Product category:
Conveying, handling and end-of-line equipment
News Release from: Aetna UK | Subject: Robopac - scanning and wrapping
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 08 March 2002
Wrapping up - not always so easy
Getting the packs into the palletiser is only half way there because what you do with the loaded pallet and exactly how you wrap it is even more critical - here is how one supplier copes.
Technology is driving the continued development of pallet handling and the increasing pressures of greater efficiency, more automation and increasing retail sophistication are placing more demands on machinery supply and warehouse innovation Getting the packs into the palletiser is only half way there because what you do with the loaded pallet and exactly how you wrap it is even more critical
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 28 Jan 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Spiral wrapping machines prove reliability
As a company's two existing spiral wrapping machines had proven to be extremely reliable, fast, safe and perfect for spiral wrapping, an aluminium extrusions supplier saw no need to change supplier.
Aetna UK sales of stretch wrappers excellent
Bedfordshire based Aetna UK have announced that they have achieved record breaking sales for their ROBOPAC semi automatic pallet wrappers for the first 5 months of 2006
Aetna UK and Robopac are constantly asked to provide satisfactory answers to the most complicated demands and are regularly coming up with clever ways in which to achieve the necessary objectives.
Recent examples would be Nestle, Halifax, UK, where nine palletisers are feeding very different loads onto a cross conveyor at random to feed a single line into one Robopac Genesis Ring stretch wrapper.
As the pallet loads reach the wrapper their bar codes are scanned, the message is given to the wrapper and the wrapper automatically provides the correct wrapping pattern and lay on force for the specific load.
Further reading
Aetna at PPMA 2006
Aetna UK will have something of interest for all visitors to the PPMA show.
Aetna UK and Ringtons Teas deliver
Ringtons Teas decided to replace their 15 year old turntable stretch wrapper in the goods-out section with a new model and also purchase a mobile battery-operated stretch-wrapping machine
Clever palletisation of paper sacks
Represented in the United Kingdom by Aetna UK, Euroimpianti can now add a well-known Turkish producer of starch and its derivatives, to their ever-expanding base of satisfied customers.
The message will also tell the wrapper whether or not to apply a top sheet.
From the wrapper the loads are discharged out to a designated pick up point in the warehouse.
Aetna point out that the loads are delivered at random and the wrapping specification can vary considerably, pallet load to pallet load.
In another case at Kruger Tissues a number of palletisers produce loads which are collected by an LGV system which can pick up one or two loads.
As soon as the LGV has the loads on board it signals whichever of the two Robopac wrappers is available with all relevant detail and delivers the pallet load for wrapping.
The Robopac then applies the wrap pattern specified for the pallet load it has received.
In the case of Kruger Tissue products which are extremely light, great care has to be taken to ensure there is no crushing or damage to the packs.
These complicated and very detailed requirements of the stretch wrapper have brought about the rapid development of the Robopac range of equipment over the past ten years.
Because Robopac are now the largest manufacturer of pallet stretch systems in the world they have been able to re-invest profits back into Research and Development to maintain their technological lead and certainly believe they have everything needed to meet these increasing demands from the market place.
Aetna say that many companies do not pay enough attention to the pallet stretch wrapper or the methods by which they get the pallet load to the wrapper.
These areas are critical if a line is to work reliably and efficiently.
Attention must be paid to the nature of the load and the amount of film required to ensure no damage to the load and safe handling to the ultimate destination.
Aetna say that looking into the main retail distribution centres it is very obvious that little or no attention is paid by many manufacturers to the refinements of pallet stretch wrapping.
If products are damaged, too much or too little film used then money is either wasted on materials or on damaged goods.
Robopac offers a range of 8 very different pallet stretch wrappers; turntable, rotary arm and ring.
Speeds are suited from entry level to over 100 pallets an hour with all the necessary options of top sheet and wrapping and lay on force patterns.
Power pre-stretch enables the thinnest films to be used to ensure maximum use of film and lowest material cost.
Aetna stress they have the ability and experience to design and advise on complete pallet handling systems from palletisers to warehouse and because they do not sell film they are in a position to give the best unbiased advice as to the most suitable film and the right amount to be used for optimum results.
Aetna also have the largest comparable and most experienced service division in the UK to ensure the very highest level of technical and after sales support.
All in all, they say, the package that deserves to be given the highest consideration.
• Aetna UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
