Executive summary Export crates need a cover on top, corner boards and film round the sides, and doing those by hand takes extra people and floor positions. Our cell lays a top sheet over a wooden crate, places four corner protectors and wraps the crate with rotating arms, all at one station. Material per load follows from the load size and the sheet overhang. We set both per project.
Table of Contents
- Cell layout and main stations
- How the three-in-one cell works
- Top sheet size and corner boards per load
- What we set per load
- Controls and safety
- Selection checklist for a top sheet, corner and wrapping cell
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
Cell layout and main stations
The automated packaging cell integrates three material-handling and containment operations into a single continuous footprint:
- Infeed and main control station: Located at the entry conveyor section, housing the central programmable logic controller (PLC) and operator interface panel.
- Top sheet dispensing gantry: An overhead structural frame positioned directly above the packaging station, holding the primary top-sheet roll and a vertical carriage that lowers to dispense and cut protective film across the top face of the crate.
- Lateral corner applicator assemblies: Opposed pneumatic pick-and-place clamping units mounted on both sides of the convey track. Each arm uses dedicated pneumatic grippers to retrieve four vertical corner protectors from magazines and position them against all four crate uprights.
- Rotary arm wrapping station: A balanced rotating arm assembly suspended from the main frame, orbiting the static load to apply prestretched film around the secured corner protectors and crate perimeter before lifting clear for discharge.
How the three-in-one cell works
The entire sequence operates while the crate rests statically on the conveyor, preventing unstable loads from shifting during wrapping. The packaging cycle runs automatically via centralized PLC sequencing once triggered from the control station [manufacturer rating].
| Step | Station mechanism | Process action |
|---|---|---|
| Infeed | Powered roller conveyor | The crate moves into position and stops under the gantry |
| Top sheet | Overhead lowering beam | The beam descends and dispenses film draped over the top of the crate |
| Corners | Pneumatic clamping units | Side grippers position and clamp four vertical edge protectors |
| Wrap | Orbiting rotary arm | The rotating arm dispenses stretch film around the crate and corner boards |
| Outfeed | Lift carriage & conveyor | The wrapping arm clears the envelope and the finished crate discharges |
The corner boards are applied directly prior to film wrapping. This sequence ensures that the tensioned stretch film locks the edge boards firmly against the wooden structure, dampening vibration and distributing horizontal clamp containment evenly across all structural joints.
Top sheet size and corner boards per load
The required consumable dimensions are calculated directly from load footprint and required environmental overhang.
Illustrative calculation example:
| Item | Dimension / Specification |
|---|---|
| Load footprint (illustrative) | 1,200 × 1,000 mm |
| Overhang each side (illustrative) | 200 mm |
| Top sheet cut size, (1,200 + 400) × (1,000 + 400) | 1,600 × 1,400 mm |
| Load height (illustrative) | 1,000 mm |
| Corner boards, 4 × 1.0 m | 4 m total linear board |
The 200 mm lateral overhang drapes naturally down each vertical face. During the subsequent wrapping cycle, the orbiting stretch film overlaps and seals these flaps against the crate sides, forming a water-resistant five-sided protective barrier.
What we set per load
Operational recipes are configured and stored directly within the machine HMI:
| Setting parameter | Engineering function |
|---|---|
| Sheet length | Establishes top surface coverage plus lateral overhang dimension |
| Corner board length | Matches overall vertical load height to provide full-edge protection |
| Arm turns (top/bottom/intermediate) | Determines lateral film containment force and layer overlap count |
| Arm height range | Calibrates carriage travel limits to clear the tallest crate profile |
In addition to dimensional inputs, our rotary arm architecture incorporates variable frequency inverter drives (VFD) for rotating arm speed, independent upward/downward carriage speed adjustment, powered pre-stretch film tension controls, and reinforced wrapping cycles targeted at specific heights [manufacturer rating].
All settings are validated during commissioning trials with customer test crates and permanently cataloged as product recipes. For applications requiring moisture protection without edge boards, refer to our arm stretch wrapper with top sheet dispenser.
Controls and safety
During operation, the overhead beam lowers, pneumatic corner units close inward, and the rotary arm sweeps a wide operational perimeter. Personnel must remain outside the designated safety envelope while the cell is energized.
Key safety and sensor provisions include:
- Integrated photoelectric sensors for automatic load height tracking [manufacturer rating].
- Mechanical obstruction detection switches that automatically halt arm rotation upon unexpected contact [manufacturer rating].
- Dual-channel emergency stops and safety perimeter interlocks preventing gantry or arm activation when access gates are opened.
System safety engineering complies with target market machinery directives:
- EN 415-6: Specific requirements for pallet wrapping machines.
- EN 415-10: General safety requirements for packaging machines.
- ISO 12100:2010: Principles for risk assessment and risk reduction across industrial machinery.
Selection checklist for a top sheet, corner and wrapping cell
- Load footprint (L × W), overall height, and gross weight.
- Top sheet material gauge, width, and target side overhang.
- Corner board caliper thickness, leg dimensions, and total length.
- Specified film gauge, target pre-stretch ratio, and layer overlap count.
- Required throughput capacity (loads per hour).
- Dedicated compressed air supply (pressure rating and volumetric flow) at cell boundary.
- Roller conveyor pass-line height, entry/exit logistics, and total available floor footprint.
Engineering FAQ
Q: Why place corner boards before the film? A: Placing corner protectors against the crate corners before wrapping allows the applied film tension to trap them rigidly against the timber edges. This safeguards the load perimeter and distributes strap or film hoop force evenly across corners.
Q: How big is the top sheet? A: Top sheet size equals load footprint plus the required drape overhang on each side: 1,600 × 1,400 mm for a 1,200 × 1,000 mm load with 200 mm overhang in our worked example.
Q: How many corner protectors does a load get? A: Four vertical boards per load, applied one to each upright corner; this equals 4 m total board consumption for a 1,000 mm high load.
Q: How is the top sheet held before wrapping? A: The sheet is cut from an overhead roll and draped over the top; the vertical overhang hangs down along the four sides, and the initial revolutions of the rotary arm wrap film over these flaps to seal them down.
Q: How is the film wound? A: The crate rests completely stationary on the powered conveyor while an overhead-driven rotary arm revolves around its outer perimeter, dispensing pre-stretched stretch film from a vertical carriage.
Q: Which safety standard applies? A: For CE-regulated markets, EN 415-6 establishes safety standards specifically for pallet and load stretch wrapping machines, supported by ISO 12100 risk-assessment mandates.
Next step
We engineer and integrate your automated rotary arm wrapping station in three sequential phases:
- Submit your packaging cell drawing with crate dimensions, load weights, and target line output to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a formal proposal within 48 hours, including tailored top-sheet cut schedules, corner applicator tooling, and wrapping film consumption estimates.
- Book a site survey to verify conveyor pass-line height, floor loading capacity, pneumatic drops, and safety perimeter clearances.
Related reading
- Automatic pallet wrapping machine
- Semi-automatic Rotary Arm Stretch Wrapper R100
- Semi-automatic Rotary Arm Stretch Wrapper R200
- Video: FHOPE-R100 rotary arm pallet wrapper with film cutter
- Video: double rotary arm stretch wrapping machine
Sources
- Machine engineering documentation: FHOPE engineering team, 2026-10-04
- Rotary arm series specifications: FHOPE R100 Rotary Arm Wrapping Machine and FHOPE R200 Rotary Stretch Wrapper
- Pallet wrapper machinery safety standard: EN 415-6
- Packaging machinery safety and hazard reduction: ISO 12100:2010, EN 415-10:2014
Last reviewed: 2026-10-04
Last updated: 2026-10-29
