Drives for Web Handling

Vibration in high-speed winding equipment can have severe consequences. Specifically I am referring to paper slitter/winders.

The vibration typically begins with a non-uniform gauge or caliper across the width of the machine. Once started, the vibration can build, moving the cores off center in the rolls. The rolls in a shaftless winder can begin rocking. If permitted to continue, some of the rolls can escape at very high speed.

In one case, a 30 cm (1 foot) diameter roll flew straight up and came down between the unwind and windup while rotating at 2090 mpm (6000 fpm). In a different event, the roll took out a light fixture in a building with an very high ceiling. I am fortunate in never being in the vicinity when these events happened.

Once the vibration begins, the only solution is to slow down the winder. This can be done automatically with vibration sensors built into the equipment.

M.Jorkama of Metso Paper gave a very interesting talk on this topic at the IWEB conference 2011. It was titled “Winder Vibration: Causes, Defects and Remedies”.