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When you’re packaging goods, you need the right equipment for the size and specifications of your load. Semi-automatic and fully automatic stretch wrappers are two of the most common machines used by industrial workers for these types of applications. The challenge is that these two machines are entirely different, and many packagers are unsure which one will make the greatest impact.
At Cousins Packaging, we have a variety of stretch wrapper machines available for our customers. So let’s compare automatic turntable vs. manual stretch wrapper machines to help you make a more informed decision about your packaging requirements.
The main difference between semi-auto and full-auto stretch wrapper machines is that one is fully automated, while the other is partly manual. Although both types of pallet wrapper technology are designed to make the packaging process simpler and safer, they’re made to serve different applications and industry needs. One of these is certain to prove a worthy upgrade if you’re looking to enhance work speed and versatility.
Semi-automatic wrappers require an equal share of work between the operator and the machine. While the equipment does the wrapping, it’s up to the worker to put the load on the turntable and tie the film to it properly. Most semi-auto turntables require either a pallet jack or a forklift for loading.
What makes a semi-automatic machine so beneficial is that it reduces work time. Hand wrapping can be a long and tedious process, and it’s become outdated for most businesses looking to grow and increase profits. Meanwhile, semi-automatic equipment offers ease of use, helping you cut down on expenses.
Many of the turntables provided by Cousins Packaging can manage a maximum of 35 loads every hour, which is excellent for small to medium-sized applications. Feel free to check out our low and high profile models to learn more about the features and specifications of these products.
Unlike semi-automatic wrappers, automatic turntables are independent and can handle most wrapping applications on their own. As soon as a load makes contact with the machine, the wrapper can easily gauge the size of the load and take care of the entire wrapping process.
Even cutting and securing the film to the load are manageable tasks for this machine. All the worker has to do with our automatics is push a remote button, and the rest is a breeze! The operator does not have to do anything with our many styles of in-line conveyorized automatic systems. This is the most efficient option for larger companies or growing businesses that may be having trouble keeping up with demands.
Automatic is the way to go if you’re looking to maximize productivity and reduce waste on bigger applications. Our turntables are suited for loads of up to 4,000 lbs., which makes them truly versatile solutions. We offer a variety of conveyorized automatic and platform automatic machines for larger wrapping applications.
While both semi-automatic and automatic pallet wrappers have their benefits, it takes careful consideration and planning to decide which is ideal for your business. Take a look at our turntable and automatic turntable product pages today or contact us for more information.
Shrink wrapping your pallets is one of the last steps in the shipping process—but it’s also one of the most important. An improperly wrapped load can not only cause product damage and a financial loss but presents a significant safety hazard to those working around it.
This is why many companies forgo the traditional method of manually wrapping their pallets by hand and opt for either a manual hand wrapping or semi-automatic turntable machine.
Read on to learn more about the differences between the two and why you would opt for one over the other.
A hand wrapping pallet machine can help warehouse workers more efficiently wrap low volumes of pallets daily. These entry-level machines vary in size and configuration, but most have a turntable, film carriage, and a foot pedal that’s manually controlled by the operator.
There are a few levels of manual wrapping :
The manual wrapping process is relatively simple but involves multiple time-consuming steps:
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The main benefit of using a manual pallet wrapping machine is that it prevents workers from walking around the pallet in circles as they try to wrap it as efficiently as possible.
However, there are several downsides to using one of these machines. Even though the pallet sits on a turntable, the rest of the process is performed completely by hand, leaving ample room for human error.
Fatigue, distraction, and the overall time it takes to set up the wrapping process make manual wrapping machines far less efficient than their semi-automatic counterparts. The more pallets a worker has to wrap manually, the greater the chances of them not applying the right tension or making one of several critical wrapping errors.
There are a few levels of Semi-Automatic Turntable Machines
Semi-automatic turntable wrappers offer more efficiency than manual ones. They’re ideal for businesses that need to wrap multiple pallets daily. The process involves just a few simple steps:
Here’s a short video on how a semi-automatic stretch wrapper works:
Semi-automatic machines have several distinct advantages over manual ones. They allow for the efficient use of expensive shrink wrap, which keeps waste to a bare minimum. Since the machine controls the entire process, the wrapping is done right every time, regardless of how many pallets are wrapped during the shift.
There are several other benefits of using a semi-automatic machine vs. a manual one:
A power pre-stretch is a feature that comes standard on most semi-automatic turntable wrappers. The film gets stretched by up to 250% of its original length during the wrapping process. This greatly reduces the amount of film used to wrap a single pallet.
The savings can add up really quickly—to the point of literally paying for the machine’s entire cost in a few months*. Below you will find a table of the estimated savings that a powered pre-stretch provides:
Film Roll Length & Avg. Cost Pallets wrapped per day Film Savings Per Year 5000’ @ 57.00 per roll 20 $5,200 30 $7,800 50 $13,000 100 $26,000
*based on approximately 105’ film used without pre-stretch and 30’ used with power pre-stretch carriage at the cost of $57.00 per 5000’ roll of film wrapping a typical 40x48x60 load.
An integrated control board allows you to set up and customize up to 18 wrap programs on some models, such as the 850PS. It also enables you to easily control film tension, wrap counts, and control speed, thereby ensuring each pallet is optimally wrapped based on its size, height, weight, and shape.
One of the downsides to manually wrapping pallets by hand is that the height of the operator directly correlates to the height of the load they’re able to wrap. Semi-automatic wrappers can wrap loads up to 86” in height—whereas a person would need to stretch their arms upwards in an attempt to cover the top of the pallet securely.
Semi-automatic pallet wrappers offer several distinct advantages over manual machines. Speed, efficiency, consistency, and a relatively short ROI are why businesses opt for a semi-auto machine. They’re ideal for any business that regularly wraps multiple pallets daily.
Check out our line of semi-automatic turntable stretch wrappers or contact one of our friendly experts to learn more.
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