Executive summary
A rotary arm pallet wrapper keeps the pallet still and turns the film around it on an arm. That suits loads that are unstable, very heavy or too light to spin on a turntable. Our R100 rotary arm wrapper turns at 15–18 r/min, takes loads up to 1,200 × 1,200 × 2,000 mm and is rated at 35 pallets per hour.
The load here is a tall pallet of cartons standing on the floor under the orange arm. The pallet does not move; the mast and film carriage travel around it, and the finished load is wrapped from the pallet base to the top.
Table of Contents
- How a rotary arm wrapper works
- Rotary arm or turntable
- Specifications (R100)
- Worked example: tall load cycle
- Best practices
- Selection checklist
- Safety: EN 415-6 and ISO 12100
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
How a rotary arm wrapper works
The machine has a main frame, a rotating arm, a film carriage on the arm’s mast, and a control panel. The arm turns around the pallet, driven through an inverter, with a soft start and stop. While it turns, the film carriage travels up and down the mast. A photo eye finds the top of the load, and the PLC runs the bottom, middle and top winds, each set from 0 to 99.
Rotary arm or turntable
| Factor | Turntable | Rotary arm |
|---|---|---|
| Load movement | spins with the table | stays still |
| Unstable or tall stacks | can lean or shift as the table turns | remain stationary |
| Very light loads | can slide on the table | remain stationary |
| Very heavy loads | table and bearing sized to the load | weight goes to the floor or conveyor |
| Inline conveyor | conveyor turntable needed | standard conveyor runs under the arm |
| Floor space | turntable plus mast | arm sweep circle |
Rule of thumb. If the load cannot be spun safely, or the line already has a conveyor that should stay straight, choose the rotary arm.
Specifications (R100)
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Output | 35 pallets per hour |
| Arm speed | 15–18 r/min, variable by inverter |
| Max load size | 1,200 × 1,200 × 2,000 mm |
| Film | 500 mm wide, 76 mm core |
| Layers | 0–99 winds bottom, middle and top |
| Film carriage speed | 2.9 m/min |
| Load height sensor | photo eye |
| Control | PLC |
| Voltage | 380 V, 3 phase, 50/60 Hz |
| Air | 6–8 kgf/cm², clean and dry |
| Machine weight | about 500 kg |
Worked example: tall load cycle
Take a load of 1,200 × 1,200 × 2,000 mm, the R100 maximum, with 3 bottom and 3 top winds at 15 r/min.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Carriage up | 2.0 m ÷ 2.9 m/min | about 0.69 min, 41 s |
| Carriage down | same | about 41 s |
| Top and bottom winds | 6 ÷ 15 r/min | 0.4 min, 24 s |
| Wrapping time | 41 + 41 + 24 | about 106 s |
| Arm turns while travelling | 82 s × 15 ÷ 60 | about 20.5 |
| Film on the load | (20.5 + 6) × 4.8 m perimeter | about 127 m applied |
| Time per pallet at 35 per hour | 3,600 ÷ 35 | about 103 s |
Result. A full-height load needs about 106 s of wrapping alone, more than the 103 s per pallet behind the 35-per-hour rating. The rating fits lower loads; for tall loads, plan on fewer pallets per hour or fewer layers. The 127 m is film applied to the load; film taken off the roll is shorter by the pre-stretch ratio set on the carriage, confirmed at quote.
Best practices
- Guard the arm sweep. The sweep circle is closed by fixed fencing with an interlocked gate or by light curtains; a painted floor line only marks it and is not a safeguard.
- Centre the pallet. An off-centre pallet changes the film tension as the arm passes the near and far corners.
- Set layers by load, not by habit. Each extra top or bottom wind costs 4 s at 15 r/min.
- Use the photo eye. Let it set the top position rather than a fixed height.
- Check the air. The pneumatic parts need clean, dry air at 6–8 kgf/cm².
Selection checklist
- Load size, height and weight.
- Is the load stable enough to spin?
- Pallets per hour.
- Forklift loading or conveyor in line.
- Floor space for the arm sweep.
Safety: EN 415-6 and ISO 12100
Pallet wrapping machines are covered by EN 415-6, with the risk assessment to ISO 12100:2010. On a rotary arm machine the moving arm is the main hazard. The sweep area is closed by perimeter fencing with interlocked access doors, or by light curtains with muting where pallets enter and leave on a conveyor. The arm starts only when the area is closed, and an emergency stop is within reach. Guarding and CE documents are agreed per project.
Engineering FAQ
Q: Why choose a rotary arm over a turntable? A: The load stays still, so tall, light or unstable loads are wrapped without moving them.
Q: How fast does the arm turn? A: 15–18 r/min on the R100, set by inverter.
Q: What is the largest load? A: 1,200 × 1,200 × 2,000 mm on the R100; larger sizes are confirmed at quote.
Q: Does it need compressed air? A: Yes, 6–8 kgf/cm², clean and dry.
Next step
- Send your load size, weight and rate to info@fhopepack.com.
- We check arm or turntable for your load.
- We reply within 24 hours with a proposal and quotation.
Related reading
- Rotary arm wrapping machines (product range)
- Semi-automatic pallet wrapping machine A200 (product)
- FHOPE R100 rotary arm pallet wrapper with film cutter
- Semi-automatic rotary arm pallet stretch wrapper
Sources
- FHOPE quotation: R100 rotary arm pallet wrapper
- EN 415-6; ISO 12100:2010
- Our rotary arm pallet wrapper shown above
Last reviewed: 2026-10-19
