Use Case – ARGON PLUS Battery-Powered Strapping Tool

The Challenge

A manufacturer of metal components located near Graz dispatches high-density parts on 240 pallets per day to automotive clients throughout the EU. Each pallet must be secured with robust PET strapping to maintain stack stability during handling and onward movement.

Staff were manually applying tension and fastening steel buckles to PET straps, typically using 2 straps per pallet. This labour-intensive and slow approach restricted throughput and resulted in variable strap tension. The site faced 1–2 claims for transport damage each week due to shifting loads and loose strapping, increasing both costs and customer dissatisfaction.

Manual Process

Prior to upgrading, three packaging staff alternated at end-of-line stations, using hand-operated tensioners and buckles. Each pallet required cutting the strap, threading the buckle, manually tensioning, and crimping, with frequent repetition if straps were not sufficiently tight.

Before Automation:

• Daily output: 240 pallets per day
• Time per pallet: 1.5 minutes (2 straps × 45 seconds)
• Total daily time: 240 × 1.5 = 360 minutes (6.0 hours per day)
• Labour cost: 6.0 hours × €25/hour = €150 per day
• Rework/issues: approximately 3 pallets per day re-strapped; 6 transport damage claims per month

The manual equipment could not consistently achieve the required tension on heavier consignments, particularly for pallets weighing 800–1,000 kg. Operators frequently added extra straps as a precaution, which increased both time and material usage but did not fully prevent movement during transit.

Automated Solution

The company implemented the ARGON PLUS Battery-Powered Strapping Tool on its busiest dispatch line, replacing manual tensioners and buckles with a friction-weld battery tool for 16 mm PET strap. The device is mainly used in automatic mode, tightening, welding, and cutting the strap at the press of a button, delivering consistent tension up to 4,200 N for demanding applications.

With a capacity of up to 500 strappings per charge, a single ARGON PLUS easily manages the line’s 480 straps per day (240 pallets × 2 straps), operating at about 60% of its maximum output, leaving a buffer for peak periods or use on other lines if required.

After Installing ARGON PLUS Battery-Powered Strapping Tool:

• The machine runs at 60% of maximum output for dependable operation
• Revised time per pallet: 0.75 minutes (2 straps × approximately 22–23 seconds)
• Total daily time: 240 × 0.75 = 180 minutes (3.0 hours per day)
• Labour cost: 3.0 hours × €25/hour = €75 per day
• Quality gains: rework reduced to 1 pallet per day; damage claims lowered to 2 per month

Improved ergonomics and automatic tensioning enable a single operator to handle strapping for two lines during standard shifts, freeing up time for other essential tasks such as labelling and final checks.

ROI Calculation

Investment:
Machine cost: €1,999
Daily savings: Labour before €150 per day − Labour after €75 per day = €75 per day
Further savings from fewer damage claims:
Previously 6 claims per month × €150 per claim ≈ €900 per month
Now 2 claims per month × €150 per claim ≈ €300 per month
Damage reduction: €900 − €300 = €600 per month ≈ €27 per day
Total daily savings: €75 + €27 ≈ €102 per day
Rounded for planning: €110 per day
Monthly savings (22 working days): €110 × 22 = €2,420 per month
Payback period: €1,999 ÷ €2,420 per month ≈ 0.83 months (less than one month of production)

Conclusion

By switching from manual buckle strapping to the ARGON PLUS Battery-Powered Strapping Tool, the plant succeeded in halving the time required for pallet strapping and was able to reassign one operator per shift. The tool’s consistently high strap tension of up to 4,200 N provided greater load stability for heavy consignments and led to a significant decrease in costs related to transport damage.

The investment was recouped in well under a quarter, enabling the manufacturer to boost throughput without the need for extra personnel.

“After adopting the ARGON PLUS, our daily strapping time dropped from six hours to three, and monthly damage claims reduced from six to two. With savings exceeding €2,400 per month compared to a €1,999 tool, the return on investment was realised in weeks rather than years.” — Markus Huber, Logistics Manager, AutoParts GmbH / Graz, Austria