Fully-automatic strapping lines are usually installed by companies that manufacture and pack goods produced in series. However, companies where the packages differ have a tendency to go for a semi-automatic solution. They want to avoid additional cost for the mechanical equipment necessary for the automatic feeding of the strapper.
Mail-order houses accept the higher investment of full automation.
An elegant solution for packages that differ in size, is to align them at the right or left side of an angular roller conveyor, which moves the package towards the head to be strapped. The strapping head is laterally positioned (not centrally), this means of course that it is not possible to use a standard machine.
What else counts? Photo-cells activate the strapping cycle. Conveyor-belts within the strapping table carry the boxes to the first strapping position, the second strapping position and then out of the strapping area. A pressure appliance and retractable pins make sure that the box is in the right position during the strapping cycle. The entire conveyance, strapping and sorting is controlled centrally by only one person. Eight machines are included in our example.