When is a rotary arm wrapper better than a turntable?

When the load is light, tall or unstable and should stay still, or heavy enough to make a turntable slow. Our R100 handles loads up to L1300 × W1300 × H2300 mm.

How many pallets per hour does the R100 wrap?

It is rated for 35 pallets per hour in semi-automatic mode, with the arm at 10 to 14 rpm.

Which film roll does it take?

LLDPE stretch film, roll OD 250 mm, ID 76 mm and 500 mm wide, with film force set by a separate motor.

Semi-automatic rotary arm pallet stretch wrapper: the cycle

Name: Semi-Automatic Rotary Arm Pallet Stretch Wrapper: the Cycle
Uploaded: 2016-02-03
Duration: 49 s
Description: A rotary arm pallet stretch wrapper keeps the pallet still and swings the film carriage around it, which suits light, tall or unstable loads that should not spin on a turntable. In this clip the arm runs one wrap from about 6 s to about 24 s and a second from about 40 s to about 50 s.

Executive summary A rotary arm pallet stretch wrapper keeps the pallet stationary on the floor while rotating a counterbalanced film carriage around the perimeter. This mechanical configuration is engineered specifically for ultra-light, tall, off-center, or unstable pallet loads that risk centrifugal shifting or toppling on a conventional turntable wrapper. In the accompanying cycle video, the dual-column gantry R100 executes a primary stabilization wrap program followed by an integrated reinforcement cycle, featuring an overhead pneumatic top-press platen to secure loose corrugated cartons. Our R100 semi-automatic rotary arm stretch wrapper delivers a throughput rating of up to 35 pallets per hour, accommodates pallet footprints up to L1300 × W1300 × H2300 mm, and is fully customized to client material handling layouts.

What the clip shows, in order
Why a rotary arm instead of a turntable
Wrapping cycle time on the clip
R100 specifications
Takt check
Selection checklist for a rotary arm pallet wrapper
Controls and safety
Engineering FAQ
Next step
Related reading
Sources

What the clip shows, in order

The operating equipment is an R100 heavy-duty rotary arm packaging cell built with a structural two-column gantry frame and overhead support beam. A yellow counterbalanced rotating cantilever arm carries the powered film delivery carriage around the perimeter. The unit is fitted with a central pneumatic overhead top-press platen holding down a tall stack of corrugated cartons positioned directly on the floor. Perimeter perimeter safety mesh encloses the rotating envelope.

0 to about 4 s (Homing and clamp engagement). The cantilever arm rests in its designated home position above the payload envelope. The overhead pneumatic top-platen cylinder extends downward, applying steady vertical holding pressure to stabilize the unsecured carton column prior to dynamic motion.
About 6 to 10 s (Bottom wrap initiation). The variable-frequency drive ramps up arm rotation smoothly. The powered film carriage descends toward the wooden pallet base, locking the stretch film tail to the bottom runners to anchor the unit load securely to the pallet.
About 12 to 22 s (Upward helical wrap sequence). The arm maintains a constant orbital speed while the film carriage ascends vertically along the vertical drop column. Pre-stretched film is applied with controlled overlap across all side faces under motorized tension regulation.
About 24 to 28 s (Top reinforcement and cycle pause). The carriage completes programmed top wraps, the arm decelerates via controlled dynamic braking, and the mechanism returns to its home coordinate, entering a momentary process rest.
About 30 to 38 s (Intermediate dwell). The carriage remains stationary at elevation while the control logic switches to a dual-sequence reinforcement wrap cycle.
About 40 to 46 s (Secondary wrap pass). The rotary arm re-engages, performing high-speed downward wrapping to cross-weave the film layers and optimize overall containment force.
About 48 to 50 s (Cycle completion and safety boundary observation). The arm ascends clear of the payload while decelerating. At this stage, personnel movement is noted near the perimeter gate, emphasizing why physical safety interlocks and light curtains are critical design standards for rotary envelope equipment.

Why a rotary arm instead of a turntable

On a conventional turntable wrapper, the palletized cargo is subjected to continuous centrifugal rotation while the film carriage stays mounted to a stationary mast. On a rotary arm wrapper, the cargo remains completely static on the shop floor or conveyor while the rotating arm guides the film delivery carriage around it.

This kinematic separation is essential under specific factory conditions:

The load is light, tall, or inherently unstable. Spinning an unsecured, high-center-of-gravity stack of corrugated boxes creates centrifugal shear, causing corner dislocation or full load collapse. A static pallet experiences zero centrifugal inertia.
The load is exceptionally heavy or off-balance. Turntables have hard mechanical weight limits governed by slewing ring bearing ratings. With a rotary arm machine, the floor carries 100% of the pallet mass; payload weight does not restrict rotation speed or strain drive bearings.
The pallet arrives via hand pallet truck (pump truck) or AGV. Turntables require external floor ramps, pit-mounted foundations, or pneumatic loading forks. A rotary arm wrapper wraps cargo sitting flush at zero floor elevation, streamlining ground handling.

Rotary arm wrapper element	Role on our R100
Rigid gantry and rotating arm	Heavy structural steel frame rotating the cantilever arm around stationary cargo
Powered film carriage	Handles LLDPE machine stretch film (OD 250 mm, ID 76 mm, 500 mm web width) with motorized prestretch
Containment force control	Closed-loop electronic tension control regulated independently by a dedicated inverter drive
Photo-eye sensor	Diffuse-reflective optical sensor for automatic payload height detection and top overlap control
Pneumatic top press device	Vertical stabilizing platen preventing displacement of light or loosely stacked carton tiers
Safety bumper edge	Arm-mounted anti-collision tactile bumper wired directly to safety stop circuits

Wrapping cycle time on the clip

Step on the clip	First wrap (Primary)	Second wrap (Reinforcement)
Arm drive acceleration	about 6 s	about 40 s
Active orbital wrapping phase	about 6 to 22 s	about 40 to 48 s
Arm dynamic braking and homing	about 24 s	after about 50 s
Net rotation duration	about 18 s	about 8 to 10 s

The cycle variation between the two sequences is governed by the PLC program recipe. The operator can independently set the number of bottom reinforcement wraps, vertical carriage travel speed, and top reinforcement winds between 0 and 99 layers on the touchscreen HMI.

R100 specifications

R100 semi-automatic rotary arm wrapper	Technical specification
Operational mode	Semi-automatic (manual film attach/cut, automatic wrapping cycle)
Rated throughput capacity	Up to 35 pallets per hour (process dependent)
Arm rotation speed	10 to 14 rpm (infinitely adjustable via inverter)
Maximum load dimensions	L1300 × W1300 × H2300 mm
Programmable wrapping counts	Bottom, middle carriage traverse, and top winds: 0 to 99 layers
Stretch film standard	LLDPE machine film, max. OD 250 mm, core ID 76 mm, width 500 mm
Main drive and logic	Mitsubishi / Siemens PLC platform with optical load-height sensing
Structural footprint	Dual-column overhead gantry, floor-anchored steel columns

Takt check

The R100 carries an engineering rating of up to 35 pallets per hour, yielding an available line takt time of:

Takt Time = 3600 s ÷ 35 pallets ≈ 103 s per pallet

At nominal operating speeds of 10 to 14 rpm, the 10 s to 18 s of active arm movement demonstrated in the video clip represents an abbreviated test cycle. A complete industrial packaging program (e.g., 3 bottom wraps, a helical climb to 2300 mm, 3 top wraps, and downward cross-spiral reinforcement) takes approximately 45 s to 55 s of pure rotation time.

This leaves a generous buffer of 48 s to 58 s within the 103 s takt budget. In semi-automatic operation, this window allows the material handler to transport the pallet via forklift or hand truck, secure the film tail, trigger the cycle start switch, and stage the next pallet. If higher output is required, the primary operational bottleneck becomes material staging rather than wrapper kinematics, marking the threshold where infeed powered roller conveyors and automatic film clamp/cut modules should be integrated.

Selection checklist for a rotary arm pallet wrapper

Load dimensions and clearance: Maximum footprint within L1300 × W1300 mm and vertical height up to H2300 mm, checking that the arm swept rotation radius clears peripheral obstacles.
Cargo stability profile: Verify whether stacked cases require an overhead pneumatic stabilizer platen to resist air turbulence and wrapping pull force.
Line throughput target: Calculate peak hourly pallet demand against the nominal 35 pallets/hour rating.
Floor logistics access: Determine material handling access (forklift clearance, walkie stacker, hand pallet truck, or floor-level roller conveyor).
Safety perimeter envelope: Layout calculation for physical perimeter fence boundaries, interlocked access gates, and mute-capable safety light curtains.
Containment parameters: Film gauge selection, required pre-stretch ratio (200% to 300%), and recipe configuration for bottom, body, and top layer counts.

Controls and safety

Because the rotating cantilever arm and the film carriage sweep a broad operational envelope, the wrapping perimeter is classified as a hazardous zone. Complete physical perimeter enclosure using industrial safety mesh fencing is the primary line of defense.

In the operational recording, personnel approach the cell door during active motion. In real-world factory installations, compliance with international machine safety regulations mandates engineered access controls:

Interlocked perimeter doors: According to EN ISO 14119 and EN 415-6, perimeter access gates must be equipped with dual-channel tongue-actuated or magnetic safety interlock switches wired into a safety relay or fail-safe PLC (Category 3, PL d according to ISO 13849-1). Opening the gate during an active wrap sequence immediately triggers a Category 0 or Category 1 Emergency Stop, applying positive mechanical braking to the rotary arm.
Arm anti-collision safety bumper: The sensitive safety edge bumper mounted along the leading flank of the rotating arm acts as an emergency stopping mechanism in case of unexpected obstruction. However, mechanical bumpers serve as secondary risk reduction and never replace interlocked fencing or perimeter optical curtains.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) protocols: Machinery must be completely stopped, pneumatic energy dumped, and main electrical isolators locked out in accordance with ISO 12100 and regional workplace standards before operators enter the perimeter for routine film roll changes, carriage re-threading, or mechanical maintenance.

Engineering FAQ

Q: When is a rotary arm wrapper strictly preferred over a conventional turntable? A: A rotary arm system is required when the unit load is either very light (where rotation would dislodge products), tall and unstable (susceptible to centrifugal tipping), extremely heavy (exceeding turntable bearing limits), or moved by manual pump trucks where roll-on floor level access is desired without floor ramps.

Q: How does the R100 maintain consistent wrap tightness on square pallet corners? A: As the arm rotates around a rectangular load, the instantaneous distance between the carriage and the load edge varies constantly. The R100 uses a motorized powered pre-stretch film carriage driven by a dedicated AC motor and dancer arm feedback, dynamically metering film feed to prevent edge crushing on corners while eliminating film slack along the flat faces.

Q: What are the primary utility requirements for installing the R100? A: The standard machine requires a 3-phase electrical supply (380 V / 415 V / 480 V, 50/60 Hz). If the optional overhead pneumatic top-press platen is specified to hold down unstable carton stacks, a clean, dry compressed air supply at 0.5 to 0.7 MPa is required at the installation column.

Next step

To properly size and integrate a rotary arm wrapping system into your packaging line:

Submit your facility drawings and pallet profiles: Send your maximum load dimensions (L × W × H), gross pallet weights, target throughput (pallets per hour), and loading logistics layout to info@fhopepack.com.
Receive an engineering proposal within 48 hours: Our technical team provides a full dimensional envelope drawing, frame anchoring requirements, fence footprint, and cycle time verification mapped against your takt time.
Schedule an engineering project review: We review floor anchorage structural specifications, incoming electrical and pneumatic drops, and safety cell configurations prior to production release.