Net Wrap Troubleshooting Channeling
Net Wrap – “Channeling” Issues
A fairly common problem we see in day to day baling using net wrap is called “channeling”. It happens when one of the thin filaments that join the chains together (called a weft line) gets pulled into the baler which will result in the net getting split into two pieces.
The line can get pulled deep into the roll. It’s much like pulling a thread in an old sweater and it affects the entire weave of the fabric. Net wrap is much the same and is actually a knitted textile.
This is the result of a channeling issue.
Possible causes of channeling can vary. It can be caused by a loose staple on a belt, pieces of mig weld wire on a new baler or anything inside the baler that could be snagging the net. The most common cause however is the net not getting a clean cut and leaving long tails that get pulled into the baler or wrapped around a roller.
In the picture below, we see a cut that is not great but shouldn’t cause too many issues
If you look closely at this picture, you can see where the cut is not consistent and the strands are much longer. This can contribute to potential problems with channeling.
On New Holland BR balers, one of the potential problems in not getting a clean cut is the roll slipping slightly on the cardboard core resulting in a loss of tension on the net. This can happen if the grip brackets that bite into the core are “tired” and have not been replaced in some time. Also, be sure that there are four brackets on the cone and not just two. We recommend that these brackets be replaced at the start of each season as part of general maintenance and spring prep.
Lastly, this is not related to channeling but in this case, the net wrap was splitting. The cause ended up being belt alignment. There was a large gap between belt #2 & #3 which caused a build of debris and ultimately caused damage split the net. If you look closely at the picture, the split is directly in line with the gap in belts. Something else to look for when experiencing split net.
When trouble shooting, the clues are usually there. We just need to look closely and analyse what we are seeing.
