Today’s marketplace, quality and fast turnaround are vital in providing a company with a competitive edge. Richard Gunderson recognized the need for such a sheeting operation with those qualities to service the Pacific Northwest area and in 1994 he founded Pacific Sheeting Resources (PSR). Based in Tacoma, Washington, PER has a customer base that spans the Northwest, Canada and California. In addition, PSR has collaborated with Potlatch to fill overseas orders in Hong Kong.
While PSR sheets a wide range of materials, they primarily sheet stock for consumer packaging such as milk cartons, juice and candy boxes, toy boxes, and CD boxes. These materials include kraft, news back, clay coated, SBS board, SUS board, acrylic, polyurethane and nylon coated materials with calipers ranging from 8 point to 40 point. PSR runs sheet lengths as short as 18 inches (457 mm) up to 90 inches (2286 mm).
According to Gregg Brown, Operations Manager, PSR started out with a Moore & White stationary bed knife sheeter. While this sheeter performed adequately at first, it was apparent that the Moore & White wasn’t versatile enough to keep pace with demand nor did it produce the high-quality that PSR required. Running at a maximum speed of 300 fpm (91 mpm), the older model sheeter simply could not accommodate the turn around times required by existing business let alone facilitate growth. Brown noted another limitation with the Moore & White was that cut quality was adequate on lightweight board up to 18-20 point, but the quality decreased when sheeting heavier board. It was time to purchase a new sheeter.
After evaluating various models of equipment, PSR purchased a dual knife rotary sheeter from Maxson Automatic Machinery Company in Westerly, Rhode Island. The MAXSON DFK Sheeter allowed the company to dramatically increase sheeting capacity and decrease turnaround times without compromising the paramount issue of quality. Several distinguishing features allow this American-made sheeter to meet the high standards at PSR.
The rugged cutting section of the MAXSON DFK sheeter utilizes synchronized dual rotary knives which provide the quietest, cleanest cutting action possible. The solid steel knife revolvers are coupled together by anti backlash gearing on both sides.
Unlike the mechanical drive on the Moore & White, the MAXSON DFK sheeter is equipped with state-of-the-art computer technology to maintain precise accuracy and squareness. The DFK runs at speeds up to 1,300 fpm (396 mpm) and has a cyclic velocity drive that maintains a sheet length accuracy of ±.015 inches (± .381 mm) regardless of line speed or cut-off length. Since knife speed matches web speed at time of cut, no squareness adjustment is required. The energy conserving drive consumes less than 30 amps, making it the most energy-efficient dual knife rotary sheeter in the Industry today.
To further increase productivity, PSR selected two MAXSON shaftless roll stands. This allows a single operator to simply move the roll into place, and the roll stand completes the loading process by cradling the roll, chucking it, and lifting it into position. Roll changes require less than 3 minutes. One roll stand can be running while the other is being loaded. This minimizes down time and optimizes the sheeter’s efficiency. At PSR, they have also run material from both roll stands at the same time. Brown says, “We’ve run 4 point on top of 4 point with all the same tolerances.”
The MAXSON DFK Sheeter’s web conditioning system is designed to minimize sheet defects. The decurl unit ensures a flat sheet even on thick board grades without damaging the material’s surface. A dancer roll unit absorbs web fluctuations encountered when sheeting egg-shaped rolls. This maintains the proper web tension to ensure accurate sheet length.
The delivery system is outfitted with features PSR selected to insure quality and optimize production. Another feature designed to help PSR maintain high quality is the PEN-MAM Dust Collector, which cleans the top and bottom of the material being sheeted without contacting the sheets thus eliminating the possibility of marring even the most sensitive stock. In addition, the PEN-MAM Dust Collector reduces static build-up by ionizing the air at the point of vacuum. The Airfoil Overlap System feature affords positive jam-free performance at the overlap section permitting higher speeds through the tape system, particularly on single web and lightweight stocks. In addition, the system reduces static build-up at the overlap point.
The design of the overlap carriage is an example of the operator friendliness of the DFK Sheeter. A frame connects the overlap carriage to the front stops of the stacker when changing the length in the delivery system, the operator automatically sets the jog box in the stacker. To generate even greater production, the MAXSON DFK sheeter is outfitted with a continuous running feature. While a skid is being removed and an empty pallet is being brought into place, the sheeter can continue to run as sheets are collected in the slow speed tape system using an extended grid.
The MAXSON DFK Sheeter’s stacker uses a low profile, ergonomic design. Equipped with an automatic feed down unit and a reliable, easy to set jogging system, the stacker is able to provide press ready piles up to 61″ (1549 mm) high.
Brown indicated that PSR pushes the MAXSON DFK Sheeter beyond what he considers standard operation. “We’ve asked it to do extra and it has,” he said. Pacific Sheeting Resources has been able to expand its customer base due to the increased quality and production provided by the MAXSON DFK Sheeter. “We are now able to turn around orders in as little as four hours,” says Brown. With the MAXSON DFK Sheeter, PSR has earned a well-deserved reputation for quality products with fast, efficient service.
