Design Elements of the Modern Day Film Winder, 1993 Polymers, Laminations & Coatings Conference Proceedings

Frank Goffreda

The modern day film winder, when properly designed and operated by competent technicians, will provide excellent rolls of film products for many useful years of service. Taking into consideration normal monthly and yearly maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer, this statement will hold true whether the winder is a surface or center turret type winding system, as long as the winder specifications meet the final parameters of the flexible film to be wound. Specifically, when referring to parameters, the exact meaning would translate into the type of film to be wound, the winding speed in FPM or MPM, the desired tension range in P.L.I. (Pounds per Lineal Inch of Web Width), and also the winding core size, plus maximum wound roll diameter to be achieved. All of the above are the main considerations when achieving a quality finished wound roll on a consistent day to day basis.

Essentially, this paper will cover the two most prevalent types of winders available in today’s marketplace. They are the surface winder and the center turret winder; both are currently in use throughout the world. As we examine both types of winders, this paper will briefly describe their differences, intended uses, strengths and weaknesses concerning specific applications, and finally their comparative costs.