In a previous post we presented the concept of negative space web guiding as an option to line guiding. We are talking about using the negative spaces between printed features, such as the separation between labels. This application does come with its challenges.
It requires the printing of a line on a web. It's purpose is to provide a feature that a sensor can track to determine the web position. The typical use is in web converting where guiding on the edge might not be a precise parameter in printing labels. However, printing a line is an additional cost. After all, it is additional ink. If the line is printed outside of the main printed features of the web, it could be leaving money in the converting floor in the form of excess trim on the edges of the web.
We were approached by a customer in the textile area to provide a solution for guiding a textile web base on the center selvage. Our solution involved contrast sensing to provide a selvage guiding application.
So far, we have looked at the web guide mechanism, actuator and sensor. The remaining component of a web guiding system is the web guide controller.
Manchester Packaging operates several blown film lines to produce food grade blown film. This requires great care in maintaining a clean uncontaminated clear web through the manufacturing process. Their issues were solved with
Early in 2018, one of Manchester Packaging's managers contacted us indicating their interest in upgrade kits for pneumo-hydraulic systems. Even though he had not heard of us, his Maintenance Manager suggested that he contact us for their current web guiding issues.
End and center pivot guides do not displace the web, they only have the angle of rotation to reposition the web. This makes them very slow in term of response, and therefore, are not an ideal choice in web guiding options.
We are often asked by our customers to let them know if we can sense or edge guide a certain material. This is how this usually goes:
We have a difficult to sense material. It is very porous, non-homogeneous, extremely translucent... Do you think your web edge sensor can see the material and guide the material?
And our answer typically is, yes we can.
Within the group of terminal web guide systems, there are two basic types: Unwind web guide systems and rewind web guides systems.
Both systems have basically the same components, but they work differently. Let’s look at the unwind web guide structure.
However, even though we mention four main components, the web has to be considered a component of the web guiding system.
Imagine having several converting lines with old web guide systems that were starting to fail. Worst of all, the suppliers consulted could not offer them replacement parts since this equipment was no longer manufactured. It seemed like the only option was to buy complete new units.