Problems on this page:
Band not sealing
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: The band opens at the seal or peels apart when the bundle is lifted.
Seal temperature or time too low for the band
Set the seal temperature and time for the band material in use.
Seal head dirty with melted band
Clean the seal head as the maker describes.
Band material changed
Check the band type against the machine settings.
Band tension pulling the seal open before it cools
Check the cooling time before the band is released.
Prevention: Seal strength checked on sample bundles at start-up.
Band too loose
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Bands slide off or the bundle moves inside the band.
Tension set too low
Raise the tension setting for the product.
Band slipping in the feed rollers
Clean the feed rollers and check their wear.
Product settling after banding
Check whether the product compresses after the band is applied.
Band stretching
Check the band type for the load.
Prevention: Band tightness checked on samples.
Band jamming in the arch
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The band does not travel round the arch and the cycle stops.
Band threaded wrongly
Rethread following the threading diagram.
Arch guides dirty or worn
Clean and check the arch guides.
Band curled from poor reel storage
Store reels flat in a dry place.
Feed speed set wrong
Check the feed speed for the band and arch size.
Prevention: Arch cleaned at the end of each shift.
Band breaking during tensioning
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The band snaps as it tightens round the product.
Tension too high for the band
Lower the tension.
Sharp product or packaging edges
Use edge protection on sharp products.
Band damaged on the reel
Check reels for damaged edges.
Band past its shelf life
Use band within its storage life.
Prevention: Band breaks recorded by band lot.
Printed band out of position
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: The print on the band does not sit where it should on the product.
Print mark sensor not set
Set the print mark sensor for the band.
Band slipping in the feed
Clean the feed rollers.
Product not placed in the same position
Use stops or guides for the product.
Band length setting wrong
Check the band length for the product.
Prevention: Band position checked on the first products.
Product crushed by the band
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Soft products or packs are dented or crushed by the band.
Tension too high for the product
Use a lower tension recipe for soft products.
Band too narrow for the load
Use a wider band to spread the pressure.
Product not supported under the arch
Support the product on the table.
Wrong recipe selected
Check the recipe at each product change.
Prevention: Recipe per product kept at the machine.
Cycle not starting
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The product is in place but the machine does not start the band.
Start sensor dirty or misaligned
Clean the start sensor and adjust it so it sees the product in its banding position.
Foot or hand switch faulty
Test the switch and its cable, and replace a switch that only works intermittently.
Band not fed to its start position
Run the band feed or reload the band so the end sits at the start position.
Machine still in a fault state from an earlier stop
Read the alarm, clear its cause and then reset the machine.
Prevention: Sensors checked during the daily clean.
Problems at the end of a reel
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The band jams or tears as the reel runs out.
Reel end glued to the core
Change the reel before the band reaches the glued end at the core.
Reel brake set wrong
Check the reel brake so the band does not overrun or snatch as the reel gets lighter.
Low reel warning not in use
Enable and test the low reel sensor so the change is planned.
Reel not seated on its holder
Push the reel fully onto the holder and lock it.
Prevention: Reel changes done before the reel runs out.
Band not cut cleanly
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The cut end is ragged or the band is not cut and the next cycle jams.
Cutting blade blunt
Replace or sharpen the blade on a fixed schedule.
Blade timing wrong for the band length
Check the cut timing against the band length setting.
Melted band stuck to the blade
Clean the blade with the machine isolated, and check the seal head is not overheating the band near it.
Blade holder loose
Tighten the holder and check it for wear.
Prevention: Blade changed on a fixed schedule.
Guidance only. Always follow lockout/tagout and your site's safe-work procedures, and verify against OEM manuals before acting.
Related equipment guides: strapping machine · stretch wrapper · case packer · flow wrapper · labelling machine
Stop the same fault coming back
Recurring banding machine stops usually trace to a cause you cannot see by hand. The partner we recommend is Fabrico: it tracks OEE and downtime live from PLCs, IoT sensors or AI cameras; where cameras are fitted, the video of a stop sits next to its machine data so the cause can be reviewed; and a technician opens the work order from the stop in the same system. Data is hosted in the AWS EU region, and Fabrico and the company behind it hold ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO 9001.
Book a Fabrico demo
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Related tools: full troubleshooting directory · OEE calculator · downtime cost · MTBF / MTTR · glossary
Methods that cut recurring stops: the six big losses · root cause analysis · preventive vs predictive maintenance · TPM · SMED & changeover