Position Controlled Flying Splice, 1996 Finishing and Converting Conference Proceedings

Edward Stark

Allen Bradley

Applied Systems Group

William Kissel. PE.

Appleton Papers Inc.

A flying splice is used to join the ends of two rolls of stock such as paper. The end of an expiring roll is spliced to the beginning of an incoming roll while the machine using the rolls of paper continues to run at normal production speeds. In order to perform a successful flying splice several things are needed. First, an easily used and reliable means of monitoring the position of the glue line. Second, a repeatable means to electrically energize digital outputs that fire the splice roll and knife solenoids. Third, a sound mechanical system capable of consistently moving the splice roll and knife from their rest positions to their splice positions in a repeatable time. This paper deals with one approach to: a) Register the glue line position. b) Then to accurately track the position of that glue line, while the roll is brought up to speed match and while running at speed waiting to complete the splice. c) That position information is then used as a basis to energize the splice roll and knife solenoids as the glue line passes precalculated firing positions. The splice roll firing position is calculated such that once its solenoid is energized the glue line will continue to rotate as the splice roll travels toward (and lands on) the paper roll surface at the splice roll target. Similarly the knife firing position is calculated such that once its solenoid is energized, the glue line will continue to rotate as the knife travels toward and cuts the sheet at the desired tail length beyond the splice.