Experiments on tension measurement in manufacturing processes

Abstract

Today's demand to preserve energy, to optimally utilize limited resources and to still increase quality calls for more-precise measurements in virtually all manufacturing processes.

One such field is the measurement of tension in, for instance, paper machines, printing presses, machines for the manufacturing of rubber, plastics, fabrics, etc.

Newspaper-printing presses produce today an impressive number of paper breaks. Measurement of the web tension at critical positions could give an early warning when the tension in the paper is growing to dangerous values.

In a paper macnine, it is necessary to introduce webtension measurements at many positions to optimize quality, to prevent paper breaks and to reduce wear.

Measurements have been carried out with a particular force transducer that can be easily built into an existing, as well as a new machine. Several installations, mainly in paper machines and newspaper-printing presses, show that

• - the number of paper breaks are drastically reduced

• - a more-uniform quality of the paper can be achieved

• - the lifetime of machine parts, such as wires and felts, can be increased.