Will This Stretch Film Fit My Wrapper?
Five things decide whether a roll of stretch film runs on your machine: film width, core size, roll diameter, gauge, and how your wrapper stretches the film. Check them against your wrapper's manual or the plate on the film carriage, then match them to the tables below.
1. Film width: match your carriage
- 20 in. carriages take 20 in. film. Most of our machine film in this class is 19.7 in. (500 mm), the metric version of the same width. Lantech, for example, lists its Q-300 film width as "500 mm (20")".
- 30 in. carriages take our 29.5 in. and 30 in. machine film. Some makers let a 30 in. carriage run 20 in. film with an adaptor bracket; check your manual.
- Orbital wrappers (the ring that wraps through the load) use narrow machine rolls. 10 in. and 12 in. are the common orbital-wrapper widths, and we stock both; check your machine.
- Wide web, 40 to 80 in., is for wrappers built for wide film. Match it to your carriage width.
- Vented machine film (18, 19 and 30 in. oscillated rolls) lets air through the load, for produce and other loads that need to breathe.
- Hand wrapping: 12 to 18 in. hand film. See the stretch film size chart.
2. Core size
In the US, hand and machine stretch film is normally wound on a 3 in. (76 mm) inside-diameter core, and wrapper film carriages are built for it. Check your manual if you are not sure. We also carry:
- Extended core hand and banding film: the core sticks out past the film so you can hold it without a dispenser.
- Coreless pre-stretch hand film, which needs a coreless dispenser.
3. Roll diameter and weight
Every carriage has a maximum roll size. For example, Lantech lists a 250 mm (10 in.) roll diameter for the Q-300, and Robopac lists a maximum reel of 500 mm high (750 mm on US models) by 300 mm diameter, 20 kg, for its Rotoplat. Longer rolls (8,000 to 12,500 ft down-gauge film) are bigger around than a 5,000 ft roll of the same width. Ask us for the roll diameter before you switch lengths.
4. Gauge and micron
Gauge is thickness: 1 micron is about 4 gauge, so 80 ga is about 20 µm and 63 ga is about 16 µm.
- Some wrapper makers publish a film thickness range. Robopac's Rotoplat lists 17 to 35 µm, about 68 to 140 ga.
- Pick a gauge inside your machine's range, then by load: heavier or sharper-edged loads usually run thicker film.
- Down-gauge (high-performance) films hold like thicker film at a lower gauge.
5. Pre-stretch: how your carriage stretches the film
| Your carriage | How it stretches | What to look for in film |
|---|---|---|
| Powered pre-stretch (two rollers at different speeds) | Stretches the film a set percentage before it reaches the load. Lantech Q-300: 200% standard. Robopac PDS: fixed 250%. Wulftec: presets 50 to 300%. | Film rated at or above your pre-stretch percentage. Ask us for the film's rated stretch before you run it above 200%. |
| Brake or tension carriage (no pre-stretch) | Film is stretched only by the pull of the turning load against an adjustable brake (for example Robopac FR or a Wulftec hydraulic carriage). | Standard machine film. Set the tension on the panel; tell us your loads and we will suggest a gauge. |
| Hand wrapping | By hand | Hand film, 12 to 18 in. Pre-stretched hand film needs less pull. |
Quick match: common wrapper setups and our film
| Wrapper setup | Width | Our film to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-automatic turntable, 20 in. powered pre-stretch carriage (the most common) | 20 in. | 19.7 in. (500 mm) machine film, 3,000 to 12,500 ft, about 36 to 150 ga; 20 in. machine film, 2,750 to 6,000 ft, 63 to 120 ga |
| Turntable or rotary arm, 20 in. brake or tension carriage | 20 in. | 19.7 in. or 20 in. standard machine film |
| 30 in. carriage | 30 in. | 29.5 in. machine film, 3,500 to 9,000 ft, 50 to 120 ga; 30 in. colored cast machine film, 5,000 ft, 80 ga |
| Orbital wrapper | 10 to 12 in. | 10 in. or 12 in. machine film; check your machine's film width |
| Wide-web wrapper | 40 to 80 in. | 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 in. machine film, 5,000 ft |
| No machine | 12 to 18 in. | Hand film; extended-core or coreless if you don't use a dispenser |
Sizes are from our live catalog. See every size on the stretch film size and gauge chart or browse machine stretch film and colored and tinted machine film. Matching another supplier's film? See the stretch film cross reference.
Not sure? Send us three things
- Your wrapper's make and model, or a photo of the carriage plate.
- The film you run now: width, length, gauge and core.
- What you wrap: load weight and anything sharp.
We will match it and tell you the roll diameter before you order. We send spec sheets with quotes, and we can usually send or bring a sample of film, tape, gloves and abrasives. Ask on the quote form.
Wrapper specifications are quoted from each manufacturer's published product information. Supply Tie is not affiliated with these manufacturers. Machine film sells by the full pallet.