Articles » 2007 » October 2007 » Feature
Turret Rewinders
These pieces of equipment ensure that labels are placed on cores correctly for distribution. They can save converters time and ultimately money in the process.
Turret rewinders take what can be a manual and time consuming finishing process and add automatation to it. These machines take finished labels and put the desired amount on varying sized cores for the converter. Some turret rewinders have automated core loading while others require operators to place cores in the proper place.
Turret rewinders have been in existence for decades, but they are constantly evolving. A prime example is the emergence of glueless turret rewinders. According to Rich Herbert, technical sales manager at CTC International, glueless technology came to the market eight years ago. Since then, it has begun gaining popularity. Herbert sees glueless technology as being the future of turret rewinding. The glueless process is cleaner and requires less power since there is no adhesive product and no heaters required to warm the glue.
AB Graphic International
AB Graphic International offers a comprehensive range of turret rewinders from entry level to high performance models with its Vectra lines. Availability is for web widths 13" (330mm), 16" (410mm) and 20" (510mm) depending on the model.
The company’s LCTR model is suited for turret rewinding of standard self-adhesive label production. Using the latest inverter drives, the rewind mandrels are driven by AC motors capable of producing finished roll tension equal to turrets using electro magnetic clutches.
 The Vectra HS from AB Graphic |
AB Graphic meets the demand for two or four spindle rewinders for heavy duty/large diameter rewinding with its HDTR model. This is a heavy duty, semi-automatic machine for continuous winding that can be installed in-line with a range of roll-to-roll label printing presses. It can be set to wind a given amount of material, pre-selected as a linear measurement or label quantity, then cut the web and automatically transfer the cut end to a new pre-glued core without stopping or slowing down the parent machine.
A new addition to the range of slitter/rewinders from AB Graphic is the Vectra HS four spindle turret rewinder for producing small rolls of labels at high speeds. It can produce rolls of labels with a minimum diameter of 1.25" (30mm) and a maximum of 6" (150mm). Features include closed loop tension control, seven second cycle time (8.5 cycles per minute), auto fill hot melt core gluing, constant mandrel end support for small diameter mandrels down to 1⁄2" (12mm), touch screen controls and job save facility for up to 500 jobs.
 AB Graphic’s Vectra SGTR |
AB Graphic has seen increased sales of its Vectra SGTR Glueless Turret Rewinder as a result of label converters responding to recent reports regarding environmental concerns in the printing industry. The glueless start Vectra SGTR has been designed to meet the increasing demand for a clean breakaway of labels from the core. A specially designed system automatically holds the labels to the core at the start of a new roll without stopping the converting equipment. This eliminates the hot melt glue bath and associated refill stoppages and since there are no glue transfer wheels, setup is faster. The machine is optimized for processing applications that will not tolerate any traces of glue on the web such as with thermal printers where traces of glue can build up and damage the processing heads.
Stanford Products
 The SM10-T2S from Stanford |
The SM10-T2S features a solvent application system (patent pending) that allows for faster running speeds (up to 500 mpm) and minimal waste. Its patent pending oscillation system facilitates faster speeds and robust rolls. Its new nip roll system eliminates crushed edges. The machine will form and seal PVC, PET, PETG, OPS, and PLA.
CTC International
CTC International has several options of turret rewinders available in various roll sizes. The smallest is the Model STACRW4-8 for small rolls. It is a four spindle turret rewinder that is meant for high speed winding of small rolls. It has the shortest cycle time of CTC’s turret rewinders. The STARCRW4-8 can handle web widths of 10", 13" and 16" with a maximum roll diameter of 8" and core diameters of up to 3". The machine has a line speed of up to 500 fpm.
 A small roll turret rewinder with optional core loader from CTC |
For medium and large diameter roll winding, CTC provides the AC Servo Six Spindle Turret. It can handle web widths of 7.5", 13", 16", 20", and 24". The maximum roll diameter is 24". Core diameters are available from 11⁄4" to 6". Line speed of 500 fpm is standard and 750 fpm is optional.
The STACRW2-24, an AC servo two spindle turret, is a selection for winding solid webs that are difficult to cut. The retractable shear cut knife provides the cleanest cut attainable on the widest range of materials, according to CTC. Web widths are 13", 18", 20", and 24". Maximum roll diameter is 24" or 32". Core diameters from 2" to 6" are available. Line speed is up to 500 fpm.
ST200RW3-20 is a three spindle economy turret rewinder and is CTC’s most economical model. The company says it is an excellent selection for the simpler jobs that do not require the highest levels of automation. It is often used for thermal labels. Web widths are 7.5", 13", 16", 18", and 20". The maximum roll diameter is 20". Core diameters are available from 1" to 4". Line speed is up to 500 fpm.
 A glueless turret rewinder from CTC |
CTC provides automatic core loaders and finished roll transport systems for use with its turret rewinders. Its core loader is a free standing machine that is placed in front of the turret rewinder. Its main elements are a vibratory feeder bowl to orient and feed the cores, a belt conveyor to convey the cores from the bowl to the placement mechanism and the placement mechanism (a tube) that inserts the cores onto the spindles.
The roll transport systems accept the completed rolls as they are ejected from the turret rewinder spindle. The conveyor belt carries the rolls away from the rewinder to a packing area. When a conveyor is used, this system mounts on top of the core loader. The conveying systems are also available without the core loader, in which case they are free standing.
Martin Automatic
 The Martin STR Automatic Turret Rewind |
The Martin STR offers manual pneumatic spindle chucking, automatic transfer on roll length or operator signal, festoon with pneumatically adjustable tension, operator adjustable winding profile setting with a diameter based torque boost feature, an integrated web guide, and operator selectable lay-on roller.
Martin Automatic also makes the LRD transfer rewind unit. This piece of equipment was used along with the Martin Automatic MBSF butt splice on a Gallus RCS 330 10-color flexo/screen combination press. The Martin units could handle 40" (1,016mm) rolls at 500 ft/min (150 m/min).
KTI – Keene Technology Inc.
 KTI’s KR Series Turret Rewinder |
The driving force behind the KR was to design a unit that is compact yet comprehensive. Several options are available to further enhance the KR’s overall performance, including automatic core and tail gluing. The KR and its components are organized into one neat package that can be tailored to meet the needs of each individual customer.
KTI has been manufacturing automatic splicers and turret rewinders for over 20 years.
Rotoflex International
.jpg) Semi Auto Turret |
Rotoflex says it partners with many automatic product manufacturers, such as CTC International, to provide completely integrated solutions.
