How Our Stretch Film Rewinder Reduced Downtime for a Global Packaging Client
Release time:
2025-07-26 17:09
In the stretch film production industry, downtime is the number one enemy of profit. Every minute of downtime means lost production capacity and increased costs. This case study will demonstrate how we helped a client reduce downtime on their stretch film rewinding machine by 50% through a successful technical upgrade, transforming their production bottleneck into an efficiency engine. This is not just a story about equipment replacement; it is a transformation about unlocking productivity.
Customer Background and Challenges: The ‘Black Hole’ of Downtime
- Our client is a leading packaging materials manufacturer in Southeast Asia. They operate an advanced high-speed cast film production line with a very high theoretical production capacity. However, their overall output fell far short of expectations, with the issue originating at the end of the production line—an outdated semi-automatic stretch film rewinding machine.
- This machine had become the efficiency bottleneck of the entire factory. Operators were constantly battling endless downtime, which not only left them physically and mentally exhausted but also caused management to worry about missing delivery deadlines.
Our Diagnosis: Identifying the Root Cause of Downtime
After receiving the client's request for assistance, our Wintech technical team conducted a three-day on-site diagnosis. We identified the primary causes of prolonged downtime in the stretch film rewinding machine as follows:
- 1. Lengthy and cumbersome manual roll changes: Each time the master roll was depleted, operators had to manually shut down the machine, cut the film, remove the finished roll, install a new core, manually feed the film, and secure it with tape. This process averaged over four minutes, representing the largest time ‘black hole.’
- 2. Unstable tension leading to frequent film breaks: The outdated equipment lacks precise tension control, resulting in significant tension fluctuations during high-speed operation, causing the film to break frequently. Each film break requires another 10–15 minutes of downtime for rethreading.
- 3. High scrap rate: Poor rewinding quality resulted in numerous finished rolls with uneven edges or wrinkles, necessitating disposal as scrap. These waste materials placed additional recycling pressure on their plastic granulator and caused significant raw material waste.
Solution: Addressing the issue with the Wintech fully automatic rewinding machine
Based on the above diagnosis, we provided the customer with the WT-500N fully automatic stretch film rewinding machine. This solution is not merely a simple equipment replacement but a targeted approach to address each pain point:
- For manual roll changes: The WT-500N is equipped with a fully automatic roll change system. It can automatically complete the entire process of cutting, core replacement, film application, and rewinding without slowing down the equipment, reducing roll change time from over 4 minutes to less than 20 seconds.
- For frequent film breaks: We adopted an advanced closed-loop servo tension control system. High-precision sensors continuously monitor film tension, and the PLC controls the servo motor to make microsecond-level adjustments, ensuring consistent tension throughout the process and completely eliminating film breaks caused by tension issues.
- Addressing high scrap rates: Perfect tension control and precise mechanical structure ensure that each finished roll has neat edges and a perfect roll shape, The qualified rate of finished products has increased from less than 95% to over 99.5%.
Results Showcase: Data Speaks Louder than Words
After the equipment was installed, commissioned, and operated for one month, we collected comparative data. The results were encouraging—we not only achieved our goals but even exceeded the customer's expectations.
Performance Metrics |
Before Upgrade (Old Equipment) |
After Upgrade (WT-500N) |
Improvement Effect |
Average Roll Change Time |
> 4 minutes |
< 20 seconds |
Over 90% savings |
Per shift (8 hours) |
Downtime Average 75 minutes |
Average 35 minutes |
Reduced by 53% |
Film breakage incidents |
Average 5-8 times per shift |
< 1 time per shift |
Almost eliminated |
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) |
Approximately 60% |
Improved to 88% |
Significantly improved |
This successful upgrade perfectly demonstrates how we helped the customer reduce downtime of the stretch film rewinding machine by 50% and achieved tangible economic benefits.
Conclusion: Technical investment is the best way to reduce downtime
This case study strongly demonstrates that investing in advanced automation technology is the most direct and effective way to address production bottlenecks and reduce downtime. Customers not only freed up labour and reduced raw material waste, but more importantly, the full potential of their entire stretch film machine production line was unlocked, achieving true ‘high-speed, high-efficiency’ production.
As emphasised by the industry-leading media outlet Automation World, automation is the key to enhancing manufacturing leadership. By choosing the right partner and technical solutions, you too can replicate this success, transforming the frustration of downtime into sustained profit growth.
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