Stretch film wrapping system

1. A stretch film wrapping system for wrapping film about palletized loads, comprising:

a wrap location for receiving palletized loads to be wrapped;

a film dispensing system including:

a frame structure that is movable relative to the wrap location during wrap operations;

a film roll support mandrel assembly connected for movement with the frame structure;

a pre-stretch roller assembly connected for movement with the frame structure, the pre-stretch roller assembly configured for receiving and pre-stretching film as it is dispensed for wrapping;

a load cell mounted to the frame structure for movement with the frame structure, the load cell including an output;

wherein the film roll support mandrel assembly is mounted to and supported by the load cell such that the film roll support mandrel assembly acts as a load on the load cell and the output of the load cell indicates weight of the film roll support mandrel assembly and any film roll mounted thereon.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the only connection between the film roll support mandrel assembly and the frame structure is through the load cell.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the film dispensing system is mounted for vertical movement along a mast during wrap operations.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the mast is either (i) movable about the wrap location during wrap operations or (ii) stationary and a load platform of the wrap location is rotated during wrap operations.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the load cell is rigidly mounted to a bracket and the bracket is rigidly mounted to the frame structure.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the film roll support mandrel assembly includes:

a mount block rigidly mounted to the load cell;

a mandrel plate rigidly mounted to the mount block;

a mandrel shaft extending outward from the mandrel plate; and

a pair of spaced apart spool members rotatably mounted to mandrel shaft to facilitate rotation of a film roll loaded on the mandrel shaft.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the mandrel shaft is fixed to the mandrel plate such that upon removal of the mandrel plate from the mount block the mandrel shaft and spool members remain with the mandrel plate.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the mount block includes a load cell connection portion and a mandrel plate connection portion that is angled relative to the load cell connection portion, wherein the mandrel shaft extends upward from the mandrel plate and is offset at an angle from a vertical orientation.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein a load mount surface of the load cell is arranged horizontally and upward facing, the film roll support mandrel assembly includes a mount block with a horizontal and downward facing first surface engaged with the load mount surface of the load cell, the mount block includes an upward facing second surface offset from horizontal, a mandrel shaft extends upwardly away from the second surface and is offset at an angle from a vertical orientation.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a controller for receiving the output of the load cell and configured to determine an amount of film used for wrap operations.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of film used for a wrap operation based upon a difference between the output of the load cell before the wrap operation and the output of the load cell after the wrap operation.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured evaluate the output of the load cell before the wrap operation when the film roll support mandrel assembly is in a predefined position, and the controller is configured to evaluate the output of the load cell after the wrap operation when the film roll support assembly is again in the predefined position.

13. A stretch film wrapping system for wrapping film about loads, comprising:

a wrap location for receiving loads to be wrapped;

a film dispensing system including a load cell having an output, wherein a film roll support mandrel assembly is supported on the load cell and the load cell is positioned below the film roll support mandrel assembly so that the output of the load cell indicates a weight of the film roll support mandrel assembly and any film roll mounted thereon;

a control system for receiving the output of the load cell and configured to utilize the load cell output to determine amount of film used for wrap operations.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is configured to determine a weight of film used for a wrap operation based upon a difference between the output of the load cell before the wrap operation and the output of the load cell after the wrap operation.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the control system is configured evaluate the output of the load cell before the wrap operation when the film roll support mandrel assembly is in a predefined position, and the control system is configured to evaluate the output of the load cell after the wrap operation when the film roll support assembly is again in the predefined position.

16. A stretch film wrapping system for wrapping film about loads, comprising:

a wrap location for receiving loads to be wrapped;

a film dispensing system including a film roll support mandrel assembly with a film roll mounted thereon;

a load cell including an output, the load cell positioned relative to the film roll support mandrel assembly so that the output of the load cell indicates weight of the film roll support mandrel assembly and the film roll mounted thereon; and

a control system for receiving the output of the load cell and configured to utilize the output of the load cell to determine amount of film used for wrap operations.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the control system is configured to determine a weight of film used for a wrap operation based upon a difference between the output of the load cell before the wrap operation and the output of the load cell after the wrap operation.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the control system is configured to evaluate the output of the load cell before the wrap operation when the film roll support mandrel assembly is in a predefined position, and the control system is configured to evaluate the output of the load cell after the wrap operation when the film roll support assembly is again in the predefined position.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the control system is configured to evaluate the output of the load cell after the film roll support mandrel assembly has been in the predefined position for at least a set time period in order to assure stability of the film roll support mandrel assembly at the time of the evaluation.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the control system includes an indicator that receives the output from the load cell, the indicator including a wireless transmitter for transmitting data to a wireless receiver associated with a controller of the control system.

21. A stretch film wrapping system for wrapping film about loads, comprising:

a wrap location for receiving loads to be wrapped;

a load cell having an output;

a film dispensing system including a film roll support mandrel assembly with a film roll mounted thereon, the film roll support mandrel assembly supported as a load that acts on the load cell so that the output of the load cell indicates a weight of the film roll support mandrel assembly and the film roll mounted thereon; and

a control system for receiving the output of the load cell and configured to utilize the output of the load cell to determine an amount of film used for wrap operations;

wherein a load mount surface of the load cell is arranged horizontally and upward facing, the film roll support mandrel assembly includes a mount block with a horizontal and downward facing first surface engaged with the load mount surface of the load cell, the mount block includes an upward facing second surface offset from horizontal, and a mandrel shaft extends upwardly away from the second surface, the mandrel shaft having a lengthwise axis that is offset at a non-zero angle from a vertical axis.