Web Lines

Don't Get Bent out of Shape

Published: February 01, 2007, By By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Bending a web is like bending a pencil or a wire. A little bending is no problem, but if you go too far, something will get bent out of shape or break.

Twist & Shout

Published: January 01, 2007, By By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

A wrinkle is the web’s equivalent of a shout—stop it, you’re hurting me! To avoid your web shouting at you, think about how to apply uniform tension across it.

How to Drive a Winding Roll

Published: December 01, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

What is the best way to drive a winding roll? You have three choices: from the surface, from the center, or both.

Dancer Rollers: Trust but verify

Published: November 01, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

In last month’s tension quiz, I gave out five points if your process had a calibrated tension transducer roller. Those of you with dancer rollers might have wondered why you didn’t get any points. Why am I “dissing” dancers?

Web Tension: A Pop Quiz

Published: October 01, 2006, By By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Today's column is a pop quiz on web tensioning. Feel free to work as a team on the answers. If you score poorly, don't worry, but it's worth your while

Difficult Winding: Part II

Published: September 01, 2006, By By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Last month I introduced you to roll modulus ratio, the first of the terrible trifecta of difficult winding. This month let's move on to the next two of

What Makes Winding Difficult?

Published: August 01, 2006, By By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

What is it that allows one product to run all year with 2% waste and another can't get on the core without problems? Consider this a lesson in product

Whatever Floats Your Web

Published: May 31, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Why float a web? Because air floating can do things a roller can’t.

The Pressure of Winding Rolls

Published: April 27, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Too much pressure inside a roll means more wound roll problems. Too little pressure inside a roll has its own negative effects. Worse still is having both high and low internal pressure occuring at the same time.

Deflecting Nip Roller Problems?

Published: March 31, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

What causes nip roller deflection? How can you compensate for nip roller deflection?

If Not Rough, How About Groovy?

Published: February 28, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Even though rough surfaces have a bad reputation, rough is better than smooth to fight lubrication from air or liquid lubrication. But is rough the best solution?

Are You Rough Enough?

Published: January 31, 2006, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

What is the better roller surface to prevent web scratching, smooth or rough? Many people will opt for smooth, but in fact, this is the wrong direction.

Why Isn't Your Slitter Running?

Published: December 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Walk by any slitter and more likely than not, it won’t be running. Why? Besides having no input material or no demand for slitting, your slitter likely is not running because the slitter operator is busy doing all the work needed to support the slitter. Your slitter may not be running, but I bet your slitter operator is.

Converting Rx: Bowed Roller Dosage

Published: November 30, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Last month we picked up our prescription for bowed roller and read the instructions and warning label. But what's in that bottle? How do we know we have the right dosage of bowed roller? Let's combine a little diagnosis and diagramming to see how to find the proper prescription.

Converting Rx for Bowed Rollers

Published: October 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

At the top of my list of converting controlled substances: bowed rollers. Let’s read the “Directions for Use” fine print on the bowed roller bottle.

The Case for Automatic Splicing

Published: September 30, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

The risks of manual at-speed splicing should not be played down. Every time you ask an operator to crawl into or lean over a turret winder to make a slice and tuck transfer, you are playing Russian roulette with a possible broken arm, cracked ribs, or most unforgivable, loss of life.

The Converting Relay Race: Part II

Published: August 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Our rolls are loaded, spliced, and ready to run. To complete the unwinding relay, we need to finish strong with our plan for web alignment and tension control.

The Converting Relay Race: Part 1

Published: July 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Converting productivity is a race to see how much material we can get through our process. Instead of a marathon, with one runner going the distance, converting processes are more like relay races, with a series of runners. Like a relay, we need to pass baton from roll to roll so each roll can run their leg of the race.

Concave Rollers Pros & Cons

Published: June 30, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Got some nasty wrinkles on a roller? Some tape here, some tape there—wrinkles be gone. Adding tape collars or bands to a cylindrical roller just under each of the web’s edges turns a cylindrical roller into a wrinkle-stopping concave roller.

Drawing Conclusions: Part II

Published: May 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

The principles of draw control usually create a good deal of confusion. Let’s pick up where we left off in my last column and see if we can move from drawing confusions to draw control conclusions.

Drawing Conclusions: Part 1

Published: April 30, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

In planning the tension control for any web line, there are only three options: tension control, torque control, and draw control. Between any two rollers or rolls controlled by a motor, brake, or clutch, you have to select one of these three choices.

Clean Thinking

Published: March 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

What is your definition of clean? What people think of as "clean enough" in their home is staggeringly different. Hopefully, your definition for your converting operation is the same as that of your customers.

Get Out of the Scroll Business

Published: February 28, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Curl will kill your product. How do webs end up curly? Let’s go over the top causes and consider how to eliminate them.

Why Tension?

Published: January 31, 2005, By Timothy J. Walker, TJ Walker & Assoc., Inc

Why is tensioning such a crucial first step? What are the benefits of a well-tensioned web? What is the right amount of tension for your product? Don’t slack off now...keep reading for these answers and more.

Who Likes Film?

Published: December 31, 2004, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Customers like films because they are cool. Films can be clear, thin, shiny, clean, and elastic. Product designers like films because they are functional. Films can improve a product’s break strength, tear resistance, and gas barrier performance. Process people like films because…wait. Do process people like films?

The Harms of Harmony

Published: November 30, 2004, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

From a simple handling viewpoint, these harmonic motion hiccups may be no problem, but combined with coating, extrusion, slitting, or winding operations, they may lead to waste.

Slitting Debris: Cracking the Case

Published: October 31, 2004, By Timothy J. Walker, TJWalker & Assoc. Inc.

Dust and debris are a common but unwanted side product of slitting. Slitting debris comprises the small particles that break off a product's edge during the slitting process. It is created through fracture and abrasion. Uncontrolled slitting debris will lead to defects in your customer's product and equipment downtime.

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