ARMOR SHIELD® VCI Hand Stretch Film 5" — 100 Gauge | Steel Parts Banding & Coil Wrapping

Narrow-width VCI (Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor) hand stretch film for banding, bundling, and individually wrapping ferrous metal components, machined parts, and steel coils. ARMOR SHIELD® VCI chemistry emits corrosion-inhibiting molecules that form a protective molecular layer on metal surfaces, preventing oxidation and surface rust during storage and transit without cleaning or degreasing before use. Self-clinging film leaves no adhesive residue and requires no tape for securing.

Specs: 5 in. Wide | 100 Gauge (1 mil) | VCI Poly Stretch Film | 900 ft/Roll | 12 Rolls/Case | Puncture Resistant

Applications

The 5 in. narrow width is purpose-configured for banding and unitizing individual parts and small assemblies rather than full-pallet overwrap. Primary applications include wrapping individual machined parts, castings, and precision stampings at point-of-pack in pick-and-pack operations where each part may be a different configuration. Additional uses include banding stacked steel sheet bundles, unitizing small steel coils and coil segments, securing ferrous hardware assortments on racking systems, and wrapping individual components on mixed-SKU pallet builds where VCI protection is required but full-pallet film would be excessive.

Features

ARMOR SHIELD® VCI technology is incorporated throughout the film, providing continuous emission of corrosion-inhibiting vapor within the wrapped enclosure. Puncture-resistant film construction maintains wrap integrity over sharp-edged metal parts and stamped components. Self-clinging film bonds to itself without adhesive, eliminating residue on metal surfaces that would require cleaning before downstream processing or inspection. Customizable application — a single roll can cover multiple part geometries and sizes within the same operation without film changeover.

Material Notes

VCI stretch film uses a polyolefin base film impregnated with volatile corrosion inhibitor chemistry compatible with ferrous metals including carbon steel, cast iron, and alloy steel. The VCI molecules volatilize within the wrapped package and re-deposit on metal surfaces as a monomolecular corrosion-inhibiting layer. Protection persists as long as the film enclosure remains intact. 100-gauge (1 mil) stretch film at 5 in. width provides adequate durability for hand-applied banding in light-to-medium industrial environments.

Use Case Notes

Precision parts distributors and job shop operations use narrow VCI stretch film for protecting individual machined parts from surface oxidation between machining and customer receipt — particularly for steel components with tight tolerance finishes where surface rust would require re-cleaning. Steel service centers use this film for unitizing cut-to-length bar stock and plate bundles on racking. The 900 ft roll length provides an extended operating life per roll change in high-frequency banding applications, and the 12-roll case supports stocking depth for sustained production use.

Common Questions

How long does VCI protection last? VCI protection is active as long as the film wrap remains intact and the enclosed headspace is maintained. For sealed or tightly wrapped packages, typical protection periods range from several months to over a year under controlled indoor storage conditions.

Does the film need to fully enclose the part to provide corrosion protection? For best results, the VCI film should form a relatively enclosed wrap around the part, trapping VCI vapors in contact with the metal surface. Tightly conforming hand-wrap provides adequate enclosure for most banding applications.

Is this product compatible with non-ferrous metals? ARMOR SHIELD® VCI chemistry is optimized for ferrous metals (iron-based alloys). Compatibility with non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, and brass should be verified with the manufacturer before use in mixed-metal applications.

Why Buy

VCI technology integrated directly into the stretch film eliminates the need for separate rust preventative sprays, desiccants, or paper interleaf in ferrous parts packaging workflows. The narrow 5 in. hand-roll format supports pick-and-pack and small-batch operations where a 12–20 in. machine roll would be impractical. Puncture resistance and self-cling eliminate tape and reduce per-part packaging labor cost in high-mix metal parts distribution environments.