| 09/02/2010 - New design approach to slitting and rewinding delivers increased efficiencies |
Ipswich-based Ashe Converting Equipment has set a new standard for film slitting machinery with the launch of the Jade series, which incorporates numerous innovative design features to address the problems associated with conventional machines. Helping enable many of these innovations are linear drives, ballscrew and pneumatic cylinders from Matara.
Established in 1976, Ashe Converting Equipment specialises in the design, development and manufacture of slitting and rewinding equipment for use in the film, paper and web industries. With full in-house engineering and manufacturing expertise, and a strong background in control systems, Matara works hard to develop products that keep its customers at the forefront of technology.
The development of the Jade series is typical of this ethos, as Chief Engineer Keith Fordham explains: “During the design phase of the machine, we approached as many different companies as we could and asked them to identify the main problems of existing types of machinery. The results were commonly set-up time, reliability of different parts of the machine and initial costs. We set about addressing all of these issues, and the result is the Jade series. The machine is easy to use, requires lower capital outlay, and guarantees production of high quality rewind rolls.”
The Jade series has been designed to operate to several different winding methods, making the machine extremely versatile. The principal methods of operation are, centre wind, surface wind, and centre surface winding combined. The jade achieves this using an unconventional style of rewind arm that replicates the winding functions from conventional machines but without the cumbersome lay on rollers. A vacuum drive roller isolates the unwind tension and twin, individually driven surface drive rollers transport the tension controlled web directly to the rewind stations.
Mounted on precision roller slides from Matara, the rewind stations move independently, horizontally away from the lay-on/surface rollers as the rewind roll increases in diameter. Contact is maintained through the diameter build-up which ensures excellent finished roll quality. Tension isolation is controlled through a vacuum pull roller as opposed to the nip rollers and S-wraps that might conventionally be used. The precision linear tracking of these rewind stations ensures perfect roll quality. Designed for rewind diameters of up to 1200mm, the linear tracking of the arm means that different diameters can be wound on the same rewind beam.
With the conventional lay-on rollers eliminated, the Jade is able to utilise two common surface rollers. Both are driven at line speed with operating as a centre winder. If needed, the speed of these rollers can be accurately trimmed so that the machine can also induce surface tension if required. Lay-on pressure is profiled through the arm, and controlled through Matara pneumatic cylinders. Pressure is adjusted through the machine’s HMI. As there is no changing of lay-on rollers, downtime is significantly reduced when changing a slit pattern.
The design of the machine eliminates the need for hydraulics, and makes best use of pneumatics in areas such as adjusting and maintaining surface tension. Careful attention to design has eliminated multiple pneumatic connection lines and trailing electrical cables, so that these cannot accidentally be trodden on, pulled out and otherwise disconnected. The result is a more compact overall footprint, and a more reliable machine.
Finished reel unloading is electrically operated. Once the arms have been retracted to the unload position, Matara precision screw jacks rotate the beam through 90 degrees.
The Jade series from Ashe has brought new slitting and winding principles to the plastic film industry. With new technology, enabled by linear drives, ballscrews and pneumatic cylinders from Matara, the Jade slitter/rewinder can offer users the benefits of optimised finish roll quality along with high speeds. And the Jade allows machine downtime to be kept to a minimum.
“The equipment from Matara plays a key role in different aspects of the machine,” says Fordham. “Our unique approach to the operation of the Jade makes stringent demands on the accuracy and reliability of the linear motion and pneumatic components, and the Matara products have never let us down. At the same time, the slitting environment can be an environmentally challenging one, but the rugged design of the Matara kit means that this is one less thing to worry about.”
For further information, please contact:
Matara UK, Matara House, 4 Shaftsbury Industrial Estate, The Runnings, Cheltenham GL51 9NH. Tel 01242 253888 Email: dchanin@matarauk.co.uk Web: www.matarauk.co.uk |
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