ICE forecast

28 October 2009

Many more exhibitors in Part 2 of our appetiser for the up-coming ICE Europe 2009 show

With more than 300 exhibiting companies from 19 countries, this year’s ICE Europe exhibition in Munich will be the biggest in the event’s history. The show has also grown in exhibition space, by more than 30% compared to the previous event. Converting Today will be based on stand 3G11, in Hall 3.

AIMCAL – the Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (stand 1V09) is an international non-profit trade association representing converters of metallised, coated and laminated flexible substrates, and their suppliers. The US based organisation provides an array of technical and marketing services while promoting the growth and prosperity of the converting industry and the member companies. Membership is open to converters and suppliers on a company basis and value is provided to members in the areas of business, technical, economics, research and networking.

France’s Eberlé (stand 1U11) promises to introduce ‘a whole new dimension’ in in-line and off-line automatic core cutting systems. These are all equipped with circular knives, which allow a clean and precise cut without burr, and they combine speed and accuracy: the tolerance of the cutting length being between ± 0.1 and ± 0.2mm. Each machine can be equipped with either a tube feeder or a feeder magazine.

The Optima core cutter for large quantities is equipped with two circular knives, an electrical cutting system and programming of the change-over (automatic adjustments). Tubes with a standard length of 2m or more and a maximum thickness of 20mm can be cut. The Venus 250, from 20-250mm diameter, is adaptable to a large variety of cores, with one circular knife electrical cutting system. It is a programmable ‘user friendly’ machine with touchscreen display and an automatic knife diameter control for accurate cutting at high speeds.

The new developments from Neuenhauser Vorwald (stand 3B01) include the 406 expansion shaft, with a safety feature that maintains expansion even when power is lost. It also adjusts to fit the inside diameters of different sized cores. Another innovation is a central bladder shaft with spring loaded balls incorporated into the outside diameter to assist core centring. This is said to improve concentric running in rewind applications.

Printing

AkeBoose (stand 3G09) claims to offer ‘probably the most cost efficient programme for inking simplicity in flexo printing’. Six basic chamber types can be customised in 30 different models for ‘inking perfection’, eliminating problems such back doctoring, leakage, excessive blade wear, ink starvation, spitting and ghosting.

The Swedish company’s Nova chamber concept includes four chamber models designed to deliver inking simplicity for flexible packaging, coating, lamination and lacquering. The Nova XLS for medium to wider web formats offers a ‘super slim’ and strong chamber said to eliminate back-doctoring problems. A wash-up system is available. Nova Robust is for in-line printing - a ‘truly ink tight’ chamber for very long print runs without blade and end seal changes. The Nova Compact has a compact, self-supporting and ‘inexpensive’ chamber for narrow web formats. Nova Hybrid is designed for coating, lamination and lacquering. A dual-chamber concept is safe to run with high viscosity ink.

Visitors to Bielloni Converting’s stand (4C08) will discover the Italian company’s latest development in gearless technology. This new Telia FSC CI flexo press is able to print up to 600m/min, changing from one 8-colour job to another in less then 3min. The machine is claimed to be ‘the fastest in the world when returning to production’: when recalling the job, it is said to produce only 7m of scrap material.

The Telia FSC is the latest development of the patented FSC (Fast Sleeve Change) system applied to gearless technology. Its main features are: totally interchangeable printing decks with identical mechanical components to simplify maintenance; step-by-step Berger-Lahr motors to repeat every position previously recorded; a new self-cleaning pneumatic doctor blade chamber; the FSC system for sleeve change and rapid deck opening with horizontal movement; integrated automatic deck wash-up system; and an automatic pressure and register control system. It is available in 6, 8 and 10-colour versions with flexo or roto units in line, if required.

ICE 2009 will host Windmöller & Hölscher for the first time, with an information stand (3D27). The German machine manufacturer, which claims its range of machines is ‘unique in both its breadth and depth’, will have experts from all product sectors available to furnish visitors with details about the latest innovations from the company.

W&H offers an extensive choice of CI flexo and gravure presses that can be customised to meet most requirements for printing paper, film or composite structures. These machines can be equipped with supplementary systems for in-line lamination, lacquer coating and coldseal application. In addition, W&H offers the Varicoater LF, a high capacity laminating machine for flexible packaging materials using solvent-free adhesives.

For conversion of paper, films and plastics woven fabric, the portfolio also encompasses sack, bag and carrier bag making machines, as well as systems for PE bag forming, filling and sealing in a single pass.

Control and inspection

On stand 1V19, Dr Schenk will present its EasyInspect modular in-line inspection system for base material and converted paper and films.

Introduced to the market two years ago, EasyInspect is now said to be in use in a large number of installations for various industry applications.

According to Dr Schenk, the system is easy to plan and implement. Hardware, software and optical concepts have been standardised and modularised, the company says, so that they can easily be compiled into a package that suits the individual inspection requirements, as well as material types. ‘Highly sensitive’ CCD line cameras with various resolutions are combined with an illumination concept ‘that enables the highest possible contrast of the defects in focus’.

The system is said to deliver ‘microscope-like’ images of the material defects and irregularities. An additional monitoring of production parameters enables fast correction of processes. Web manufacturers and converters can immediately save on material costs with the EasyInspect, it is claimed.

NDC’s (stand 2J01) latest 710S range of intelligent near infra-red (NIR) measurement sensors, each with a powerful on-board digital processor and Ethernet connectivity, comprises three configurations for different substrate types. The IG710S backscatter (diffuse reflection) sensor can measure organic or water based coatings on paper and board (wet or dry end), as well as moisture content for facing and backing papers for labelstock. The SR710S specular reflection sensor’s optical configuration enables the measurement of thin coatings on metals and metallised substrates.

The FG710S transmission sensor is designed for measuring total thickness of polymer films, as well as individual layers in a multi-layer co-extrusion and water based coatings on films. The FS710S, also in transmission format, measures moisture in heavier papers and boards, where moisture stratification is often an issue

For substrates containing total IR absorbers such as carbon black, or materials with no appropriate absorption, the NDC 312XRT and 318XRB, X-ray transmission and backscatter sensors offer a high performance alternative, without the residual radiation safety issues associated with nucleonic sensors.

QuadTech’s (stand 1X07) newest innovation is a fully automated, high resolution off-line inspection and defect detection system. It detects such subtle variances as logo defects, missing and filled-in text, incorrect fonts, inaccurate barcodes, and cylinder and plate manufacturing defects. With the optional PDF Verification module, the system detects the finest, most subtle variances in a print run. Its high resolution camera verifies text as fine as the dot of an ‘i’ and is said to ensure 100% detection of prepress or set-up errors.

Another exhibit is a system for 100% inspection of print or non-print product, web or sheet. It detects common print faults such as hickies, smudges, hazing, streaks, mis-registrations and colour variations. QuadTech Data Central for Inspection monitors, audits, stores and generates reports of both live and historical data to optimise quality control. The system gives the ability to set quality standards based on a customer’s specifications. The company’s waste management system automates converting equipment to optimise waste removal. It uses the print inspection and process information gathered by the inspection system and Data Central, and can increase converting equipment efficiency by as much as 40%, the company claims.

Systech Instruments (stand 2-M15) will be exhibiting its range of oxygen permeation analysers for gas and moisture detection.

For the analysis of films and packages, the 8001e-net combines an oxygen permeation analyser with an online ‘Remote Consultant’ capability. The e-net feature allows the user to remotely access the analyser and utilise Remote Consultant for help and support, on-line instrument diagnostic and operational assistance. The analyser has an enhanced oxygen sensor offering faster purge downtime, accurate readings at lower levels and lower cost sensor replacement. It is said to have the widest measuring range in the market and electronic flow, temperature and humidity control for ultimate responsiveness.

Slitting and rewinding

On stand 1Y01, UK manufacturer of roll slitting machinery ALS will show the latest 425 S-Tec automatic model 1,600mm wide with a 425mm maximum diameter. This heavy duty machine, said to be built for reliability and long life, also offers high accuracy and fast slitting ‘for more profit from each log’. It is designed for slitting a wide range of products including foam, rubber, double and single-sided adhesive tape, cork, graphite, textiles, felt, vinyl, glass fibre, film, foil and protection tape.

The 425 S-Tec is said to be extremely easy to operate, with a full colour touchscreen and PLC with a 60,000 job memory capacity plus a fault diagnostics system to assist the operator. Features include automatic blade angle, a powerful blade grinder, powered mandrel support, lubricant spray timer and lubricant level detection.

Bimec (stand 1V13) will display the latest version of its STM/63 duplex slitter rewinder range. The machine will be configured for streamlined production and reduction of machine downtime. Features include automatic female knife positioning, an automated rewind roll unloading system, automatic tension control, programmable touchscreen control system, and redesigned ergonomic operator control panel.

The STM/63 on display will offer maximum rewind diameters of 600mm and will incorporate an integral machine mounted shaftless unwind stand with a maximum roll diameter of 1,000mm.

French machine manufacturer Calemard (stand 4G02) offers a wide range of compact slitter rewinders. The Orion S has been developed for high quality results and high productivity. Slitting narrow widths of products such as adhesives, foams, films, laminates and rubber down to 10mm, this ‘easy to use’ machine is available with a wide range of cutting systems.

‘Perfect rewinding quality’ is promised, thanks to individual friction shafts to compensate for thickness variations. A low and controlled winding tension and centre surface rewinding ensure a perfect product quality, whilst precise guiding minimises selvedge scrap and optimises cutting accuracy, it is claimed. Cantilevered rewinding bars allow easy unloading of the rolls onto a trolley avoiding heavy loads for the operators.

The Pegase spooling line is suited to production of jumbo spools (850mm x 1,200mm) of adhesive tapes, foams, laminates and rubber. With a slitting width range of 10-25mm, the Aquila line produces 400 x 400mm spools (500 x 400mm optional) of stable products. The Gemini II slitting and self-traversing line is designed for narrow and fragile products. It uses a digital traverse winder, driven by a new generation of PLC that allows individual control of each spooling unit.

CMC Cevenini (stand 3B13) will present two of its latest ‘and most sophisticated’ log slitters - the Models E420-NM5 and E2/190/B-NM5. The new E-series slitters allow the user to tailor the machine exactly to suit their specific requirements by including various options. They incorporate ‘brushless technology’ to increase productivity and lower maintenance.

The E420-NM5 is a cutting system with a single rotating blade on one mandrel. Maximum outside diameter of the log to be cut is 420mm on a 3 inch diameter mandrel with a 500mm diameter blade. Working width is 1,650mm. The E2/190/B-NM5 cutting system features two over-imposed rotating blades with independent adjustment to slit simultaneously on two mandrels. Maximum OD of the log to be cut is 190mm on 3 inch diameter mandrels, 152mm on 1.5 inch mandrels and 120mm on 1 inch. Working width is 1,650mm. Both machines have a heavy duty construction with shatter-proof glass windows and protection complying with CE requirements - plus a flip safety guard to protect the operator when the main shield is opened.

The machines are controlled by a Siemens PLC and Blue Mode operator interface with touchscreen technology for all the working functions and display of the various parameters. The programming panel is located on a swivel arm to facilitate easy display of the pre-selected job working data.

The new Simu-Flash fully automatic knife positioning system was developed by Dienes (stand 2Q03) to minimise waste during job changes and to make any change of slit widths faster and more secure. Simu-Flash is a simultaneous knife positioning unit: all knives are positioned at the same time, computer controlled to guarantee high positioning accuracy. The intuitive touchscreen is said to enable operators to make any change of slit width in an error-free, safe, precise and quick way. The time required will only be a few seconds, independent of the number of knives in operation, the company states.

The Simu-Flash System is said to be very compact and compatible with most Dienes shear cut, crush cut and razor blade knifeholder. It can be integrated into existing machines or included in new ones. Advantages claimed are: minimum set-up times due to simultaneous, computer controlled positioning of all holders; high positioning accuracy; minimum waste; suitability for most machine frames and all cutting processes; safety and elimination of errors.

Taiwan’s HCI Converting (stand 3B18) offers machines for slitting, roll inspection, laminating, pouch making, cutting and shrink label production. Major remodelling of the ‘best seller’ FSL-KA slitter will make its debut at the show.

The FSL-KA is evolved from the FSL-K model, which has clocked up 1,400 installations. Besides the advantages of a robust construction, ease of use and dependability for high speed production inherited from its predecessor, the new model has several advances, such as increased diameter of unwind and rewind - 800mm, and 500mm, respectively - which reduces downtime for of roll reloading. Also a new shaft-less, pneumatic chuck unwind stand has left and right arms that can move independently. The tri-motor driving system can also wind the web in different directions, as needed. The laser core aligning system can align the paper core quickly to reduce the setting time.

IMS Deltamatic (stand 3C25) will show visitors its RU1 centre surface slitter rewinder combined with an innovative integrated automated handling system. This is designed to realise a drastic reduction in downtime due to shaft unloading, web strip cut/glue and re-start. The machine is said to be capable of handling a multitude of different materials, from thin foil to paper, special films and laminates.

Another Italian company, Laem System (stand 3C23) will present the brand new version of its TR415-1400, a slitter rewinder with a turret system in rewinding for automatic change-over and ‘drastic reduction’ of downtime. It has been equipped with several devices to perform in the most efficient and cost effective way.

Claimed to ‘very modular and flexible’, the TR415 features a retractable vacuum suction splicing table; unwinder with motor and dancer roller for ‘perfect’ tension control; tangential and half wrapped slitting systems with circular knives; fully automatic positioning of slitting stations and counter knives; a motorised laser for rapid core positioning; and an automatic reel extractor. A touchscreen is provided with an operator friendly interface to save production data.

French company Mondon (stand 4B20) manufactures machines for winding, unwinding and processing flexible materials. All models are designed for continuous processing of flexible products such as plastics tubing, sheets and films, textiles, paper, aluminium, non-wovens, foams, bubble films or complex materials. The company can design simple or fully automated machines to meet customer specifications.

Mondon’s technological expertise spans winding, unwinding, flexographic transfer, perforation, cutting to size, film sealing, coating, and configuration of complete production lines.

On stand 3E01, UK manufacturer Parkland International will present its range of converting machinery comprising: centre driven, centre surface driven, and centre driven gap slitter rewinders; manual core cutters (with manual or pneumatic actuation); semi and fully automatic core cutters; spooling machines; reel cutters; trim rewinders; air differential shafts (for original equipment or retrofitting); automatic and digital knife setting systems (for original equipment or retrofitting); laser core positioning systems (for original equipment or retrofitting); and unwind and rewind reelstands and carriages.

Applications for Roll Concept’s (stand 4G02) Alveotubes include use as idler, transducer, accumulator, guide, contact, nip, dancer, lay-on, calender, reel spools and roll cores. The range includes simple profile and ready-to-install versions with a choice of mountings, coatings and coverings, notably anti-adhesive coatings to avoid when a hot product might stick to the roll. They are also balanced to ensure perfect concentricity and straightness.

The idler rolls guide and transfer the web at different steps of the production run: they keep a constant tension on the webs thanks to reduced friction and ‘perfect rotation’, whilst their light weight and alveolar structure combine bending strength and resistance to corrosion. They can be customised in different diameters and lengths, ready to be installed.

Resistant to water corrosion, long lasting, ergonomic, secure and available in many diameters and lengths, Alveotube winding cores are said to guarantee top quality winding even at high speed and are easily handled by the operators. Corexal is a universal core adapter for all 3 inch shafts. A mechanical system, it needs no electricity, air or water supply and allows winding core diameters to be changed easily without any tubing, mounting, tools or internal diameter modification.

UK based manufacturer TS Converting Equipment (stand 3E15) will be displaying its full range of Elite Cameron machines which includes: slitter rewinders, manual and automatic core cutters, coating and laminating machines, panel cutters, differential rewind shafts, laser core and knife positioning systems. Information will be available on the ‘very successful, low cost’ slitter rewinder, which is available in a variety of specifications at ‘a very short’ lead time. TS says it is building ‘one to two a month’ of these machines,

TS builds all of its machines in the UK and they comply with European CE standards.

Coating and laminating

Another UK exhibitor is specialist design engineering operation Delpro (stand 3D09). It works in partnership with customers from product concept, through plant analysis and design, to supply, installation and commissioning. The company claims an after-sales service reputation that is ‘second to none’.

From its product range of coaters, laminators, dryers, conditioners, reelstands and flexo printers, Delpro will show: the Ecoflex carbon fibre chamber doctor blade – ‘the world’s first and still the best’ – claimed to allow cleaner, cheaper and faster running. Press or gravure coater performance is improved, ensuring higher quality printing and coating, reducing wastage, and producing a safer working environment, the company states.

Delpro’s innovative approach to product development is demonstrated by an improved gap setting mechanism for coaters and laminators. Unlike most other systems, this allows fine adjustment to be made, backlash-free and under full load, the company states. The result is said to be quick and repeatable operation with a resolution of 1 micron. More than 30 coaters and laminators throughout the world are using the system.

Italian company Hip-Mitsu (stand 3C21) builds coating and laminating equipment, systems, machines and lines, mostly for hotmelt adhesives. Its modular systems can meet every application need over a wide range of coating widths, speeds and adhesive coating weights, both for continuous and intermittent applications. Several international patents are owned by the company, which has more than 1,900 machines installed in 38 countries. Its Competence Centre is equipped with production lines enabling testing on the customer’s own materials in each phase of a project.

Adhesive coating specialist, Neschen (stand 3D01) is showing its high performance films and other industrial coating products for a variety of applications. The company coat strips films, papers, textiles and non-wovens with water or solvent based adhesives, hotmelts and heat reactive adhesives coatings and lacquers. Customised solutions ‘can be introduced quickly’, the company states.

Neschen claims to be the market leader in top coatings for digital printing. Latest example is the digitally printed textile-fibre wallpapers from Erfurt. By using a special CA coating (Colour-Alliance certificated), these can be designed and printed individually on large format inkjet printers.

SML (stand 4C28) has built a modular high-tech extrusion coating line, which can handle a wide range of products and web widths, and operated with a minimum of manpower. Various products such as board, paper, fabric, non-wovens, film and aluminium foil down to 6.35 micron can be processed in widths from 750-1,600mm - either as a single layer coated product or a laminate. A new cutting system allows bi-directional unwinding and splicing at full production speeds.

The 120mm main extruder mounted on a height-adjustable carriage and equipped with a 4-component gravimetric batch dosing system provides a maximum extrusion output of 850kg/hour (SML expects to add a 75mm extruder for co-extrusion eventually). An automatic die with an internal deckling system combined with a radiometric dual-frame differential thickness measuring system is said to guarantee excellent thickness profiles, even for coating layers down to 8 micron.

According to SML, the modular structure of the line will enable customers to ‘successfully grasp market opportunities and adjust to the changing requirements of the market in the future’. The company operates a laboratory line at its premises in Lenzing, Austria, which customers are invited to use this for trials with specific raw materials and product development.

For accurate surface coating cold PVA adhesives, wax, EVAs or pressure sensitive glues, the Valco Melton (stand 1T13) EasyCoat Series slot die extrusion systems are said to be simple to set up and run, with low coat weights, excellent repeatability and consistent production performance, the company claims.

Valco‘s EasyLift blade removal system will be available for the first time at this show. This innovative system was specifically developed to speed up job changes and improve safety when removing blades for shim change. It eliminates the need for a technician to change the blade - extremely beneficial if the system is heated for hotmelt applications and for wider coating when blades can be around 2m wide.

The company will also show its narrow web gluing station for converting label printers into in-line self adhesive label lines. These cassettes have been developed to provide a simple retro-fit or can be specified as a kit for OEM machinery builders.

Drying and curing

The BLK-5 energy efficient UV curing system from IST Metz (stand 3G01) is said to work economically with the used energy and still achieve an excellent high curing output. Owing to the increased efficiency, now just two BLK-5 units (with 180W/cm) are sufficient to achieve the same results as the usual three BLK-2 UV units (with 200W/cm). The energy costs are nearly halved, claims IST.

The reflector geometry of the new BLK-5 was calculated by means of ‘raytracing’, which ensures that the maximum UV energy is directed onto the coating material. A thermodynamic simulation for the mechanical components as well as for the complete system is also possible. Below the line, an increase in efficiency is achieved which implies an energy reduction of 30-40%, as well as a reduction of the exhaust and cooling output for the applicant, says IST.

An inerted and retrofitable UV system for low migration inks will be shown by PrintConcept UV-Systeme (3C01), now a member of the Hönle Group. The PC-ECO-Inert nitrogen purged UV curing system is said to offer extremely low nitrogen consumption, with regular distribution of nitrogen in the inert chamber. It has a height adjustable inlet - up to 450m/min with only 50ppm, and a compact inert chamber featuring automatic nitrogen regulation, with reduction of nitrogen during standby. PrintConcept says its lampheads give up to 30% more UV power on the substrate.

CB*Star, the ‘world’s first automated production technology for reusable woven PP shopping bags with brilliant reverse printing on BOPP film’ will be presented by Starlinger (stand 2N19), manufacturer of production lines for woven sacks and plastics packaging.

Cleaning and static control

Present on stand 2H05, Fraser Anti-Static claims to offer the widest range of ATEX certified static control equipment for use in hazardous areas in the converting industry - typically used in coating, laminating and gravure printing. Fraser claims its new EX715 is the only static meter available which has been ATEX certified for use in hazardous areas. Programmable electronics make it ‘easy to use, accurate and reliable’. It has a very wide operating range - from 10V-200kV, which makes it suitable for measuring both very small and very large charges.

The EX1250 static eliminator bar is said to be considerably more powerful than many older competitive ATEX certified products. It is available in lengths up to 6m. The EXHP power unit for the EX1250 can be supplied with remote monitoring to link with the PLC on the machine to show the operational status of the equipment.

The ShearClean, a ‘revolutionary’ new non-contact web cleaning system, will offer Meech International’s (stand 2N11) customers the opportunity to ‘increase their productivity significantly’. Adam Battrick, international product manager, cleaning systems, says the ShearClean will open up a whole new range of applications where contact cleaning may not be the method of choice. “It’s principle of operation is unique in the converting market and we believe its ease of installation, effectiveness in removing dust and debris from an extensive range of materials, and low running costs, will make it attractive to companies looking to improve the productivity and quality of their lines,” he states

The ShearClean can be supplied to match any reel width up to 2m and equipment speeds of up to 500m/min. Simultaneously cleaning both sides of the web, it incorporates two cotton covered rollers that spin at high speed and upwards in the opposite direction to that of the web. The air currents generated break up the boundary layer on the surface of the web, allowing the vacuum system to remove particles held in it. ShearClean also incorporates static elimination equipment.

Germany company PrintConcept Grafische Maschinen (stand 1U17) supplies the Doyle web and sheet-fed cleaning systems in Europe, mainly used for offset, flexo and gravure printing. It claims to be the ‘only company that offers a multimodal technology’, that can clean the whole surface with direct contact to the material and the cutting edges.

Multimodal technology utilises four distinct cleaning actions - static elimination, heavy duty double- brushing, high velocity air scrubbing and very powerful constant vacuum. Working widths are from 150-8,500mm and web speeds up to 3,000m/min, and the system can be used for paper, paperboard, corrugated board, films and foils. Each installation is an individual solution with a specially designed cleaning head.

The new PerformMax IQ from Simco (stand 2Q09) is an intelligent air ionisation system said to enable the user to be in total control of static electricity. It has a narrow profile static bar and a microprocessor controlled and monitored power supply. A web monitoring module is included to identify and display the residual electrostatic charge on the material surface downstream of the ioniser. This feeds the data back to the IQ power supply, enhancing the neutralising efficiency of the system. Another module provides complete communication capabilities to a PLC or computer master, with full system diagnostics, web charge readings or alarms, and software with a variety of popular fieldbus communication protocols.

The PerforMax IQ system can be used on films, paper, non-wovens and fabric in web or sheet form. It is available in three models: Speed Bar for high speed processes; Hybrid Bar for intermediate range applications; and Distance Bar – with an extended range. A full working model will be at the show.

Equipment offered by Spengler Electronic (stand 2L09) to solve electrostatic problems includes a contact-free web cleaner with ionisation, re-circulating fan, filter system, one or double-side cleaning, working width from 200mm-4m for film cleaning prior printing, or board cleaning after cutting. Spengler’s systems are used for all forms of discharging applications in various industries including plastics, printing, pharmaceutical, medical and food.

A new patented rod system for static elimination to be shown by the StopStatic.com division of Alpha Innovation (stand 1X03) is claimed to solve many common problems associated with electrical static eliminators. The ION360 rods work at high speeds, do not attract dirt and require no high voltage power supply.

Holographics

Double R Controls (stand 1Y05) will be promoting some of the developments from its Holographic Resource Centre (HRC). The Next Generation Holographic Embosser is designed to accommodate a maximum web width of 700mm (maximum embossing width of 650mm) and the embossing section is in a cassette format which allows soft, single-hit embossing and semi-hard, double-hit embossing to take place.

The shim size for the embossing roller is approximately 650mm wide x 610mm in length. Two tension sensing compensating rollers are incorporated into the embossing section of the machine. A length compensation system is incorporated so that in the event of different sizes of embossing cylinders being used, this can be compensated for on the double hit system. A control system is also incorporated to automatically adjust the length compensation roller if image length position is not correct.

Web cleaning is provided prior to the material entering the embossing section of the machine. After embossing has taken place the web then passes under an in-ine camera system to allow the operator to view the web in motion.

Electronic monitoring is provided on the machine during the double-hit process to measure the distance between register marks created during the embossing process. This ensures that the distance between register marks on the A emboss section and the B emboss section are the same; in the event of them not being the same, a control loop is provided to adjust the embossing pitch. The repeat length itself is then measured, controlled and a calculation takes place, dynamically, to ensure that during the rewinding process the length between register marks is calculated to be the same.

The Converting Today editorial and sales teams will welcome visitors to our stand 3G11, in Hall 3.