|
|
|
Our latest Infrared heating technology. |
We have been working closely with our suppliers in the development of cost efficient heat technology with greater control of heat distribution. It was apparent that perforation machines needed to be developed to a higher standard with much more emphasis on providing our customers with a product that provided a more cost effective method of perforating whilst improving the quality of the perforations at the same time.
We looked into many of the standard heating applications such as internal electrical elements within the rollers, oil filled rollers and ceramic heaters, but found that the internal roller heating system was costly and time consuming and that the ceramic heaters were not capable of getting to the higher temperatures required to offer a good standard of perforation at higher speeds.
Many of the issues we came across when using hot perforation technology included unacceptable time needed to reach required temperatures, the accuracy of the temperatures indicated as the readings were not taken at the pin tip and longer periods of down time to change pinned sleeves due to the amount of work required to strip down the pinned rollers before the sleeves could
be removed and replaced with alternative pin patterns.
Whilst looking into how we could get the required temperature to the tip of the pin (where it is required) as quickly as possible, we stumbled across a clear observation that if the pins were being heated via an internal roller heater system then the length of time required for the heat to travel through the walls of a roller, through the sleeve of the pinned roller to the pin tip, would be significantly longer than if we were to provide the heat directly on to the pin tip.
We then looked at the available external heating technology at hand such as ceramic heaters, but had justified concerns that they were vulnerable to breakage (which was unacceptable) and unable to maintain the higher temperatures reliably.
The alternative method of external heating technology on the market was the infra-red medium wave heating system with robust metal elements, high heat reflectivity properties and heating control along with thermal mass and low heat capacity to minimize stored heat so that they can be switched on and off in seconds.
This method of heating offers high power, excellent process control and fast heat up and cooling down abilities, along with the properties of maintaining temperature without having to be constantly powered.
We were able to take all of these benefits and design our retractable heater hood to include a high grade ceramic insulation, reflective walls to recycle the heat, zoned heating areas to ensure an even control of heat across the web and then introduced our laser technology to accurately monitor the heat which ensures the correct temperature is at the tip of the pin.
As we have no internal heating elements, this allows the pinned roller to be quickly and easily removed within minutes.
This has now provided us with the ideal control for our Perforation Machine using the latest in heat engineering technology, offering our customers the fastest method of heating the pins, the best control of heat, ensuring that the correct temperature is distributed evenly across the whole web width and an efficiency unparalleled using a combination of high grade insulation, infrared recycled reflective technology and efficiently controlled heat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
