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5 Questions Answered about Polypropylene Strapping Machines

Jun. 23, 2025

5 Questions Answered about Polypropylene Strapping Machines

If you’re revamping your plant’s packaging operations, you might be looking at the strapping materials and machines you’re using. You may be wondering if it’s time to switch away from manual processes and tools. Perhaps you’re asking when you can use plastic strapping.

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One subject you’ve considered is polypropylene (PP) strapping machines. Here are some answers to the most common questions.

1. What Are Polypropylene Strapping Machines?

Polypropylene strapping machines automate the strapping process using PP strapping to secure and stabilize packages or loads during transport and storage. They offer benefits such as increased productivity, cost savings, and improved safety for workers.

There are different types of polypropylene strapping machines on the market, including:

Automatic Polypropylene Strapping Machines
Semi-Automatic Strapping Machines
Polypropylene Strapping Systems

When considering alternative methods of strapping, it is important to understand the goal or job you’re trying to accomplish and whether your current process and tooling satisfy that need.

2. Can You Automate PP Strapping?

You can absolutely automate the process using polypropylene strapping machines from hand tools or semi-automatic applications.

You can also use semi-automatic and handheld devices when working with PP strapping.

3. How Fast Are Polypropylene Strapping Machines?

It depends on the model you’ve purchased. If you’re using handheld devices, you’re going to process less per hour than if you use an automatic or semi-automatic strapping machine.

If you’re using a fully automated solution, you can probably count on processing around 130 packages per hour. This is much faster than a human team can move. Better yet, the machine can automatically strap your packages, increasing production efficiencies and reducing labor costs. The machine also doesn’t experience fatigue, which means improved productivity.

4. When Should You Use PP Strapping?

Many plant managers are leery about shifting away from current strapping methods, even though it’s the most expensive. Plastic strapping, like PP strapping, is often more economical, and it does just as good a job with most loads.

Polypropylene strapping is best used with lighter products. It can be used for heavy bundling and light palletizing. If you’re dealing with heavier loads, you may want to consider polyester, which is generally considered stronger. Steel is often still used with the heaviest loads where an alternate lower cost solution may be available.

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5. How Expensive Are They?

Again, the answer to this question depends on the solution you adopt for your plant. Handheld devices are the most affordable solutions. They may be a good investment if you deal with relatively low production rates.

For those with higher volumes, investing in a semi-automatic or automatic solution may be the right choice.

If you work in a high-volume environment, however, the automated solution is often a worthwhile investment. It can increase productivity, reduce the potential of damage, and improve worker safety and fatigue while providing increased efficiency and potential cost savings.

Strapping Machines F.A.Q

The difficulty when buying strapping machines arises from the fact that they all look similar…

on the outside and perhaps on the inside too. The same manufacturer can rebadge, slightly reposition components and present the machine in different livery as is often the case with strapping machines imported from the Far East, and although this might be at the request of a Distributer it is also the means of making lower specification and component strapping machines appear very similar to high specification strapping machines, so how do you tell the difference?

It’s not easy and too often only becomes apparent 6 -12 months after the purchase ...

is made because ‘on demonstration’ they all strap boxes with no discernable difference. When the strapping machines have been worked over a period it's only then that the durabilty of the components become apparent and that percieved ‘bargain buy’ starts to get very expensive to keep operational. Bear in mind also that even if machine service facilties do exist, every service call requested is likely to cost in the region of £120 – £150 and this can quickly amount to substantial expenditure that rapidly cancels out the percieved saving made on the purchase price... and nowadays if you are calling for a service engineer more than twice a year it's probably better to buy a new strapping machine, as prices have collapsed in recent years.

The lower spec strapping machines can be landed in UK for £200- £250 from China/ Korea and are eagerly sought by the non specialist strapping machine merchants as they offer the prospect of good margins, particularly as in many cases no or inadequate service backup is given, leaving the specialist strapping Companies to try and pick up the pieces.

So how do you avoid making an ‘ egg on face' decision when buying a Strapping Machine?

Don’t be tempted by offers indicating typical savings of say £200 on a semi automatic box strapper unless its offered by a specialist strapping company (not catalogue or general packaging merchant.) as this is a good indicator of the difficulties that could arise and increase, particularly if the machines were automatic, because then you would be more dependent on them working reliably.

What is an Automatic Strapping Machine?

An automatic strapping machine has an arch or strap track as it's sometimes called under which the item that is to be strapped is manually placed for strapping. The strap cycle is actuated either by means of a push button, a foot switch or a switch located in the top worksuface of the machine. These machines can function at speeds varying from 27 -70 straps per minute but in reality seldom do so as the speed is directly governed by the rate the parcels etc can be manually presented and positioned in/to the strapping machine. To see a video demonstrating how these machines operate click this link - Automatic Strapping Machine

What is an Automated Strapping Machine?

Operatorless - Click this link to see a video of anAutomated Strapping Machine

In many cases automated strapping machines look identical to automatic strapping machines, but they are used differently and more efficiently insofar as they are placed in conveyor lines to enable the items to be strapped to enter the machines at a much faster rate than can be achieved with a manually fed automatic strapping machine. These strapping machines also have more sophisticated programable control systems such that allied with the conveyor system they automatically sense the location of packs, required strap positions on the pack and the number of straps to be applied. They can also incorporate carton closure, straightening, compression , rotating devices.

What is a Semi Automatic Strapping machine?

Click this link - Semi automatic carton bander to see a short video

A semi automatic strapping machine is the most common type of strapping machine - hundreds of thousands have been sold worldwide. They are basically an automatic strapping machine without an arch or strap track and therefore present with a flat working surface - usually stainless steel - that has a groove running centrally from left to right into which the a length of strap is prefed prior to a strapping operation commencing. To apply a strap the carton is placed onto the machine top and over the groove, the leading end of the strap lifted from the groove -taken over the carton and placed into a slot into the machine, which automatically grips the strap, tensions to a preset value, makes a heat seal welded joint, cuts the strap to release the carton from the strapping machine, and immediately feeds another length of strap into the groove ready for the next strap to be applied. Complete cycle time averages 2.3 seconds which is must faster than using handtools.

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