Analysis of an Automatic Wrapping Machine: Numerical Models and Experimental Results

In this paper a study on the possibility of improving the performances of one automatic wrapping machine is shown. The productivity of this class of machines can be increased raising the rotational velocity of the wrapping system. A higher speed provokes in general higher centrifugal forces and consequently higher displacements and the strain and stress in critical points. The aim of this study is to analyze experimentally and numerically the actual system in order to be able to verify the structure and design new solutions. The conclusion of the research work is that the excessive displacement of some points was mainly due to rigid motion of structure parts rather than to their deformations. As a consequence, the proposed solution consists in the modification of the internal constraints positions and stiffness