Professional Semi-automatic Rotary Arm Stretch Wrapping Machine

Executive summary

A semi-automatic rotary arm stretch wrapper leaves the load standing on the floor while an arm on a column orbits it with stretch film. The operator attaches the film tail and cuts the film; the machine runs the wrap program in between. Our equivalent solution takes loads up to L 1,400 × W 1,400 × H 1,800 mm at 10–14 rpm and up to 35 pallets an hour. Below we check the cycle time against that rate, work out the film overlap from arm and carriage speed, and list what to send for a quote.

Two white plastic pallet boxes, stacked one on the other, stand on the warehouse floor beside a dark column with a long overhead arm. The film carriage hangs from the end of the arm and travels round the boxes while they stay where the forklift put them. The control cabinet sits on the column, and the column stands on a flat foot plate on the floor.

Table of Contents

• Wrapping loads where they stand
• Semi-automatic rotary arm data
• What the operator does
• Cycle time against 35 pallets an hour
• Overlap from arm and carriage speed
• Film per load at 250% pre-stretch
• Stacked boxes and tall loads
• Selection checklist
• Safety
• Engineering FAQ
• Next step
• Related reading
• Sources

Wrapping loads where they stand

There is no turntable to load. The forklift sets the pallet down in the wrapping zone and drives away, and the arm does the turning. That suits loads that must not spin, such as stacked pallet boxes, tall or loosely stacked goods and liquids.

The floor stays level, so a pallet truck can bring the load in as easily as a forklift. Load weight is not a limit for the arm, because the arm does not carry the load.

Semi-automatic rotary arm data

What the operator does

1. Tie the film tail to a pallet corner or slip it under the load.
2. Press start; the photo eye finds the top of the load and the PLC runs the set winds.
3. Cut the film when the arm stops and press the tail onto the wrap.
4. Take the pallet away.

With the film clamper and cutter option, steps 1 and 3 are done by the machine and the operator only drives the forklift.

Cycle time against 35 pallets an hour

35 pallets an hour leaves 3,600 ÷ 35 ≈ 103 s per pallet. Take a load 1,800 mm high, the arm at 12 rpm (5 s per turn) and 3 bottom plus 3 top winds.

At full height the wrap alone uses the whole 103 s cycle budget, so 35 an hour is reached on lower loads or with fewer winds. A 1,200 mm load takes about 2 × 1,200 ÷ 48 + 30 ≈ 80 s, which leaves around 20 s for tying on, cutting and the forklift.

Overlap from arm and carriage speed

In one arm turn the carriage climbs its speed times the turn time. At 12 rpm that is 48 mm/s × 5 s ≈ 240 mm, so each band of 500 mm film overlaps the one below by about 500 − 240 = 260 mm, or roughly 50%.

At 10 rpm (6 s per turn) the climb is about 290 mm and the overlap falls to about 42%. The film narrows a little under tension, so the true overlap is slightly less; the overlap adjustment in the PLC sets the value per program.

Film per load at 250% pre-stretch

Take the two stacked pallet boxes as a 1,200 × 1,000 mm load, 1,600 mm high, at 12 rpm with 3 bottom and 3 top winds.

Without powered pre-stretch the same wrap takes the full 84 m off the roll, so pre-stretch pays back quickly at 35 pallets an hour.

Stacked boxes and tall loads

Two pallet boxes stacked on each other are held together only by their own weight. Put extra winds where the upper box sits on the lower one, as well as at the base, so the film ties the stack into one unit. The special wrap positions and the independent top and bottom counters are made for that.

For a load near the 1,800 mm limit, check the arm has enough clearance under the roof beam or sprinkler line before choosing the site.

Selection checklist

1. Largest load length, width and height.
2. Pallets per hour.
3. Manual film tying or the film clamper and cutter.
4. Floor-standing loads or a conveyor.
5. Ceiling height at the wrapping spot.
6. Power and compressed air on site.

Safety

We design to EN 415-6 for pallet wrapping machines, with EN ISO 12100:2010 for risk assessment and EN 60204-1 for the electrical equipment.

The arm sweeps a circle round the load, so the zone is closed by perimeter mesh fencing with an interlocked access gate, or by optoelectronic presence sensing. Floor markings show the arm clearance envelope as a secondary aid only. The red mushroom emergency stop and the electrical disconnect are on the control cabinet. Guarding and CE documents are agreed per project.

Engineering FAQ

Q: Is there a weight limit? A: The arm does not carry the load, so the floor sets the limit, not the machine.

Q: How tall can the load be? A: Up to 1,800 mm in this configuration.

Q: Can it run without an operator tying the film? A: Yes, with the film clamper and cutter option.

Q: Does it need compressed air? A: The quoted configuration lists 6–8 kgf/cm² of clean, dry air; the need for air on a manual-tie machine without the clamper is confirmed at quote.

Q: Can it be put on a conveyor later? A: Yes, a conveyor of customised length is an option.

Next step

1. Send your load sizes, heights and pallets per hour to info@fhopepack.com.
2. We choose the wrap program and the options.
3. We reply within 24 hours with a proposal and quotation.

Related reading

• Rotary stretch wrapper RAS100 (product)
• Semi-automatic rotary arm pallet stretch wrapper
• Rotary arm pallet wrapping machine
• FHOPE R100 rotary arm pallet wrapper with film cutter
• Double rotary arm stretch wrapping machine
• Pallet wrapping machine with auto film cutting

Sources

• FHOPE quotation: semi-automatic rotary arm pallet wrapping machine, 2016-12-04
• FHOPE product page: semi-automatic rotary arm stretch wrapper R200
• EN 415-6; EN ISO 12100:2010; EN 60204-1

Last reviewed: 2026-10-19