Glossary of wrapping and handling terms

In short

22 terms are defined here — the vocabulary of pallet wrapping, load containment and very-narrow-aisle handling. Each definition is written to stand on its own, so it can be read, quoted or translated without the surrounding page.

Reviewed and updated 15 September 2026 by the iPack engineering team.

01Pre-stretch ratio

The amount a stretch wrapper stretches film before it reaches the load, expressed as a percentage. A 200 % ratio turns one metre of film into three metres on the pallet; 250 % turns it into three and a half.Higher pre-stretch reduces the film consumed per pallet, which is the main running cost of a wrapper. Above roughly 250 % puncture resistance falls and film begins to tear on sharp corners.

02Film yield

The usable length obtained from a roll of stretch film after pre-stretch, usually quoted as a ratio (1:3 for 200 %, 1:3.5 for 250 %).

03Turntable wrapper

A pallet wrapping machine in which the load rotates on a powered deck while a film carriage travels up and down a fixed column.The most common architecture. Simple, compact and forklift-fed; unsuitable for loads that cannot be rotated safely without a top press.

04Rotary arm wrapper

A wrapping machine in which the load stays stationary and a rotating arm carries the film around it.Used for tall, heavy or unstable loads and for conveyor-fed lines, typically at 15–35 pallets per hour.

05In-line wrapper

A pallet wrapper whose turntable is itself a powered roller conveyor, so pallets enter and leave on a conveyor without a forklift.Removes forklift time at the wrapper and integrates with the line controller via standard PLC communication ports.

06Top sheet / cover sheet

A PE film sheet laid over the top of a pallet load and sealed to the stretch film, giving protection on five sides rather than four.Used where loads are stored outdoors or in damp conditions. Distinct from stretch film: it is a plain cover, not a stretched film.

07Top press

A pneumatic plate that descends onto the load during wrapping to hold light, tall or unstable stacks square while the turntable rotates.

08Layer pitch

The vertical distance the film carriage advances for each revolution of the load. A smaller pitch means more overlaps and a heavier wrap.

09Load containment

The ability of a wrapped pallet to keep its load intact through handling and transport without shifting, leaning or shedding.Load containment, not film thickness, is the outcome a wrapper is bought for — which is why wrap patterns matter more than gauge.

10VNAVery Narrow Aisle

A warehouse layout using storage aisles of roughly 1.5–2.0 m, served by a truck that rotates its forks or mast instead of turning in the aisle.Typically recovers 30–40 % more pallet positions in the same building compared with a counterbalance layout.

11Three-way stacker

A warehouse truck whose forks rotate usually 180° and side-shift, allowing it to place and retrieve pallets on both sides of a very narrow aisle without turning.

12Man-up / man-down

Man-up means the operator's cabin rises with the forks, so high levels can be picked by case. Man-down (stand-on or seated) keeps the operator at floor level and treats upper levels as pallet-only.

13Double-deep

A racking layout two pallets deep per side, served by a truck with telescopic forks that reach past the first pallet position.Roughly 30 % more pallets per aisle than single-deep, at the cost of a longer fork reach and a double-deep racking specification.

14Articulated forklift

A forklift whose mast articulates, typically through 210°, so it can stack in aisles as narrow as 1.7–1.9 m without guide rails and still work outdoors on solid tyres.

15Multi-directional forkliftOmnidirectional forklift

A truck with independent four-wheel steering that can travel straight, crab, laterally and rotate in place, used for long loads in narrow aisles.

16Crab steering

A travel mode in which all wheels steer the same way, letting the truck move diagonally without changing its heading.

17Side shift

A hydraulic function that moves the fork carriage laterally on the mast, used to align a pallet without repositioning the whole truck.

18Load centre

The horizontal distance from the face of the forks to the centre of gravity of the load, usually 500 or 600 mm. Rated capacity falls as load centre increases.Always specify the real load centre of your heaviest pallet — a truck rated 1 600 kg at 600 mm is not the same machine as one rated 1 600 kg at 500 mm.

19Gradeability

The steepest ramp a truck can climb with its rated load, expressed as a percentage. 13 % is a typical laden figure for an articulated truck.

20Opportunity charging

Charging a battery in short bursts during breaks rather than in one full cycle, which removes the need for a battery change on multi-shift operations.Practical with lithium-ion packs; lead-acid generally needs a full charge cycle and a spare pack.

21Cold-chain execution

A truck or wrapper built for sub-zero operation, with cold-rated electrical components, low-temperature hydraulic oil and a heated sealed cabin down to −25 °C.

22CE marking

The European conformity mark for machinery supplied into the EEA, supported by a declaration of conformity, technical file and the applicable harmonised standards.Every iPack machine ships with a CE declaration of conformity, electrical schematic, English operation and maintenance manual and a spare-parts list.

Put the vocabulary to work

These guides apply the terms to real specification decisions, with comparison tables and worked numbers.

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