Executive summary This short clip shows a steel plate strapping station at a plate line. A yellow strapping head travels up and down a green column beside the roller table, and a curved guide leads the strap round a low stack of plate. The footage carries no FHOPE marking, so we give the data of our equivalent solution, our steel strapping head with 7,000–18,000 N tension. Below we explain the side-mounted head, the data and a worked example for stack weight and band length.
Table of Contents
- What the clip shows
- Why a side-mounted lifting head
- Our equivalent solution: strap head data
- Stack weight and band length
- Selection checklist
- Safety
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the clip shows
The clip is filmed in portrait at a plate line, close to the strapping station.
| Part | What you see |
|---|---|
| Column | A green upright column carries the strapping unit at the side of the roller table |
| Head | A yellow head on a vertical slide moves up and down the column |
| Strap guide | A curved yellow guide leads the strap from the head round the stack |
| Load | A low stack of steel plate lies on the roller table beside the column |
| Cycle | The head moves to the stack height, the strap is placed round the stack, and the head returns |
The footage carries no FHOPE marking, so we describe it as an example and give the data of our equivalent solution, our automatic steel strapping head.
Why a side-mounted lifting head
- Stack height changes. Plate stacks vary in height, so a head that travels on the column meets each stack at the right level.
- Clear top. The head works from the side, so the space above the roller table stays free for cranes and magnets.
- Banding while stacked. The plate stays on the roller table, so the band goes on where the stack is built.
- Same station, many sizes. The arch and slide are set to your largest stack, and smaller stacks use part of the travel.
Our equivalent solution: strap head data
Our published data for the automatic steel strapping machine:
| Item | Published value |
|---|---|
| Strap | Cold-rolled low-carbon steel, blued and waxed, 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm |
| Seal width | 25 mm or 32 mm |
| Strap tension | 7,000–18,000 N |
| Feed and take-up | 2–3 m/s |
| Tension speed | 6 m/min |
| Seal magazine | About 180 seals |
| Bands | Placed by bundle length |
The station is built to order, so column height, guide and roller table follow your plate sizes.
Stack weight and band length
Worked example (illustrative). A plate stack 3,000 mm long, 1,500 mm wide and 100 mm high has a volume of 3.0 × 1.5 × 0.1 = 0.45 m³. At about 7.85 t/m³ for steel it weighs 0.45 × 7.85 = 3.5 t. One band round the 1,500 × 100 mm section needs about 2 × (1,500 + 100) = 3,200 mm of strap before the seal overlap.
Selection checklist
- Plate thickness, width and length.
- Stack height range and weight.
- Bands per stack and their positions.
- Steel strap size and seal width.
- Stacks per hour.
- Hold-down needs for thin plate, as on our steel sheet bundle strapping machine with hold-down head.
Safety
The head travels on the column and tensions the strap up to 18,000 N. We guard the column and strap path to the risk assessment, so nobody reaches into the guide while the station runs. For CE markets we apply ISO 12100:2010 for the risk assessment and EN 415-10:2014 for general packaging-machine requirements.
Engineering FAQ
Q: Why is the strapping head on a vertical slide? A: So it meets each plate stack at its own height while the space above the roller table stays clear for cranes and magnets.
Q: What strapping machine do you supply for plate stacks? A: A plate strapping station built round our automatic steel strapping head, with the column and guide sized to your stacks.
Q: How tight is the band on your equivalent? A: Strap tension is set within 7,000–18,000 N.
Q: What strap does it use? A: Cold-rolled low-carbon steel strap, 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm, with 25 mm or 32 mm seals.
Q: How do I estimate stack weight? A: Length × width × height in metres × 7.85 t/m³; a 3,000 × 1,500 × 100 mm stack weighs about 3.5 t.
Q: How long is one band? A: About 2 × (W + H) plus seal overlap; a 1,500 × 100 mm section needs about 3,200 mm.
Q: Which standards apply? A: For CE markets, ISO 12100 and EN 415-10.
Next step
We size a steel plate strapping machine in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with plate sizes, stack height and weight, bands per stack and stacks per hour, to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours with the machine data and layout.
- Book a site survey so we confirm the floor space and roller table links.
Related reading
- Steel Sheet Strapping Machine: Banding Plate Stacks with Steel Strap
- Steel Sheet Bundle Strapping Machine with Hold-Down Head
- Steel Sheet Upender for 180 Degree Safety Turning
- Steel strapping machine data
Sources
- Clip (example footage, no FHOPE marking): the video on YouTube
- Strap, seal, tension, speed and magazine data: Steel strapping machine data
- Stack weight and band length: our worked arithmetic (steel density about 7.85 t/m³)
- Standards scope: ISO 12100:2010; EN 415-10:2014
- Proposal timing: approved house CTA (proposal within 48 hours)
Last reviewed: 2026-10-10
