Web guiding to improved performance and quality
The main objective of web guiding is to keep the material aligned before a critical process, this is just as important in Slitting and Rewinding operations.
One of the main tenets in web handling is that webs and converting processes are not perfect. Converting lines are faster, and these imperfections are magnified with the increased speeds. Therefore, processes will always require devices to account for these imperfections. Rollers can be slightly misaligned. Materials can have variations in thickness across the width or along the entire length of the material, causing the material to move without control over rollers. Temperature and humidity can change in a production environment. There are so many variables in a converting process that will affect the way a web behaves that sensors, web guides and controllers are no longer an accessory.
It’s simple, the converter will be losing money. Lack of precise and accurate detection of the web will result in lost production, staff time and materials. It’s amazing to find how much downtime and wastage gets accumulated throughout a year of operation when there is inefficiency in a process. A faulty inspection process will lead to reprocessing of finished products, customer returns and, in many cases, complete batch scrappage. If we address precision and accuracy in web detection and positioning, imagine 1 mm of material wasted in an operation that runs 24 hours, 5 days a week for 50 weeks a year running material at 700 feet per minute. All because the guiding system in use cannot hold that precision, and the converting operation is not willing to invest to save thousands per year.
Converters can use the Roll-2-Roll sensors and controllers for monitoring or measuring web width, detecting, counting or measuring threads, detecting marks that are either defects or purposely placed on the web, monitoring coating edge location and position of laminates over a substrate. With the communications option in the controllers, the inspection process can be accessed through a PLC or Ethernet communications.
In web guiding, we have developed a complete range of retrofit guiding systems that allow converters to keep the mechanical components of their installed web guide, and we retrofit their system with our controller, sensor and actuator. This allows the converter to incorporate the latest and most advanced sensor/control application for a fraction of the cost of replacing a complete web guide. Pneumo-hydraulic and electromechanical web guide systems are some of the systems that can be upgraded with our retrofit kits.
Roll-2-Roll Technologies ( https://r2r.tech/web-guides ) products are available in the UK and Europe from TTS Systems ( http://tts-systems.com/products/ ), the web tension measurement and control specialists. Working with System Builders, OEMs and End Users providing technical support and back up for over 20 years.
For further information please contact TTS Systems on 01233 624422 or sales@tts-systems.com