The film is fed into a stretch hood machine, which gathers the film; cuts and seals the top side; stretches it beyond the size of the load to be wrapped; then pulls the hood over the load. When the mechanical arms release the film at the bottom of the pallet, the film snaps back – conforming to the shape of the load and partially wrapping under the pallet for added stability.
This efficient, fully automated process offers manufacturers, logistics companies, and retailers a range of benefits over other pallet wrapping methods – from potential cost savings and material handling conveniences to product display opportunities and other value-adding benefits.
Stretch hood machines can churn out more than 100 pallet loads per hour – versus approximately 60 loads per hour for stretch wrap. In addition, one roll of stretch hood film is good for 800 to 1200 pallets, with a roll change every 5 to 12 hours. By way of comparison, one roll of stretch wrap is typically good for roughly 150 pallets, with a roll change every several hours. Higher throughput and less downtime equals the potential for increased productivity.
Another key advantage of stretch hoods is five-sided protection, which greatly reduces the risk of damage to products due to weather. With excellent seal strength, the top side of each stretch hood is closed to ensure products stay dry and to provide protection against ultra-violet radiation. This gives retailers the ability to create more in-store floor space by keeping more products outside – even moisture-sensitive products like cement bags.
Pallets using stretch hood wrap offer improved transport stability and stackability.
The most important requirement for any pallet wrapping method is that the load stay securely on the pallet, especially when in motion. For stretch hoods, load stability is largely determined by finding the right balance of holding force and elasticity. Typically, a hood structure sacrifices one for the other, and the property balance depends on the pallet load requirements. A load of empty PET bottles, for example, would require low holding force (high elasticity) to avoid crushing the bottles, compared to a load of concrete blocks that would require very high holding force (low elasticity).
Conventional stretch hood films offer good holding force with acceptable elasticity. Today, through advances in polymer science, there are stretch hood films available that offer a differentiated set of performance attributes, including giving users independent control over elasticity and holding force.
Because they conform tightly to loads and because of the sealed top side, stretch hoods help protect palletized products from water, dirt, and even insect and rodent infestation. However, that protection is only as good as the film’s abuse resistance, especially resistance to punctures. Good puncture resistance is particularly important for pallets of products with sharp edges and corners, such as concrete blocks and wood fencing.
Of course, most sharp objects won’t be deterred and can eventually break through a film with even the best puncture resistance. This is why tear resistance is also an important stretch hood attribute – so that the film surrounding any hole resists tear propagation and that the film structure maintains good overall holding force in spite of the puncture.
The stretch wrap process applies multiple layers of film to the cargo, obscuring a person’s view of the products being shipped or stored, especially when wet or dusty. The stretch hood process applies a single layer of film that envelops the load. This, along with the film’s clarity enable the products to be clearly seen, which helps the logistics function identify inventory errors, tampering, or product damage.
All of these benefits of stretch hood combine to create value for retailers, brand owners, and logistics companies who need a total pallet unitization solution. Stretch hoods also offer potential cost savings per load when compared to other pallet packaging methods. For example, stretch wrap requires the addition of a top sheet to achieve five-sided protection, and shrink wrap is associated with high energy costs because of the heat used in the packaging process (see Tables 1 and 2).
Next Video Stretch Hood applications
Source : Dow
For any further info about Our Stretch Hood , please feel free to contact us.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar