Stretch Efficiencies with Automated Pallet Stretch Wrappers & Indexing Powered Conveyor

When you’re getting ready to ship inventory, every second counts, but so does safety. You want to make sure your outgoing goods are protected and ready for their journey, but you also can’t afford to spend an exorbitant amount of time securing them or subject your dock to forklift gridlock. Automated stretch wrapping systems and powered pallet conveyor systems are a cost-effective and efficient solution for protecting palletized inventory and minimizing dock congestion. Systems consist of automated powered conveyor and automated or manual stretch wrap machines and they are configured to automatically flow the pallets, wrap them and ready them for staging or truck loading. 

How Do Automated Stretch-Wrappers Work?

Powered Pallet Conveyor Feeding Stretch Wrapper at Loading Dock

Automated stretch-wrapping machines are able to safely wrap and automatically cycle out pallet loads which travel on infeed and exit conveyors. Operators set load-specific parameters so they can safely and effectively wrap loads. Photo eyes and zones on the conveyor automatically index pallets forward prior to wrapping and then index pallets to the shipping dock for truck loading.

Benefits of Automated Stretch-Wrapper Machines 

Besides the obvious protective benefits of keeping outgoing inventory secure and free from moisture, shifting, and other potential damage, automated stretch-wrapping machines connected to powered roller conveyor provides multiple everyday warehouse benefits, including: 

• Heightened Productivity and Efficiency – By integrating powered conveyor into your stretch-wrapping and automating the process, you free forklift operators and staff for other warehouse tasks and reduce labor and equipment cost for staging. 
• Increased Employee Safety – Reduce forklift traffic at the dock improving worker safety in the busy area.
• Reduced Overall Time and Cost – Manually wrapping pallets takes a considerable amount of time. Automated wrapping machines offer significant time and money savings by expediting the process and eliminating the need for a human operator. 
• Faster Processing and Wrapping of Goods – Automated stretch-wrappers with powered conveyor prepare palletized inventory for outgoing shipment much faster than human workers. Many of these machines can wrap upwards of 120 loads per hour. 
• Reduce Film Costs – The design of automated stretch-wrapping machines consists of two thread rollers, with one roller moving faster than the second. This allows the machine to stretch the film further and reduce expenditures associated with film costs. 

A one-time investment in an automatic stretch-wrapping machine with a powered conveyor can save you considerable labor costs and optimize warehouse vehicle use for other necessary warehouse activities.

Reduce Forklift Traffic – Automating Stretch Wrap Pallet Flow

Many warehouse shipping docks include stretch wrapping of ready to ship built pallets. The process includes palletizing loads for shipment often consisting of totes or containers.  Typically the last phase of pallet prep before shipping is stretch wrapping the pallet to hold boxes or containers in place during shipping.  The stretch wrapping process is easily automated by adding powered shrink wrappers and powered conveyor for infeed and discharge of pallets for shipment.  Photo eyes and zones on the conveyor automatically index pallets forward prior to wrapping and then index pallets to the shipping dock for truck loading. 

Forklift traffic is often very busy in loading dock areas and automating the pallet flow can drastically reduce the number of forklifts needed for processing shipments. Powered pallet conveyor is a no brainer solution to improve safety and forklift separation at loading dock areas.

Operating an Automated Stretch-Wrapping Machine

Forklifts deliver palletized inventory onto the roller conveyor. An operator programs the stretch-wrapping machine with the proper load specs and wrap requirements, then the wrapping begins automatically.  Truly automated machines need to be able to:

• Keep the tail of the wrapping film in place to initiate wrapping. 
• Accurately wrap the pallet based inputted parameters. 
• Cut and secure the necessary length of film in preparation of wrapping. 
• Tightly apply the tail end of the wrapping to secure seamless and secure packing. 
• Fully automated wrapping machines will always be able to determine the position of the film during the wrapping cycle.

Once the load is wrapped it is flowed on the conveyor to the discharge location for extraction and loading or staging. Powered pallet conveyor is a no brainer solution to improve safety and forklift separation at loading dock areas. 

Let WOI Help You Wrap It All Up

Warehouse Optimizers, Inc. (WOI) has been helping facilities just like yours safely and successfully integrate automated wrapping systems into dock areas to increase productivity and meet inventory and personnel safety goals. With our 5-Step Total Satisfaction Experience™, WOI guarantees that we will 1. Listen to your needs, 2. Execute your project with special attention to your unique application, 3. Stick to project timelines, 4. Ensure a safe environment, and 5. Pay close attention to the appearance of the finished product. The WOI team will walk you through each stage of the process and provide expert customer service to deliver great results and peace of mind. Contact a member of our team today and let’s chat or Zoom. Call (865) 540-4004 for a prompt response. We proudly serve customers in Tennessee, Alabama, and throughout the Southeast.