Lean Flexibles are
a fast growing supplier and contract slitter of flexible packaging materials
based at Hinckley, UK. Lean offer short lead time supply of a range of
materials including PET, OPP, PE, CPP and multi-layer laminates. In choosing
the Universal X6 slitting machine, Lean needed a wider web machine which
minimised job set up times, produced consistent high quality rolls and was able
to run at high speed.
The Universal X6
machine is designed for processing flexible materials. A typical specification
includes digital web guiding, automatic knife setting (Computaslit), additional
tension zone through slitting, closed loop rewind tension control, constant
geometry contact rollers, automatic core alignment (Computacore) and a running
speed of 600m/min. The machine is designed to be simple to operate with a
22inch touch screen interface. A typical changeover, including setting 20 shear
knives can take less than two minutes making the machine ideal for short run
work. The integrated drive and control system offers precision and
repeatability with extensive diagnostics including dynamic circuit diagrams.
All this performance in a machine with a small footprint.
Commenting on the
investment, Darren Beardsley, Technical Director of Lean Flexibles said “To
achieve our business objectives, we needed productivity,
consistency,reliability and the ability to process thin extensible films
through to rigid APET films.The Universal X6 has met our requirements and more.
Setting shear knives used to take two people to lift the cutter shaft out and
back in and the knives would take a long time to set. Now we programme the next
slit pattern whilst the machine is running. Once the machine stops, the knives
are set faster than we can load a new parent roll into the machine. The additional
tension zone through slitting has helped us achieve consistently good quality
slit edges even when running low rewind tensions. During our acceptance trials
at Universal, we tailored the machine to our specific requirements, ran a range
of materials and saved the settings in the recipe system. With load cell
measurement of rewind tensions we know that we can return to these settings and
achieve exactly the same tension profile allowing us to run at 600m/min with
confidence.”
Alan Jones, MD,
Universal Converting Equipment added “Lean chose to spend more than they
originally planned by investing in technology that will pay back for years to
come. To compete in their markets they needed to minimise downtime and maximise
running speed in the knowledge that rolls will always be good quality. This is
what the Universal X6 has been designed to achieve year after year. Although
the X6 incorporates a lot of technology, it is based on fundamental design
principles - keep the web path as short as possible, use feedback devices to
ensure the machine is doing exactly as required, make the structure rigid so
alignment stays perfect and ensure the machine is easy to set up and operate.
Load cell tension feedback, automatic knife positioning and core alignment dramatically
reduces downtime and increases the time the machine is making money.”
Few details about the Flexible Packaging Slitter
The Universal X6
slitting machine has been designed to produce perfect slit rolls time and time
again. This versatile machine incorporates Universal’s closed loop Total
Tension Control System ensuring consistent and repeatable roll tension
profiles. Using digital AC vector drives and integrated control system, the
machine offers unprecedented control whilst being simple and friendly to
operate. Integrated
technology allows remote diagnostics anywhere in the world simplifying ongoing
support.
Slit tension zone
Unlike most
competitive equipment, the X6 features an additional operator controllable
tension zone. The tension through the
slitting knives can be set independently of the unwind and rewind tensions,
ensuring the optimum tension through the slitting knives.
Closed Loop Tension Control
The only way to
guarantee the tension profile of rolls produced is closed loop tension control.
Load cells measure the tension of the material being rewound and this are
compared at high speed with the set tension profile. Any deviation from the set
tension profile is immediately corrected. The operator can view set tensions
and actual tension and this information can be saved as part of a quality
assurance system.
Constant Geometry Lay On Roller System
Precise control of
the lay on rollers ensures that air is not drawn into the finished roll,
allowing high quality rolls to be produced at high speed. Many machines have
pivoting assemblies. These can be difficult to maintain parallel and as the
rewound roll increases in diameter, effective force acting on the roll changes.
The X6 uses a constant geometry lay on system that is rigid and does not change
orientation at the roll increases in diameter. The perfect solution for high
quality rolls.
Automatic Shear Knife Setting
Shear slitting can
be the best slitting system for most materials but can take a long time to set.
Universal have developed and automatic system for setting shear knives that
will set the knives in the time it takes to load a new parent roll onto the
unwind of the machine. The system is simple to use, reliable and very accurate.
It has been cost engineered to make it a viable solution for customers who need
to minimise downtime and maximise quality.
