Executive summary Coils pulled from storage by crane and wrapped by hand cost time at every step and leave loose packs. Our steel coil packaging line pulls each coil from a tilting rack with a gripping arm, wraps it on the roller conveyor and holds it under a press head at a second station. Wrap passes follow from the coil OD and the film overlap. We set both per project.
Table of Contents
- What the video shows
- How the coil line works
- Film passes and overlap per coil
- Stations you can choose
- Controls and safety
- Selection checklist for a steel coil packaging line
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the video shows
A steel coil rests in an upright storage rack beside the conveyor line. A heavy-duty mechanical gripping arm advances into position, secures the coil securely as the rack tilts into discharge position, and transfers it onto the powered roller conveyor system for in-line transport.
The coil advances along the roller conveyor to the orbital wrapping station, where protective packaging material feeds through the coil eye and applies tensioned layers around the cross-section. At an adjacent station, a mechanical centring mechanism aligns the coil along the conveyor centerline. A top press head equipped with lateral guide clamps then lowers onto the partially wrapped coil, applying stabilizing pressure to secure the package before elevating, after which the finished coil transfers smoothly onto an outfeed pallet base.
How the coil line works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Rack | Coils wait in a tilting upright rack |
| Pick | A gripping arm pulls the coil out |
| Convey | The coil runs on the roller conveyor |
| Centre | A dedicated centring arm aligns the coil to the conveyor centerline |
| Wrap | Material is fed and tightened round the coil |
| Press | A press head holds the coil at the next station |
| Out | The coil leaves on a pallet base |
Pulling coils straight from the rack onto the conveyor takes the crane out of the packing step, eliminating transport bottlenecks and reducing coil handling damage.
Film passes and overlap per coil
We count passes at the outer diameter (OD), where overlap is lowest. Illustrative example:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coil OD (illustrative) | 1,100 mm |
| Circumference, π × 1,100 | about 3,456 mm |
| Film width (illustrative) | 100 mm |
| Advance per pass at 50% overlap | 50 mm |
| Passes, 3,456 ÷ 50 | about 69 |
The eye (ID) always receives higher overlap density than the OD due to the inner geometry, ensuring that the entire coil surface receives at least 50% coverage.
Across production runs, the film overlap is fully programmable between 20% and 80% [manufacturer rating] via the operator interface to match specific anti-corrosion, humidity protection, and transit requirements.
Stations you can choose
| Station | Role |
|---|---|
| Tilting rack | Stores coils ready to pick |
| Gripping arm | Moves coils onto the line |
| Centring station | Lines each coil up for the next step |
| Wrapping station | Lays film or band round the coil |
| Press station | Holds the coil firm |
| Pallet outfeed | Builds the shipping unit |
We lay out the stations from your coil sizes, output, and floor space, as in our station-by-station steel coil packaging line.
To support engineering layouts across slit coils and wide sheet materials, our compatible system design boundaries accommodate [manufacturer rating]:
- Coil weight: 30 kg–4,000 kg (slitting lines) up to 25,000 kg (heavy cold-rolled and jumbo coils).
- Coil dimensions: OD 500–2,100 mm; ID 300 mm, 508 mm, or 610 mm; width 8–500 mm (slitting) up to 1,900 mm (wide coils).
- Operating speed: 20–40 coils/hour (slitting lines) or 5–8 coils/hour (heavy-duty master lines).
- Strapping & wrapping cycles: Single strap cycle completed in ≤35–38 s (including index/rotation); wrapping cycle 40–150 s per coil; strap tension adjustable between 2,000 N and 22,200 N using 19 mm / 32 mm PET or cold-rolled steel strapping.
- Packaging media: Stretch film, VCI anti-rust paper, and HDPE woven tape.
- Control platform: Integrated Siemens S7-1200 or S7-1500F fail-safe PLC with touch-panel HMI.
Controls and safety
The rack tilts, the arm carries a full coil, and the press head comes down with force. Keep people out of the arm’s path and away from the stations while the line runs, and move coils by hand only with the line stopped and isolated.
The standards that apply depend on the destination market. For CE markets, ISO 12100 sets the risk-assessment method and EN 415-10 sets general requirements for packaging machines. Safe operating integration includes perimeter guarding, interlocked safety gates, emergency stop circuits, and complete Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) protocols for maintenance intervals.
Selection checklist for a steel coil packaging line
- Coil OD, ID, width, and weight range (e.g., slitting packages up to 4,000 kg or master coils up to 25,000 kg).
- Storage rack and pick method (tilting downender vs. fixed upright coil car interface).
- Packaging materials and layers (stretch film, VCI paper, HDPE woven wrap, or circumferential/radial strapping).
- Throughput targets (required coils per hour and target cycle times).
- Pallet or skid outfeed (manual palletizing, automated stacking table, or walking beam).
- Floor space, foundation capacity, and overhead crane access.
Engineering FAQ
Q: How do coils get from storage to the line? A: A gripping arm pulls them out of a tilting rack onto the conveyor.
Q: How many passes does a coil need? A: Coil OD, film width and overlap set it: about 69 for a 1,100 mm OD coil with 100 mm film at 50% overlap in our example. Overlap can be set from 20% to 80% depending on transit requirements.
Q: What does the press station do? A: It holds the coil firm under a press head with side clamps to prevent layer shifts or telescoping during wrapping and strapping.
Q: Where is overlap counted? A: At the OD, where it is lowest; the inner eye (ID) always receives higher overlap density due to radial convergence.
Q: How do coils leave the line? A: On a wooden pallet base at the outfeed, ready for forklift pickup or automated warehouse transfer.
Next step
We plan your steel coil packaging line in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with coil sizes, weights and output to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours, with the rack, wrap and press plan.
- Book a site survey to check the line layout and floor space.
Related reading
- Steel coil packing line
- Video: steel coil radial strapping machine
- Video: trolley car for steel coil with track
Sources
- Line content: FHOPE engineering team, 2026-10-04
- Pass example: our worked example, illustrative values
- Machine in action: our video on YouTube
- Standards scope: ISO 12100:2010, EN 415-10:2014
- Line technical specifications: Cold Roll Steel Coil Strapping & Packing Line
- Coating line technical specifications: PPGI Coils Packaging Line
Last updated: 2026-10-29
