Abstract: An unwinding apparatus associable with a wrapping machine for delivering films comprises a supporting frame to rotatably support a first reel of a first film; adjustment elements to rotatably support a second reel of a second film and to arrange it in one of a plurality of operative positions, in which the second reel is staggered with respect to the first reel; guiding rollers to guide and partially overlap the first film and the second film at a longitudinal partial overlapping band; joining assembly for joining the first film and the second film along a longitudinal joining band made inside a width of the longitudinal partial overlapping band so as to obtain a single-body composite film; the joining assembly comprises a welding device or a gluing device.

Abstract: A method determines a wrapping configuration of a film wrapped around products to form a palletized load to be moved along a path. The method includes using a defined wrapping configuration, measuring physical quantities acting on the load as a result of movements and/or stresses when the load is moved along different test paths, obtaining a path as a suitable composition of base elementary path stretches, obtaining physical quantities acting on the load along the path as physical quantities associated to the base elementary path stretches, positioning the load on a motion platform, operating the motion platform based on the physical quantities to simulate movements and/or stresses acting on the load moved along the path, checking if the load has remained stable and/or compact, modifying the wrapping configuration if the load did not remain stable and/or compact, and repeating the steps.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a plastic film includes a main frame with two supporting columns having upper portions interconnected by a beam, a supporting carriage slidingly supported by the main frame and moved along a working direction by first actuating device, a moving ring rotatably supported by the supporting carriage and rotatably driven by second actuating device around a wrapping axis parallel to the working direction, and an unwinding unit fixed to the moving ring and provided with a reel of film and rollers. The first actuating device includes a first actuator arranged to operate a driving shaft rotatably supported by the beam and provided with a driving pulley engaged to a flexible element connected to the supporting carriage. The driving pulley rotates with the driving shaft for moving the flexible element and therefore the supporting carriage along the working direction.

Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film, strip, band of extensible material comprises: unwinding a film of extensible material from a reel; making a pleat on the film by means of a pleating system; stretching the film by means of a pair of pre-stretching rollers; welding the pleat by means of at least one of the pre-stretching rollers; wrapping the load with the film provided with the pleat.

Abstract: A measuring system associable with a group of products wrappable with a plastic film to form a palletized load. The system includes a supporting frame provided with a supporting plane for the group, first and second detecting modules housed inside the supporting frame and provided with first and second sensor units to detect and measure first and second physical quantities acting on the palletized load when it is moved and/or transported, a processing module having first and second computing units and first and second memory units positioned on the supporting plane, inserted among the products and having dimensions and weight comparable to that of one of the products. The first and second computing units, first and second memory units and first and second detecting modules form first and second measurement chains of the first and second physical quantities.

Abstract: A wrapping machine includes a frame for supporting a wrapping unit arranged to wrap a load with a film of plastic material, and a covering apparatus arranged to supply a covering sheet to be positioned on top of the load. The covering apparatus includes a reel of covering sheet and gripping assembly movable along an unwinding direction and arranged to grasp and unwind from the reel and place above the load the covering sheet. The covering apparatus includes a supporting structure connected to an upper portion of the frame and slidably supporting the gripping assembly, and a supplying unit supporting a respective reel of covering sheet and reversibly coupled to the supporting structure so as to be removable and replaceable with another supplying unit, in particular in case of depletion of the reel of covering sheet.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping a product with a plastic film includes a frame, a supporting ring rotatably supported by the frame and rotated around a wrapping axis by a driving device, an unwinding unit fixed to the supporting ring and supporting a reel of film, pre-stretching rollers rotating about longitudinal axes and cooperating with each other to unwind and stretch the film, and a pre-stretching motor fixed to the frame and coupled to, and arranged to rotate, the pre-stretching rollers through a respective transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a driving ring rotatably supported by the frame and rotated about the wrapping axis by the pre-stretching motor through a friction roller, and a driving belt wound around, and rotated by, the driving ring and coupled to one pre-stretching roller to rotate the pre-stretching rollers when the driving ring is rotated by the pre-stretching motor.

Abstract: An unwinding apparatus (1) for wrapping machine (100) to wrap with a film (50) a load (30) on a pallet (40), comprising supporting means (2) for supporting a reel (60) of film (50), roller means (3, 4, 7) for unwinding and pre-stretching the film (50) and a guiding roller (6) that can be tilted for reducing a band width of the film (50) and/or deviating it towards the; first driving means (10) for continuously tilting the guiding roller (6) in a plurality of operating positions (P0, P1, P2) along an adjustment stroke; the guiding roller (6) comprises a first end portion (16) rotatably connected to the supporting means (2) and provided with a roll (8) able to roll up a longitudinal lower edge (50a) of the film (50) when the guiding roller (6) is tilted to form a longitudinal rolled portion (51).

Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film uses a wrapping machine. The wrapping machine is provided with an unwinding apparatus including pre-stretching rollers, a return roller and a force sensor to measure a wrapping force of the film. The method includes rotating the unwinding apparatus and the load relative to one another with a rotation speed and unwinding the film, measuring an effective wrapping force of the film, filtering the effective wrapping force by a first filter, to obtain a filtered wrapping force, and calculating by a PID control algorithm an instant film length to be supplied per rotation based on the filtered wrapping force. The method also includes filtering the instant film length by a second filter, calculating an instant rotation speed of one pre-stretching roller based on the instant filtered film length and the rotation speed, and rotating the pre-stretching roller with the instant rotation speed.

Abstract: A measuring system associable with a group of products wrappable with a plastic film to form a palletized load. The system includes a supporting frame provided with a supporting plane for the group, first and second detecting modules housed inside the supporting frame and provided with first and second sensor units to detect and measure first and second physical quantities acting on the palletized load when it is moved and/or transported, a processing module having first and second computing units and first and second memory units positioned on the supporting plane, inserted among the products and having dimensions and weight comparable to that of one of the products. The first and second computing units, first and second memory units and first and second detecting modules form first and second measurement chains of the first and second physical quantities.

Abstract: A testing machine to perform measurements and/or tests on a plastic film comprises a basic structure provided with a supporting plane, an unwinding station provided with an unwinding roller that supports a reel of film, a pre-stretching station arranged to unwind and to pre-stretch the film from the reel. The testing machine further comprises a wrapping station provided with a testing drum to be wrapped by the film coming out from the pre-stretching station, a plurality of measuring groups to perform measurements of dimensional and/or physical parameters of the reel and of the film, and a plurality of testing groups to perform respective tests and measurements on the film in order to determine mechanical and physical properties thereof.

Abstract: A wrapping machine includes a frame for supporting a wrapping unit arranged to wrap a load with a film of plastic material, and a covering apparatus arranged to supply a covering sheet to be positioned on top of the load. The covering apparatus includes a reel of covering sheet and gripping assembly movable along an unwinding direction and arranged to grasp and unwind from the reel and place above the load the covering sheet. The covering apparatus includes a supporting structure connected to an upper portion of the frame and slidably supporting the gripping assembly, and a supplying unit supporting a respective reel of covering sheet and reversibly coupled to the supporting structure so as to be removable and replaceable with another supplying unit, in particular in case of depletion of the reel of covering sheet.

Abstract: A method for wrapping a load with a film uses a wrapping machine. The wrapping machine is provided with an unwinding apparatus including pre-stretching rollers, a return roller and a force sensor to measure a wrapping force of the film. The method includes rotating the unwinding apparatus and the load relative to one another with a rotation speed and unwinding the film, measuring an effective wrapping force of the film, filtering the effective wrapping force by a first filter, to obtain a filtered wrapping force, and calculating by a PID control algorithm an instant film length to be supplied per rotation based on the filtered wrapping force. The method also includes filtering the instant film length by a second filter, calculating an instant rotation speed of one pre-stretching roller based on the instant filtered film length and the rotation speed, and rotating the pre-stretching roller with the instant rotation speed.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping a product with a plastic film includes a frame, a supporting ring rotatably supported by the frame and rotated around a wrapping axis by a driving device, an unwinding unit fixed to the supporting ring and supporting a reel of film, pre-stretching rollers rotating about longitudinal axes and cooperating with each other to unwind and stretch the film, and a pre-stretching motor fixed to the frame and coupled to, and arranged to rotate, the pre-stretching rollers through a respective transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a driving ring rotatably supported by the frame and rotated about the wrapping axis by the pre-stretching motor through a friction roller, and a driving belt wound around, and rotated by, the driving ring and coupled to one pre-stretching roller to rotate the pre-stretching rollers when the driving ring is rotated by the pre-stretching motor.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping groups of products with an extensible plastic film to form bundles includes a conveyor for supporting and moving a group of products along an advancing direction inside the wrapping machine, a supporting device for supporting the group of products received from the conveyor, a wrapping unit for wrapping a portion of film around the group of products, supported by the supporting device, in order to form a bundle, and a supplying unit to supply the wrapping unit with the film portion separated from the film. The supporting device includes a gripping device that holds an initial flap of the film portion during the wrapping of the group of products, a containment device to abut against the group of products to guide the products when moved along the advancing direction through the wrapping unit and/or to support and restrain the group of products during wrapping.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping material around a load includes a wrapping unit to wrap a portion of the material around the load and a supplying unit to supply the material portion to the wrapping unit. The wrapping unit includes wrapping device to unwind the material portion from the supplying unit and wrap it around the load. The wrapping unit includes a supporting ring, rotating around a wrapping axis and provided with a plurality of wrapping rollers, and an unwinding arm having a first end rotatably fixed to the support ring and a second end supporting at least one unwinding roller to abut and guide the portion of material towards the load during wrapping. The unwinding arm is movable to move the unwinding roller to/from the load during wrapping.

Abstract: A method determines a wrapping configuration of a film wrapped around products to form a palletized load to be moved along a path. The method includes using a defined wrapping configuration, measuring physical quantities acting on the load as a result of movements and/or stresses when the load is moved along different test paths, obtaining a path as a suitable composition of base elementary path stretches, obtaining physical quantities acting on the load along the path as physical quantities associated to the base elementary path stretches, positioning the load on a motion platform, operating the motion platform based on the physical quantities to simulate movements and/or stresses acting on the load moved along the path, checking if the load has remained stable and/or compact, modifying the wrapping configuration if the load did not remain stable and/or compact, and repeating the steps.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a plastic film includes a main frame with two supporting columns having upper portions interconnected by a beam, a supporting carriage slidingly supported by the main frame and moved along a working direction by first actuating device, a moving ring rotatably supported by the supporting carriage and rotatably driven by second actuating device around a wrapping axis parallel to the working direction, and an unwinding unit fixed to the moving ring and provided with a reel of film and rollers. The first actuating device includes a first actuator arranged to operate a driving shaft rotatably supported by the beam and provided with a driving pulley engaged to a flexible element connected to the supporting carriage. The driving pulley rotates with the driving shaft for moving the flexible element and therefore the supporting carriage along the working direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a film including at least one operating unit for performing operations on the load or on the film and a conveying device for moving the load along an advancing direction through the machine. The machine includes a movement system that is adapted for moving the operating unit and comprises a shuttle assembly movable along a path and arranged for supporting and moving the operating unit. The shuttle assembly and the conveying device are drivable in a coordinated manner in order to enable the operating unit to perform operations on the load wrapped with the fi8lm even while the load is moved along the advancing direction and out of the machine.

Abstract: A wrapping machine includes a first moving device for conveying a plurality of separate products on a movement plane along a first direction, a wrapping unit for wrapping film around the products, once stacked and overlapped on a pallet, and a grouping unit that receives the products from the first moving unit, and arranges and ensures the products remain stacked and overlapped along a second direction on the pallet. The machine also includes a supporting platform to support the pallet, which can be moved during the wrapping phase along the second direction, so as to progressively extract and disengage the stacked and overlapped products from the grouping unit to enable them to be wrapped by the film. The grouping unit includes a hopper equipped with a plurality of movable side walls to vary the grouping volume of the hopper.