Executive summary
A stretch film strapping machine ties a bundle of pipes, bars or timber with narrow bands of stretch film instead of plastic or steel strap. The bundle runs through on a conveyor, stops at each band position, and a ring winds several turns of film round it before cutting. Film bands hold the bundle round its whole circumference, do not cut into soft products, and cost less than PP strap. Below: how it works, film strap vs PP strap, a worked film example and how many stations a line needs.
Table of Contents
- What film strapping is
- How the orbital film strapping machine works
- Film strap vs PP strap vs full wrap
- Worked example: bands and film use
- How many strapping stations
- Data from our pipe line
- Selection checklist
- Safety: EN 415-10 and ISO 12100
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What film strapping is
Film strapping is partial wrapping: instead of covering the whole bundle, the machine winds a band of stretch film at two or three places along it, tight enough to hold the pieces together. It does the job of PP strap, but the band is wide and soft, so it grips round the full circumference without biting into plastic pipe, painted profiles or timber.
It suits long bundles of PVC, PPR and HDPE pipe, aluminium and plastic profiles, timber sticks and bars, either on its own or before bagging or shrink packing.
How the orbital film strapping machine works
- Infeed. The formed bundle runs in on the conveyor.
- Position. The bundle stops with the first band position inside the ring.
- Band. The ring turns and winds several turns of black or clear stretch film from the top reel round the bundle.
- Cut and hold. The cutter trims the film and the tail is held down on the band.
- Index. The bundle moves on to the next band position and the cycle repeats, then leaves for bagging, labelling or storage.
A clear guard covers the entry, and the conveyor and guide rails keep the bundle centred in the ring.
Film strap vs PP strap vs full wrap
| Point | Film strapping | PP strap | Full spiral wrap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hold | full circumference band | narrow strap, high tension | whole bundle covered |
| Marking soft products | low | can cut in at edges | low |
| Material per bundle | low | low | high |
| Protection from dust | at bands only | none | full |
| Our recommendation | usually first choice, more economical | where the customer already uses it | export or outdoor storage |
Both stretch film strap and PP belt strap work on our packing machines, and we usually recommend film strapping as the more economical and practical way.
Worked example: bands and film use
Illustrative bundle: 200 mm across, 6 m long, three bands of 100 mm film, six turns each.
| Check | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Band positions | 0.5 m, 3.0 m and 5.5 m | 3 bands |
| Film per turn | π × 0.2 | ≈ 0.63 m |
| Film per band | 6 × 0.63 | ≈ 3.8 m |
| Film per bundle | 3 × 3.8 | ≈ 11.4 m |
| Full spiral, 50% overlap, for comparison | 6,000 ÷ 50 = 120 turns × 0.63 | ≈ 76 m |
Result. Measured on the bundle (relaxed length; reel use is lower once the film is stretched), three film bands use about 11 m of film, against about 76 m for a full spiral wrap of the same bundle. That difference is why film strapping is the economical choice when the bundle only needs holding, not covering.
How many strapping stations
One station bands each position in turn while the bundle indexes. For faster lines, two or three stations work at the same time, one per band position, so the bundle is strapped in a single stop. We fit one, two or three film strapping stations according to the packing speed you need.
Data from our pipe line
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Strapping material | LLDPE stretch film |
| Bundle diameter | 160–250 mm, customisable 100–400 mm |
| Bundle weight | 5–50 kg |
| Products | PVC, PPR, HDPE pipe |
| Air | 5–7 bar |
Selection checklist
- Bundle diameter, length and weight.
- Number of bands per bundle.
- Bundles per hour, which sets the number of stations.
- Film colour and width.
- Followed by bagging, shrinking or nothing.
Safety: EN 415-10 and ISO 12100
Strapping and wrapping machines are built to EN 415-10, with the risk assessment done to ISO 12100. The hazards are the turning ring, the film cutter and the indexing conveyor. The entry is enclosed by a guard so hands cannot reach the ring path; guard interlocks and safety distances are fixed in the risk assessment for each layout.
Engineering FAQ
Q: Will film bands hold a heavy bundle? A: Several turns of stretched film hold pipe and profile bundles well; bundle weight and band count are set at quote.
Q: Can I use PP strap instead? A: Yes, both work on our machines; film is usually more economical.
Q: How many stations do I need? A: One, two or three, depending on packing speed.
Q: Can it run before a bagger? A: Yes, film strapping is often combined with bagging or shrink packing.
Next step
- Send bundle sizes, lengths and output to info@fhopepack.com.
- We set the band positions and number of stations.
- We reply within 24 hours with a proposal and quotation.
Related reading
- Plastic pipe packing line with film strapping (product)
- Offline PVC pipe strapping and bagging line
- Orbital wrapper for long objects, 3 straps
- On-line pipe bundling and PP strapping line
- Online pipe strapping line
Sources
- FHOPE product page: plastic pipe packing line
- FHOPE project correspondence on film strapping
- Our stretch film strapping machine shown above
- Worked example: illustrative figures
- Standards: EN 415-10; ISO 12100:2010
Last reviewed: 2026-10-19
