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A Complete Guide on How to Choose a Stretch Wrapping Machine and Care Tips
By PackForge Technical Team, Faridabad · 5 min read
Every warehouse knows the scene: two people walking round a pallet with a film roll, one holding the end, the other pulling. The result depends on who is wrapping and how tired they are. A stretch wrapping machine makes the wrap the same every time and usually with less film. This guide explains the types, what the specifications mean, how to pick one and how to keep it running.
What Is a Stretch Wrapping Machine?
A stretch wrapper turns the load on a turntable while a film carriage moves up and down a tower, laying stretch film around the load under a set force. Pallet models carry full pallets; box models carry single boxes or small bundles. Some add a top press or top plate that holds the load down while it turns. The stretch wrapping machines page lists the five PackForge models with their rates.
Why Use a Stretch Wrapper?
- One person instead of two for each load.
- A repeatable wrap that does not depend on the shift.
- Less film on pre-stretch models, which stretch the film before it touches the load.
- Loads protected against dust and moisture in transit.
- Stable stacks that stay together on the truck.
What Are the Major Types of Stretch Wrapping Machines?
Pallet Turntable Wrappers
- Turntable stretch wrapper, ₹1,36,500 + ₹24,570 GST
- SW2100 with 2000 kg turntable and PLC programmes, ₹3,67,360 + ₹66,125 GST
Box Stretch Wrappers
- BW600 for rigid boxes up to 100 kg, from ₹70,784 + ₹12,741 GST
- BW600 PLC with pneumatic top plate, boxes up to 600 mm, from ₹70,784 + ₹12,741 GST
Top Press Wrapper
- Holds light or uneven stacks down while film goes on, ₹1,73,890 + ₹31,300 GST
Understanding Turntable Load, Speed and Pre-stretch
Turntable loading is the heaviest load the turntable carries: 2000 kg on the SW2100, up to 100 kg on the BW600 and 50 kg on the BW600 PLC. Turntable speed is in rpm – 3 to 12 on the SW2100 and 3 to 20 on the BW600 PLC – and with the number of wraps it sets how long each load takes. Pre-stretch means the carriage stretches the film before it reaches the load, so less film covers each load; the saving depends on film grade and wrap pattern. Output is quoted as 20 to 40 loads an hour on each model.
Read the turntable size with the load size: the SW2100 table is 1650 mm across, while the BW600 PLC table is 600 mm and takes boxes up to 600 × 600 × 600 mm.
Stretch Wrapper Features to Look For
A turntable sized for your heaviest load.
A top press or top plate if stacks are light or uneven.
Stored programmes where several load types share one machine.
A low turntable so hand pallet trucks can load it easily.
Single phase power where the dispatch end has no three phase point.
Service access to the film carriage and turntable drive, the parts that wear first.
How to Choose the Right Stretch Wrapper?
- Decide pallet or box from what actually leaves the gate.
- Weigh the heaviest load and measure its height.
- Hand-wrap one load, leave it an hour: if the film slackens, you need a top press.
- Count loads per hour and how many load types share the machine.
For example, a textile unit sending bales as single packages would look at the BW600 PLC or the top press model; a beverage warehouse moving heavy pallets every hour would look at the SW2100.
Stretch Wrapper Buying Checklist
- Pallet or box footprint and the loaded height.
- Heaviest load against the turntable rating.
- The most crushable carton you ever wrap – it sets the film force.
- Floor: a level spot, and whether hand pallet trucks need a ramp onto the turntable.
- Air: a compressed air point near the bay if you choose the BW600 PLC with its pneumatic top plate.
- Power: the turntable and top press models are listed for 230 V single phase.
Common Stretch Wrapping Problems
Film tearing at the corners: sharp or crushed corners cut film; corner boards cost much less than a heavier film grade.
Loads arriving loose: either the stack settled after wrapping – a top press helps – or oily goods let the film slide.
Top cartons dented: the top press force or the film force is set too high; start light and raise it only until the stack stops moving.
Load leaning more with each turn: the turntable is not level.
Different results on each shift: settings are being changed; on PLC models save a named programme for each load type.
Film and Running Cost
Film is the cost that keeps coming. A pre-stretch carriage, as on the BW600 PLC and SW2100, stretches the film before it touches the load, so each load uses less; the real saving depends on the film grade and the wrap pattern, so measure it on your own pallets. Rolls are on the stretch film rolls page. On the SW2100 the film carriage and the turntable drive are the parts that wear first, so plan service around those two.
Where a Stretch Wrapper Fits in Dispatch
The wrapper is the last step before the truck. Cartons are filled and sealed – on a carton sealing machine if volumes justify one – then stacked square on the pallet, wrapped, and where the load will be lifted by hook or shunted by rail, strapped through the pallet with a strapping machine or tool. Each step does a different job: tape closes the box, film holds the stack together, and the strap holds the stack to the pallet.
How to Maintain a Stretch Wrapper?
Every day: clear film scraps from the carriage rollers and keep the turntable surface clean.
Every week: check the film carriage and turntable drive – the parts that wear first on the SW2100 – and listen for new noises.
Keep the floor level under the turntable; a slope makes the load lean further each turn.
Record the setting that works for each load so every shift uses it.
Safety: keep people clear of the turning table and switch off before clearing film.
Film is on stretch film rolls and parts on wrapping machine spares, or WhatsApp +91 95822 69346.
Frequently Asked Questions about Stretch Wrapping Machines
Pallet wrapper or box wrapper: which do I need?
Look at what you ship. A pallet needs the turntable wrapper or SW2100; a single box or bundle needs the BW600 range or the top press model.
Why do wrapped loads arrive loose?
Often a load that settled after wrapping, or oily goods that let film slide. A top press helps the first; name the goods for the second.
Does stretch film hold the load to the pallet?
It holds the stack together, not to the pallet. Loads lifted by hook or shunted by rail also need strapping through the pallet.
What does pre-stretch save?
Less film per load, because the film is stretched before it touches the load. Measure the saving on your own loads.
How many loads an hour?
About 20 to 40 on each model, depending on height and the number of wraps.
What warranty comes with a stretch wrapper?
12 months on manufacturing defects, wear parts excluded.