Spring is here. Get ready for warmer weather, longer days and dreaded allergies.
This new season also calls for spring cleaning. Scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, reorganize closets and donate things you no longer use.
Itās also a good time to clean and reorganize your warehouse and loading dock area. One way to do this is to check your machinery for maintenance issues.
When youāre looking over your equipment, donāt forget to check your stretch wrapper. A lack of preventive maintenance is a major cause of downtime, so this is a good opportunityĀ to make sure your machine is running smoothly.
For example, listen to your stretch wrapper when it runs. If you hear any squeaking or grinding, find out why and fix it.
Inspect any beltsāusually those that drive film delivery system up and down and under the turntableāto make sure theyāre not fraying. If you need a replacement belt, call up the manufacturerās parts department and get a new one shipped (good manufacturers will ship parts by the next day).
Performing periodicĀ maintenance check on your stretch wrapper is important. But so is checking to make sure your stretch wrapper is set up to wrap effectively.
Knowing if your load is safe to ship isnāt complicated. Itās all focused around containment force, which is the cumulative squeezing force the film puts on the load. Containment force is the best defense against shipping damage.
Itās important to know how much containment force your load needs and to make sure to ship with at least that amount. If you are unsure of how much containment force is necessary for your loads, you can download our recommendation chart here.
By checking your machine every year you can reduce the likelihood of any disastrous maintenance issues that might arise unexpectedly. And by checking your wrap qualityĀ you can increase the chances of your products making it do their destination without damage.
This post was published on April 22, 2016 and updated on September 13, 2017.
April 22, 2016
