Stretch Film Testing

How Much Money Are You Wasting?

Would your operators know if they were using an extra 1 oz of film on a pallet? An extra 8 oz at the same facility would be $250,000.00 per year!

The costs can add up fast – and that’s just film costs! What about pallet load damage and productivity losses due to film that is not used properly?

Companies are best served when they developed a stretch film procurement solution to understand the properties of the film they use, their distribution channel, and the forces necessary to deliver their loads successfully. Best Packaging has the knowledge and tools to meet these goals and provide a consistent result that can be created, tested, repeated and maintained.

Why is Testing Important

Best Packaging Inc. uses a Computerized Load Cell System to capture load containment data on the field. Our system system is  ideal for on-going quality control and quality assurance testing.

A manual system is only beneficial when monitoring data. When a machine is manually tested, the only information you get is the end result. It’s not as looking at the data while the machine is operating. In order to get a completely accurate test and achieve the appropriate film settings all the details would have to be in order. The Operator would need measure to a certain areas and pull it out exactly. Then, they would have to wait for the machine to stop,  measure the data, and then make the adjustments. If you fall out of adjustment, you don’t get an accurate reading. 

With a computerized pull plate system, you can see the stretch film data live as it’s the displaced onto the pallet. In other words, you know what’s happening as it’s happening- allowing you to make adjustments instantly while the computer is still running. This technology will equip Best Packaging to design a specification. Once designed, we’ll perform a series of steps to set up the machines to replicate these loads and train your operators to maintain these standards. 

The only way to ensure you’re getting the accurate measures on all the variables is by using a system like ours. 

Best Packaging Inc. can be hired as a consultant to EVALUATE your machine, processes, and film.

  • Our Technicians will first examine the machine to make sure it’s operating in good condition. They will perform any service deemed appropriate.
  • Then, our technicians will meet with machine operators and management to gain knowledge of your company’s operations to get a better grasp on the objectives moving forward.
  • Best Packaging will perform several tests using the computerized load cell system to establish a baseline Containment Force. This calculation gives the packaging professional a benchmark to guarantee safe, damage free transportation of goods. The containment force benchmark also estimates the amount of film needed to achieve the amount of containment force necessary to produce the desired result.

We will RESEARCH and assess the best way to apply the film based on the different types of products that are wrapped and establish the type of containment necessary. Below are some of the variables we’ll look at:

  • Ultimate Stretch: We try to stretch at 70% of ultimate.
  • Retention: We make sure the film can maintain load holding force over time.
  • Puncture Resistance: Prevention of film tears, especially for B or C loads.

Once we UNDERSTAND how to achieve the best results, we will go back to the plant and CREATE the ideal wrapped load using our system in order to meet the criteria most important to your operations.

After the load is recreated, we’ll perform a TEST for effectiveness. This entails wrapping the loads using the new standards to ensure the loads have the the proper containment and the proper amount of film.

The last step in this best practices project would be to train maintenance and operators how to MONITOR the standard. Best Packaging can be hired to maintain and upgrade this standard using our Data Acquisition System. It includes:

  • Measurement, recording, and data export capabilities for film usage, film cost and weight per load, film stretch, machine up time and down time, loads wrapped per shift and per day. (Alerts operators if film supplied is out of spec via text or email.)
  • Force to stretch monitoring system – measures the forces inside the film carriage. (Alerts operators if film supplied is out of spec via text or email.)

GONE ARE THE DAYS WHERE WE STANDARDIZE THE FILM. INSTEAD, STANDARDIZING THE RESULT WILL ENSURE THE PRODUCT ARRIVES TO THE END USER WITHOUT DAMAGE IN THE MOST PRODUCTIVE AND COST-EFFECTIVE METHOD POSSIBLE.