Slitting Productivity – Universal X6
Productivity, Productivity, Productivity. What everybody wants when buying a slitting machine. Productivity can be more important than price or speed when deciding which slitting machine to purchase, but it is not always the key part of the decision making process. Most slitter rewinders spend a significant time not running due to set up times, quality issues and unscheduled stoppages.
A slitter can be a clever machine if given the chance. If the machine knows the slit pattern required it can position the knives correctly, set the unwind so the parent roll lines up with the knives, align the cores with the knives, and can set the tensions to suit the material being slit. Recipes can also set tension through slitting, contact roller (lay on roller) pressure and running speed. All of this can be done with little operator input.
When the machine stops at the end of a roll, the set button can be pressed for the next job and by the time a new parent roll is loaded, the machine is ready to run again. Simple.
How to minimise downtime during slitting job changeovers
At the end of the first run, the operator clamps the slit tails to hold them in position, cross-cuts the material and push off the rolls onto a roll handling unit. While you are unloading the finished rolls the machine is automatically positioning a new set of cores. The operator focusses on material in and out of the machine. The machine does what a machine is good at – doing as it is told. However, to be sure everything is operating as it should be, the control system monitors feedback devices such as load cell tension measurements, to ensure the machine is doing what is should be.
Finished roll quality comes from winding at the correct settings. Without closed loop tension feedback, you can never be sure what your actual tension is. If you put the cores in the wrong position, you will see ‘starring’ at one end. Put the knives in the wrong position and you will wind a reject rolls. A costly mistake. Mistakes, wastage and downtime can be avoided by using data from multiple feedback systems to ensure the machine is always correctly set for the product being processed.
Slitter automation and operator simplification
The more automation that is built into a slitting machine, the more important ongoing support and help becomes. Technology is moving forward; as automation becomes more sophisticated so technology develops new opportunities for support. Dynamic circuit diagrams are now available as a feature on machine displays, so the the status of the drive and control system can be seen without opening the control panel door. These are easy to read now that machines are fitted with large 22” touch screen displays. On-machine feedback provides the answer to the question “why won’t my machine run” without the need to the call the machine manufacturer.
High-speed secure internet based remote diagnostic systems allow the manufacturer to identify and correct any problems that may occur that cannot be easily solved locally. Finally, for added resilience, use components from worldwide brands that can be quickly and easily sourced wherever the machine may be located. For the machine builder, these should be purchased direct from the manufacturer to counter the growing supply of counterfeit components such as bearings.
High productivity as standard
All of the above are standard features of the Universal X6 from Universal Converting Equipment. The X6 is an integrated package – a high productivity slitting machine, delivering consistent high quality slit rolls time and time again. The X6 is one system with each part using shared data, minimising the need for operator input and so reducing operator error.
The Universal X6 is a high productivity slitter rewinder at a price that is within the reach of most companies.
