In older stationary bed knife (or ‘dead knife’) cutter designs a single motor drives the pull roll section and powers a second drive train to change the speed of the revolver relative to the speed of the draw drum. Typically mechanical designs such as expansion pulleys, change gears or gear boxes were used within the […]
Category: Operational Issues
How can I reduce slitter set up time on a sheeter?
A good first step – where possible – is to have your scheduling department arrange sheeter orders so you don’t have to reposition or introduce additional slitters each time for each production run. Most set up time associated with slitting is positioning the bottom rings. Here are some time saving tips: If there are popular […]
Is it possible to increase the speed of an older sheeter?
The short answer is yes – by changing the pulley ratio between the cutter motor and the main drive shaft. But there are several implications to making this change. Make sure that the rotating cylinders, particularly the draw drum and knife revolver, are dynamically balanced. Operating unbalanced components at higher speed will prematurely wear out […]
I have retrofitted an electronic drive onto my cutter to improve sheet length accuracy. Now I have problems with the drives faulting or tripping out. What can I do?
Modern AC frequency drives actually generate “noise” – electrical harmonics and transients that can affect other electrical components. Maxson uses proven grounding methods to minimize noise associated with drives. Among the standard designs employed by Maxson in their dual motor drive retrofits: Inclusion of an isolation transformer between the main line and the electrical cabinet […]
Unlike my older equipment, my new sheeter has a dual motor drive system governing sheet length and a programmable logic controller that manages machine functions. When the sheeter shuts down, how can I troubleshoot the cause?
Actually it is a lot easier to troubleshoot a machine that is controlled with electronics. Most new sheeters have a programmable logic controller (PLC) governing the operations of the sheeter instead of relay logic. Typically a dual motor drive with two motors, two AC drive and a motion controller takes the place of the mechanical […]
How can I increase the productivity of my sheeter? There seems to be a lot of time when the sheeter is not running because the operators are getting and loading rolls, removing skids, and doing paperwork.
It starts with scheduling. Orders should be set up ahead of time so the rolls and skids are available for the job. Next, stage the rolls behind the sheeter so the operators are not waiting for them. An adequate number of skids should also be placed near the stacker so they are readily available to […]
What skill level should a sheeter operator possess?
An operator must be thoroughly familiar with how the machine works. Mechanical aptitude is helpful in learning this. The operator must also know the safety requirements for the machine. Training in the setup procedures is necessary. Experience in web handling is helpful.
How long should it take to make a full size change from single pile to two pile service on a sheeter?
Let’s look at setting sheet length first. Setting up for length changes on a modern sheeter can be done fairly quickly. There are four items to be set. One is the overlap carriage located in the delivery system. This is typically a hand wheel adjustment with a scale indicating the sheet length. The next item […]
