Increasing Productivity on R2R Processing Lines with Superior Web Handling

Presented by R. Duane Smith, Davis-Standard, LLC

What You Will Learn:

Productivity demands for the Flexible Packaging and Converting Industries is to consistently produce and convert thinner and wider web materials at ever-increasing production speeds. The challenge of conveying these thinner webs at lighter tensions and higher speeds on roll-to-roll processing lines requires special attention to the web handling components on the process line.

This webinar outlines these web-handling challenges for running thinner gauge webs and achieving higher outputs of defect free products for greater productivity on your R2R processing lines. We will review the requirements to achieve consistency of high speed splicing and the optimization of the splicer design. The presentation will include videos of a splicing operation at 3000 fpm (915 mpm). Then the importance of the proper web handling components including the requirements of web handling components, precision tension control, good web spreading and proper web guiding. Optimizing each of these web-handling components will allow meeting the ever-increasing quality and production requirements in processing thinner and more delicate web materials without defects.

Then the secret of consistently winding quality rolls is revealed. This includes importance of getting a good hard wrinkle free starts and when winding rolls of material with the proper inwound tension. The roll hardness principles are discussed and Rules of Thumb for starting values for various web materials. Then the various types of winding web transfer system are presented and the pro and cons of each of these transfer systems.

This webinar concludes with a discussion of using smart technology to reduce waste reduction while unwinding and winding on roll to roll processing lines.

Presenter Bio:

With over 45 years of experience, Duane has become widely known throughout the paper, film and nonwoven industries for his technical knowledge on web handling and winding. He has been awarded two patents in winding.

Duane has made over 90 technical presentations, and published over 30 articles in major international trade journals and magazines.

He has been active in ARC/AIMCAL since 1991. Since then he has given over 40 technical presentations at CEMA and ARC/AIMCAL conferences. Including teaching over 25 CEMA Fundamentals Seminars.

He has published three books through TAPPI Press and has been an instructor at over 20 TAPPI short courses. He is the author of the Winding Chapter of the TAPPI Film Extrusion Manual and the Unwinding/Splicing and Winding chapters in the new 5th edition of the TAPPI Extrusion Coating manual.