What is containment force and why does it matter in an automated warehouse?

Containment force is the holding pressure that stretch film applies to a pallet load, measured in pounds. Containment force requirements range from 2–5 lbs for very light loads to 12–20 lbs for very unstable loads like PET water pallets. In an automated warehouse, adequate and consistent containment force isn’t just a shipping requirement — it’s what keeps pallets stable as AMRs accelerate, turn, and maneuver through the facility. An under-wrapped load can tip or shift during AMR transit, stopping autonomous vehicles and triggering system halts that require manual intervention.

Can a pallet wrapped correctly for shipping still cause problems inside an automated warehouse?

Yes. Transit wrapping standards and in-facility handling requirements are related but not identical. A load that holds together on a truck — where movement is relatively smooth and forces are applied gradually — can still fail during sharp AMR maneuvers, tight turns, or acceleration events inside a DC. The physics are different. Containment force needs to be sufficient for the most demanding handling the pallet will experience, which in an automated facility is often internal movement, not the truck ride.

What is the most common cause of AMR load failures related to stretch wrapping?

The two most common causes are insufficient containment force at the bottom of the load, and an inadequate load-to-pallet bond. Film wrapped to the base of the pallet is vulnerable to puncture by AMR forks, which compromises tension and can cause base containment to fail mid-route. Lantech’s Pallet Grip® technology addresses this by applying a film cable just beneath the pallet deck boards — above where forks make contact — locking the load to the pallet while protecting film integrity.

How does Load Guardian technology help prevent load containment inconsistency across different product types?

Load Guardian with Ready-to-Wrap profiles automatically sets and maintains containment force based on the load type being wrapped. Operators select a load profile that matches their product — rather than manually adjusting wrap settings — and the machine applies the correct containment force every time. This eliminates the shift-to-shift variability that produces inconsistent loads in mixed-SKU environments. In the Lantech’s beverage manufacturer project mentioned above, activating Load Guardian was a key step in achieving consistent containment across high-difficulty 2-liter beverage loads at 107 loads per hour.

Why should system integrators specify containment force requirements when designing an automated DC?

Because stretch wrapping performance directly affects the reliability of every downstream system. A stretch wrapper that produces inconsistent containment force creates unpredictable load stability — which in an AMR-integrated facility translates into system halts, manual interventions, and throughput losses that aren’t captured in packaging metrics. Specifying equipment that delivers consistent, load-appropriate containment force — across all SKUs, without operator dependence — is as important to system uptime as any other component in the automation stack.

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