Packaging material quality compensation

1. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load, the method comprising:

sensing one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics during one or more wrap operations; and

changing one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications;

wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics is performed during a first wrap operation, and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications is performed during a second wrap operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the one or more wrap parameters optimizes load wrapping apparatus performance and/or packaging material cost.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the one or more wrap parameters reduces an incidence of film breaks.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more indications includes a packaging material gel, a packaging material hole, a force to pre-stretch at a given payout percentage, a tension at a payout percentage, an unwind force on a packaging material supply roll, and/or a visible packaging material roll surface.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the visible packaging material roll surface includes one or more of a wrinkle, air entrapment, edge feather, edge flaw, torn edge, nicked edge, die line, and/or gauge band.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a payout percentage, a tension, a pre-stretch percentage, and/or a packaging material feed control.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a roping mechanism parameter that controls roping or rolling of an edge of the packaging material.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an alert to indicate to an operator an impact of any changes made.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications is performed by a sensor array in a pre-stretch zone of the packaging material dispenser.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a gel on the packaging material with an image sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a hole in the packaging material with an ultrasonic sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a force to pre-stretch at a given payout percentage with a force sensor coupled to an idle roller disposed between upstream and downstream dispensing rollers of a pre-stretch assembly.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a tension at a given payout percentage with a force sensor coupled to an idle roller disposed downstream of a pre-stretch assembly.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing an unwind force on a packaging material supply roll with a force sensor coupled upstream of a pre-stretch assembly.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a visible packaging material roll surface with an image sensor.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sensing a cessation of the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics; and

changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation includes restoring the one or more wrap parameters to original values.

18. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load, the method comprising:

sensing one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics during one or more wrap operations; and

changing one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications;

wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a roping mechanism parameter that controls roping or rolling of an edge of the packaging material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a payout percentage, a tension, a pre-stretch percentage, and/or a packaging material feed control.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications is performed by a sensor array in a pre-stretch zone of the packaging material dispenser.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a gel on the packaging material with an image sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a hole in the packaging material with an ultrasonic sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a force to pre-stretch at a given payout percentage with a force sensor coupled to an idle roller disposed between upstream and downstream dispensing rollers of a pre-stretch assembly.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a tension at a given payout percentage with a force sensor coupled to an idle roller disposed downstream of a pre-stretch assembly.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing an unwind force on a packaging material supply roll with a force sensor coupled upstream of a pre-stretch assembly.

26. The method of claim 18 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a visible packaging material roll surface with an image sensor.

27. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load, the method comprising:

sensing one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics during one or more wrap operations; and

changing one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications;

wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a gel on the packaging material with an image sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a payout percentage, a tension, a pre-stretch percentage, and/or a packaging material feed control.

29. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

sensing a cessation of the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics; and

changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation, wherein changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation includes restoring the one or more wrap parameters to original values.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics is performed during a first wrap operation, and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications is performed during a second wrap operation.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications are performed during the same wrap operation.

32. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load, the method comprising:

sensing one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics during one or more wrap operations; and

changing one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications;

wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a hole in the packaging material with an ultrasonic sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a payout percentage, a tension, a pre-stretch percentage, and/or a packaging material feed control.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein sensing the one or more indications is performed by a sensor array in a pre-stretch zone of the packaging material dispenser.

35. The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

sensing a cessation of the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics; and

changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation, wherein changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation includes restoring the one or more wrap parameters to original values.

36. The method of claim 32 , wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics is performed during a first wrap operation, and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications is performed during a second wrap operation.

37. The method of claim 32 , wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications are performed during the same wrap operation.

38. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load, the method comprising:

sensing one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics during one or more wrap operations; and

changing one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications;

wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a visible packaging material roll surface with an image sensor.

39. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load, the method comprising:

sensing one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics during one or more wrap operations;

changing one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications;

sensing a cessation of the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics; and

changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the one or more indications includes a packaging material gel, a packaging material hole, a force to pre-stretch at a given payout percentage, a tension at a payout percentage, an unwind force on a packaging material supply roll, and/or a visible packaging material roll surface.

41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the visible packaging material roll surface includes one or more of a wrinkle, air entrapment, edge feather, edge flaw, torn edge, nicked edge, die line, and/or gauge band.

42. The method of claim 39 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a payout percentage, a tension, a pre-stretch percentage, and/or a packaging material feed control.

43. The method of claim 39 , wherein the one or more wrap parameters includes a roping mechanism parameter that controls roping or rolling of an edge of the packaging material.

44. The method of claim 39 , further comprising generating an alert to indicate to an operator an impact of any changes made.

45. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications is performed by a sensor array in a pre-stretch zone of the packaging material dispenser.

46. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a gel on the packaging material with an image sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

47. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a hole in the packaging material with an ultrasonic sensor directed at a web of the packaging material.

48. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a force to pre-stretch at a given payout percentage with a force sensor coupled to an idle roller disposed between upstream and downstream dispensing rollers of a pre-stretch assembly.

49. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a tension at a given payout percentage with a force sensor coupled to an idle roller disposed downstream of a pre-stretch assembly.

50. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing an unwind force on a packaging material supply roll with a force sensor coupled upstream of a pre-stretch assembly.

51. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications includes sensing a visible packaging material roll surface with an image sensor.

52. The method of claim 39 , wherein changing the one or more wrap parameters in response to sensing the cessation includes restoring the one or more wrap parameters to original values.

53. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics is performed during a first wrap operation, and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications is performed during a second wrap operation.

54. The method of claim 39 , wherein sensing the one or more indications of changes in packaging material characteristics and changing the one or more wrap parameters used to wrap the load in response to sensing the one or more indications are performed during the same wrap operation.