Changing PET Strap Suppliers: What to Check Before Ordering a Full Batch

Start with the machine, not the strap colour

If your strapping machine starts jamming after a brand change, the new consumable is worth checking, but the timing alone does not prove it caused the fault. Keep the previous reel label and a sample of both straps. Record the machine model and the point where the problem occurs: unwinding, feeding, tensioning or joining.

For a new supply contract, first ask whether the quoted machine configuration accepts PET at all. A PP strapping specification cannot be treated as a PET specification. A portable tool, a semi-automatic tabletop machine and an automatic arch machine also have different handling and feeding arrangements.

The KPW-750 tabletop strapping machine supports PP and PET. Its PET strap dimensions, reel fit and required settings must be confirmed for the proposed consumable. The PP catalogue chart on the product page does not establish a PET operating range.

Compare the old and proposed strap side by side

Ask the new supplier for a dated specification sheet and a labelled sample reel. Record units and product codes; a photograph of a green strap is not a material specification. Keep unknown fields open instead of assuming they match.

Industrial PET offerings include different surface finishes, strength grades and reel formats. Signode's Tenax product information illustrates this variation. Those are that manufacturer's specifications, not operating limits for a Keepway machine.

Keep material substitution separate from machine adjustment

Do not respond to a new reel by increasing tension or changing several settings at once. First compare the specification and loading instructions with the machine documentation. Inspection inside the machine, clearing a jam and any adjustment should follow its isolation and maintenance procedures, with qualified support where required.

For an existing fault, use the strapping machine troubleshooting overview to organise the symptom information. That article addresses fault categories; this checklist addresses whether to accept a replacement consumable. Neither supplies universal settings for every PET grade or machine.

Send a short description or video of normal operation taken from a safe position, the two reel labels and the machine identification. State whether the old approved strap still works under the same conditions. This provides more useful evidence than describing the new strap as simply “stronger” or “premium”.

Agree a controlled acceptance trial

1. Define the package. Use the intended carton, contents, filled weight, strap positions and number of straps. Include representative sizes from your normal range.
2. Agree the setup. Have the equipment supplier confirm the candidate strap and settings for the machine. Record the agreed setup so the comparison can be repeated.
3. Observe the complete workflow. Include reel unwinding, strap feeding, operator handling, tensioning, joining and unloading. Note stops and rejected packs as well as accepted packs.
4. Evaluate the finished package. Check the joint, strap position, carton compression and the result of the handling checks agreed for your shipment. Do not use an unsupported pull-by-hand check as proof of transport performance.
5. Approve a defined combination. Record the supplier code, batch, machine configuration, settings, package and result. Approval of one reel is not approval of every material sold under that brand.

Choose the trial duration and acceptance criteria with the responsible packaging and equipment teams. There is no single sample count or tension value that this page can prescribe for every carton and distribution route.

Compare cost per accepted pack

A lower reel price may not mean a lower packing cost. Compare the stated usable length, straps per pack, offcuts, rejected packs, reel changes and operator handling during the trial. Keep machine-cycle time separate from complete carton output.

For a manual loading station, the KPW-750 carton workstation guide explains high-table and low-table handling. For an automatic PP arch application, review the KPW-8060 PP machine separately; do not infer PET compatibility from another model's page.

Before you place the order

Does the same nominal size make two PET straps interchangeable?

No. Compare the complete specification, reel format and joining requirements, then verify the proposed strap on the intended machine and package.

Can a recycled-content claim replace a machine trial?

No. Document material claims separately from the evidence that the consumable feeds, joins and performs as required in your application.

What if the supplier changes the specification later?

Ask for advance notification in the purchasing agreement. Retain the approved specification and re-evaluate a changed material, dimension or reel format before putting it into routine production.