Loads beyond a standard workstation
The customer handled large products packed in cartons, with loads reaching 2,300 mm in length, 1,200 mm in width and 2,500 mm in height. Standard wrapper configurations did not meet the needs of this station.
POLPACK ZEUS / Installation case study
Oversized pallet wrapping: 35% lower film cost
Large loads. A workstation built around the process.
A logistics customer needed to replace manual wrapping of oversized pallets and make film use more predictable. A specially configured semi-automatic Wrapper SA reduced wrapping time by more than 70% and film cost per pallet by 35% in this installation.
< 2 minutesBottom–top–bottom wrapping cycle
> 70% shorterWrapping time compared with manual work
35% lowerFilm cost per pallet
The challenge
Oversized loads and manual wrapping.
Variable time and material use
Manual wrapping occupied the operator throughout the wrapping process. Film consumption and protection varied between operators, making film cost per pallet, purchasing and stock requirements harder to predict.
The solution
Wrapper SA with a 2,500 mm turntable and two ramps.
Matched to the load and layout
After consultation, POLPACK ZEUS selected a special Wrapper SA configuration with a 2,500 mm turntable. Two ramps allow pallets to enter from one side and leave from the other, helping organise the flow of large loads.
Semi-automatic operation
The operator loads and removes the pallet and performs the required handling tasks. The wrapping cycle then follows the selected programme automatically. During that cycle, the operator is freed from manually carrying the film roll around the load.
Machine and film
250% powered pre-stretch with 15 µm stretch film.
The film system
A motorised pre-stretch carriage operates at a 250% pre-stretch setting in this installation. This describes the machine's film-stretching setting before the film reaches the load; it is not a percentage saving.
A coordinated change
We selected 15 µm stretch film to replace the previously used conventional 23 µm film. The result came from matching the material, pre-stretch system and wrapping programme, giving better control over the amount applied and more repeatable wrapping.
Wrapping cycle
Less than two minutes: bottom, top, bottom.
More than 70% shorter wrapping time
After optimisation, the wrapping cycle for this large pallet took less than two minutes, more than 70% shorter than the previous manual process. The figure covers wrapping only; pallet loading and removal are separate tasks.
An overlapping upward and downward wrap
Film is applied from the bottom of the load to the top and then back down, where the cycle ends. The selected wrapping pattern helps stabilise the load on the pallet.
Film cost
A 35% reduction compared with the previous process.
What was compared
Film cost per pallet fell by 35% compared with the previous method using 23 µm film. This is a film-cost result, not a claim that all packing costs or film weight fell by the same percentage.
Illustrative calculation
For a pallet previously using PLN 5.00 worth of film, a 35% reduction would mean approximately PLN 3.25 after optimisation, saving PLN 1.75. These currency values illustrate the percentage; they are not presented as a separate measured cost record. The example excludes labour, energy and the machine purchase.
More predictable operation
The repeatable programme made material use for comparable loads easier to predict and helped plan film purchases. Operators no longer had to wrap manually during the machine cycle.
Project-specific results
The results apply to this customer's process after optimisation. For another site, we assess its loads, film and working conditions before selecting a configuration.
Logistics / Wrapper SA
Project facts
These parameters describe this particular installation and do not establish the specification or results of every project.
| Machine | Semi-automatic Wrapper SA |
|---|---|
| Application | Oversized pallets in logistics |
| Maximum load dimensions in this project | Length 2,300 mm × width 1,200 mm × height 2,500 mm |
| Turntable diameter | 2,500 mm |
| Pallet handling | Two ramps |
| Powered pre-stretch setting | 250% |
| Selected stretch film | 15 µm; previously 23 µm |
| Programme | Bottom–top–bottom |
| Wrapping time | Less than 2 minutes, excluding loading and removal |
| Reported improvement | Over 70% shorter wrapping time; 35% lower film cost |
Original installation photographs
See the equipment and layout.
Project lead: Tomasz Siwiaszczyk, Sales Manager, POLPACK ZEUS
Frequently asked questions
Is this a fully automatic pallet wrapping line?
No. This installation uses a semi-automatic Wrapper SA. The operator handles the pallet and required operating tasks; the programmed wrapping cycle runs automatically.
Does the cycle time include pallet handling?
No. Less than two minutes refers to wrapping only. Loading and removing the pallet are separate operations.
Machines and installations
Explore the equipment and project examples.
The model used in this project
Wrapper SA pallet wrapping machine
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Explore Wrapper SA in English ↗
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Explore in English ↗Installation results are specific to the described process, loads and comparison conditions. We assess the potential for your factory through trials.
Selection and operation
Useful before choosing your machine.
Pallet wrapper selection guide
Compare machine types, film systems and the questions to ask when planning a workstation.
Read the English guide ↗What determines the price?
Consider the machine configuration, installation and support when comparing quotations.
Read the English price guide ↗Pallet-wrapper safety guide (Polish) · Semi-automatic wrapper operating tips (Polish)
Talk to POLPACK ZEUS
Tell us about your pallets and process.
Send load dimensions and weights, required throughput, loading method, available space and operating conditions. Photographs or a short video help us assess the application.
info@polpack.pl · Bukowiecka 75, Warsaw, Poland