairs or canned goods, which would shift under the film.
Pallet wrapper with top press specifications
| A-series turntable wrapper | Specification |
|---|---|
| Top press | Motor or pneumatic cylinder |
| Maximum load size | 1,500 × 1,500 mm |
| Minimum load size | 500 × 500 × 500 mm |
| Maximum load height | 1,800 mm |
| Turntable speed | up to 13 r/min, adjustable |
| Film | LLDPE, 500 mm wide |
| Pre-stretch | 250%, optional 100% to 300% |
| Output | 20 to 40 loads per hour |
| Supply | 220 V, 1 phase, 50 Hz |
Takt check
For an illustrative 30 stacks per hour, the takt is 3,600 ÷ 30 = 120 s per stack. On the clip, the first stack wraps in about 40 s.
That leaves about 80 s to place the stack, lower the press and take the wrapped load off. A taller stack or more top wraps adds time, so we check the wrap program against the stack height.
Selection checklist for a no tray wrapper
- Stack size, against 1,500 × 1,500 mm and 1,800 mm high.
- Smallest stack, against 500 × 500 × 500 mm.
- How light and loose the top of the stack is.
- Top press drive: motor or pneumatic cylinder.
- Stacks per hour, against 20 to 40.
Controls and safety
On the clip, the operator steps to the turntable between cycles, once the wrapped stack has stopped. A person within reach of the turning load or under the press plate is the move to design out. We set the controls clear of the turntable and mark the swing area on the floor.
Stop, isolate and lock out the wrapper before anyone straightens a stack, threads film or works under the top press. Raise the press fully and lock it before reaching under it.
The standards that apply depend on the destination market. For CE markets, EN 415-6 covers pallet wrapping machines, which fixes the safety requirements for the turntable and carriage, and ISO 12100 sets the risk-assessment method.
Engineering FAQ
Q: Why does a load without a pallet need a top press? A: A loose carton stack can be pulled out of line by the film tension. The top press holds it still from above while the turntable turns.
Q: How is the top press driven? A: By a motor or by a pneumatic cylinder, with a press plate shaped to the load.
Q: How many loads per hour can it wrap? A: 20 to 40 loads per hour, depending on the load height and the wrap program.
Next step
We size a no tray wrapping machine in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with the stack sizes, weights and output, to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours, with the top press type, the wrap program and the cycle check.
- Book a site survey so we confirm the floor space, the loading method and the safe zone around the turntable.
Related reading
- A600 pallet stretch wrapper with top press device
- A100 pallet wrapping machine
- Pallet wrapping machine with top press for tall, light loads
Sources
- Top press details: A600 pallet wrapper with top press product page
- Turntable and film data: A100 pallet wrapping machine product page
- Clip timing: frame timings taken from our clip, about 5.7 s between frames
- Machine in action: our video on YouTube
- Standards scope: EN 415-6:2013, ISO 12100:2010
Last reviewed: 2026-10-05
