Overview
A pallet orbital wrapping machine wraps a palletized load through a vertical ring, and when it is built for forklift loading it takes the load straight off the forks — no infeed conveyor is required. In the clip a forklift carries a pallet of cartons into the ring, and the film carriage runs around the ring so the film passes over the load and under the pallet base, binding load and pallet as one unit rather than wrapping only the sides. This article is for warehouse and logistics teams handling palletized loads by forklift. It covers the cycle shown, when orbital wrapping beats a turntable, and what to send for sizing.
The clip below shows the forklift-fed wrapping cycle:
What the Footage Shows
In the clip the load stays still while the ring turns around it. That is the defining motion of an orbital wrapper: the film carriage travels round the vertical ring, so film builds up over the top of the cartons, down both sides, and under the pallet base, binding the whole stack to the pallet.
| Step | What the footage shows |
|---|---|
| Loading | Forklift brings a pallet of cartons into the ring; the pallet rests in the machine |
| Wrapping | Film carriage runs round the ring; film crosses the top and passes under the pallet |
| Set-down | The finished pallet stands on the machine bed, film over the top and under the base |
| Unloading | The forklift returns to take the finished unit away |
Because the load stays still inside the ring, roughly square carton pallets are wrapped in place with the forklift close by. Forklift feed means the machine needs no conveyor line and no turntable pit.
Why Wrap a Load to Its Pallet
A turntable wrapper rotates the load and wraps the four sides; the film overlaps the pallet edge only where the wrap reaches down. An orbital ring has a different film path, which changes what the film can hold.
| Aspect | Orbital ring (this machine) | Turntable pallet wrapper |
|---|---|---|
| Film path | Over the top and under the pallet base | Round the four sides |
| Load and pallet joined as one unit | Yes, film passes under the pallet | Only where film overlaps the pallet edge |
| Load movement | Load stays still, ring rotates | Load turns on the table |
| Loading | Forklift into the ring (or conveyor) | Forklift or conveyor onto the table |
| Best fit | Loads that must not separate from the pallet; longer pallets | Standard square pallets at high volume on a line |
If a load only needs side containment and the line is a high-volume turntable application, a turntable wrapper is usually the simpler choice. The orbital layout earns its place where keeping cartons and pallet together matters, for example loads handled several times between wrapping and shipment.
Sizing and Configuration
The published orbital wrapper range for pallets extends to the standard pallet lengths handled on a line of this type — roughly 2 m at the top of the range — so the ring is sized and confirmed per project to your pallet and load dimensions rather than taken as a fixed machine envelope.
| Parameter to confirm | What it fixes |
|---|---|
| Pallet length, width and load height | Ring size and film width |
| Load weight and build | Support and loading geometry |
| Forklift or conveyor feed | Whether a chain conveyor and transfer conveyor are fitted |
| Film layers and top coverage | Cycle-time and film specification |
| Pallets per hour and floor space round the ring | Output planning and forklift approach clearance |
On conveyor-fed versions the load moves on a chain conveyor with a transfer conveyor linking infeed to outfeed; film pay-out is matched to load travel through an inverter, and at the end of the cycle the film is cut and sealed automatically. How the load is supported during the wrap, and whether it stays on the forks or rests on a machine bed, is confirmed with the manufacturer as part of sizing. For CE-market deliveries we reference ISO 12100 for the risk assessment and EN 415-10 for the general safety requirements of packaging machines. As a stated manufacturer practice for this machinery family, units are factory-tested for about 24 hours before delivery, including control-system and emergency-stop checks; treat this as the stated family practice and confirm the test record for your unit.
FAQ
Q: What keeps the cartons fixed to the pallet?
A: The ring carries the film over the top of the load and under the pallet base, so the film wraps load and pallet together as one unit.
Q: Does the load turn while it is wrapped?
A: No. The ring rotates around the stationary load; the load itself does not turn as it would on a turntable.
Q: Do I need a conveyor with forklift loading?
A: No. With forklift feed the load is placed straight into the ring; conveyor-fed builds move it on a chain conveyor, with a transfer conveyor linking infeed to outfeed.
Q: What pallet sizes can the orbital wrapper take?
A: The standard pallet range on machines of this type extends to roughly 2 m in length at the top end; ring size is confirmed per project to your dimensions.
Q: When is a turntable wrapper a better choice?
A: When standard square pallets only need side containment and the volume is high enough for a dedicated line.
Next Step
- Email info@fhopepack.com with pallet sizes, load height and weight, and loading method.
- State whether loads must stay bound to the pallet and how the unit is handled downstream.
- FHOPE returns a proposal with ring size, film specification and layout.
- Book a site survey to confirm floor space and the forklift approach around the ring.
- Economic Horizontal Orbital Stretch Wrapper for Pipe and Tube – The orbital wrapping machine family used on long loads.
- Steel Tube Bundle Packing Line – Conveying, forming and clamping around orbital wrapping on a line.
- Turntable Stretch Wrapper B200 – The turntable alternative for standard pallets at high volume.
