Abstract:
A method, apparatus and program product utilize a graphical interface to facilitate operator interaction with a load wrapping apparatus, particularly in connection with setting up a wrap profile. The graphical interface may incorporate a graphical depiction of a load, along with graphical depictions of both the number of layers of packaging material and the wrap force associated with a given wrap profile, with the graphical depictions of each of the number of layers of packaging material and the wrap force being capable of being dynamically updated in response to changes made by an operator to a wrap profile. The graphical depictions therefore provide a visual interface to assist an operator who may have limited expertise in setting up a load wrapping apparatus.
Abstract:
A wrapping apparatus (100) and method utilize a corner rotation angle-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material (108) is dispensed based on the rotational position of one or more corners of the load (110) during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser (106). The locations of one or more corners on a load may be sensed or otherwise calculated, and when combined with a sensed or calculated rotational position of the load relative to a packaging material dispenser, the locations of the corners relative to the packaging material dispenser may be determined and utilized to control the dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser, e.g., by determining which corner is currently driving an effective consumption rate of the load and/or determining when to apply a controlled intervention to the load.
Abstract:
A method, apparatus and program product perform automatic load profiling to optimize a wrapping operation performed with a stretch wrapping machine. Automatic load profiling may be performed, for example, to determine a density parameter for a load that is indicative of load stability such that one or more control parameters may be configured for a wrapping operation based upon the density parameter. Automatic load profiling may also be performed, for example, to detect a load with a nonstandard top layer, e.g., a load with a top or slip sheet, a load with an easily deformable top layer, a load with a ragged top surface topography and/or a load with an inboard portion, such that a top layer containment operation may be activated during wrapping to optimize containment for the load.
Abstract:
A method, apparatus and program product project a containment force to be applied to a load by a load wrapping apparatus prior to wrapping the load to facilitate proper configuration of the load wrapping apparatus for a wrapping operation.
Abstract:
Control of a wrapping apparatus (600) is facilitated by enabling an operator to input a load containment force requirement and/or a minimum number of layers of packaging material (618) to be applied to a load (606), with a wrap control system (650) automatically determining wrap force and other parameters required to meet user input requirements and/or parameters to minimize the expertise required of an operator and to provide more consistent and reliable wrapping of loads (606). In addition, a wrapping apparatus (600) may be controlled to apply at least a minimum number of layers of packaging material (618) to a load (606) throughout a contiguous region (630) thereof.
Abstract:
A wrapping apparatus (1 00) and method utilize an effective circumference- based wrap speed model that dynamically controls the rate at which packaging material (108) is dispensed based on an effective circumference of a load (1 10) during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser (1 06). The effective circumference of a load may be indicative of an effective consumption rate of the load, and may referto a dimension or size of a tangent circle (420) that is substantially centered at the center of rotation (408) of the load and substantially tangent to a line substantially extending between a first point (414) proximate to where the packaging material exits the dispenser and a second point (41 8) proximate to where the packaging material engages the load. The effective circumference of the load dynamically changes throughout the relative rotation of the load, and by controlling the dispense rate based at least in part on this dimension, fluctuations in tension in the packaging material may be reduced, often enabling containment force to be increased while reducing the risk of breakage in the packaging material.
Abstract:
A method, apparatus and program product may determine load stability for a load to be wrapped based upon sensing the response or reaction of the load to a disturbance applied to the load, e.g., through intentionally moving, shaking, tilting, pushing, impacting or otherwise applying an input force to the load and sensing the response using one or more sensors. The sensed response may then be used to determine a load stability parameter that may be used in the control of a load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load.
Abstract:
A method, apparatus and program product monitor a wrap force during a wrap cycle to dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser to meet a desired containment force to be applied to a load. A conversion may be performed between wrap force and containment force for the monitored wrap force or a containment force parameter to facilitate the performance of a comparison between the monitored wrap force and a containment force parameter associated with the desired containment force to be applied to the load. A wrap force parameter may also be dynamically adjusted, and in some instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored wrap force, and may be used to meet a load containment force requirement for a load. In other instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored packaging material breaks to reduce the occurrence of packaging material breaks.
Abstract:
A method, apparatus and program product implement top layer containment operations to optimize containment of various types of loads such as loads with top/slip sheets, ragged topographies, and/or inboard portions. Bidirectional control of the elevation of a web of packaging material may be performed within one or more revolutions between a load and a packaging material dispenser to selectively engage one or more corners of the load with a web of packaging material while passing the web of packaging material inwardly of one or more other corners of the load.
Abstract:
Control of a load wrapping apparatus may be based at least in part on the relative stability of a load, such as based upon one or more load stability types that categorize the relative stability of the load. A graphical depiction of a wrap profile may also be used in some instances to facilitate operator set up of the wrap profile.