DFE Splicer Circuitry Improves Hi
Transcription
DFE Splicer Circuitry Improves Hi
A P P L I C AT I O N N O T E www.dfe.com controlling process tension DFE SPLICER CIRCUITRY IMPROVES HiCONE PRODUCTIVITY The following was excerpted from Melissa Larson’s Retrofit article in the July 2004 issue of Converting Magazine. While most converting machines are designed and built to last for decades, there's little that can't be improved upon with judicious upgrading and retrofitting. That's particularly true for web-handling situations, from printing to slitting and rewinding, where tension control has failed to keep up with customer quality demands, or where web-handling problems are causing line downtime. Tension-control upgrades are among the easiest and fastest ways to breathe new life into older converting equipment, and they can yield immediate benefits in efficiency, print quality, and reduction in operator "tweaking". No tweaking necessary Manufacturing beverage carriers from 13 mil LDPE presents it own set of converting challenges, but also some of the same concerns as any other web-handling operation - among them tension control. ITW Hi-Cone, headquartered in Itasca, IL, dominates the market for can and bottle six- and eight-pack carriers. The company was able to increase productivity on one of its winder lines by retrofitting tension transducers and a customized automated tension-control system with flying-splice sequencing control circuitry for a four-shaft three-roll splicing rewind. The supplier of the tension control equipment was Dover Flexo Electronics, Inc., Rochester, N.H. "We needed a tension-control solution that could run by itself, without constant knobtweaking by the operator," says Steve Jones, HiCone's corporate electrical engineer. The retrofit was installed in 2002 at the company's Charleston, IL, plant, one of three whose operations Jones oversees. Dover Flexo engineers worked with Hi-Cone's Charleston plant maintenance staff to install the tension transducers and tension controllers. As the rolls exit the slitter station, dead-shaft idler rolls equipped with Dover Flexo Model C tension transducers installed on the shaft ends communicate with SteadyWeb tension controllers mounted on the turret control cabinet. By allowing the machine operator to unload full rolls and load empty cores onto the free shaft of the rewind turret without ever stopping the machine to do the roll hangouts, routine downtime at the rewind is also eliminated. "From our perspective, our engineers at DFE found this special automated splicer/ controller project to be an extremely interesting challenge," says Mark Breen of Dover Flexo. "Up until this time we had only developed a splicer tension controller for a dual turret rewind. The four-shaft rewind represented an extreme modification in terms of sequencing logic complexity, so we were all relieved when our engineers pulled it off." "For an investment of about $60,000, we have an efficient tension-control system that does not require operator intervention," says Jones. "We also have received fewer customer complaints about inconsistent tension on wound rolls. We are considering similar systems for our other two plants." This DFE case history can be found online at www.dfe.com/771appITW.html or ask for the hard copy. Left: ITW Hi-Cone's 4 shaft winding turret following the tension station. Three tension controller face plates can be seen on the control panel. Right: This schematic shows the tension-control retrofit performed at ITW Hi-Cone in Charleston, IL. T H E T E N S I O N C O N T R O L S P E C I A L I S T S DOVER FLEXO ELECTRONICS, INC. 217 PICKERING ROAD, ROCHESTER, NH 03867 USA 603-332-6150 FAX 603-332-3758 E-Mail: [email protected] • Internet: www.dfe.com • ISO 9001 Certified www.dfe.com controlling process tension INFO REQUEST Stable tension control compensates for process deviations that cause web and roll defects. It's a fact. Dover Flexo tension measurement components or a closed loop control system can be integrated smoothly into your press' web path in only the tension zones that need them. For fast information complete and fax this form to DFE at (603) 332-3758. Or call us at (603) 332-6150. Name _______________________________ Company_____________________________ Address______________________________ City_________________State____Zip______ Tel. ______________E-mail ______________ _____________________________________ The project we're considering involves: _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Send me your recent wite paper on: "Improving Web-Processes with Direct Tension-Sensing" T E N S I O N q Product Guide (14 page overview) q DFE catalog (80 page 3-ring binder with complete product specs) q CD ROM with product CAD library q Tension Transducer data sheets q Indicator/Transducer interface data sheets We manufacture/process (material): T H E Please send: C O N T R O L q Tension Controller data sheets q Pneumatic Brakes Catalog q Application Note/Case History on: ___________________________ q Data sheet on: _______________ q Other:______________________ q Have a Sales Rep call me S P E C I A L I S T S DOVER FLEXO ELECTRONICS, INC. 217 PICKERING ROAD, ROCHESTER, NH 03867 USA 603-332-6150 FAX 603-332-3758 E-Mail: [email protected] • Internet: www.dfe.com • ISO 9001 Certified ©2004 DOVER FLEXO ELECTRONICS, INC 771appITW PRINTED IN THE USA