Application

Wide Web Guide System for Textile Converting.

Customer

Company: Hanesbrands - North Carolina

Project Lead: Richard Horton - Engineering Automation Department

Customer Problem/Challenge

Our customer had to feed fabric through a series of feed conveyor belts and the fabric had to be exactly centered on the belts because a special polymer material had to be applied to the fabric as it fed through the feed belts and had to always be applied exactly down the center of the fabric. They had looked at multiple Vision systems and sensors that could possibly be used to verify that the fabric was always fed straight and centered. If not, they would have to stop the process and correct the fabric. Their concern with vision systems was the upkeep and training of personnel, specially in operations outside of the US. They also looked at possibly building some type of unit to assist with keeping the fabric centered.

Our Solution

We provided them with a complete wide web guide mechanism for center guiding to test. We helped them in the installation, start-up and operation of the web guide.

Results or Customer Satisfaction After the initial test the customer decided to purchase the unit and informed us that they would purchase more units as these would be used in a few of their plants. The one purchased was going to be shipped out of the country. The customer was impressed at how simple it was to install and operate. They were very happy in not having to go with a vision system or having to design a guiding system. You can read more on the customer’s experience in their testimonial.

Wide Web Guides

Benefits

Reduced Downtime - Did not have to worry to stop the line to correct the position of the web
Cost of Project - No investment in costly vision system or in inhouse development and manufacture of guiding solution
Simple to Install and Operate - They were confident that they could send the equipment to facilities out of the US to have the plant personnel install and operate the web guide.