Atlas updates slitter rewinders

Atlas Converting Equipment has revamped its latest slitter rewinders targeting increased productivity and material waste reduction.

The Titan SR9 series, which was introduced at the end of 2011, has been redesigned with an integrated linear tracking slitter (LTS) to enhance the quality of finished reels after converting.

The LTS sits between the unwind and rewind modules of the three machines in the series, the dual turret, single turret and dual shaft, and moves backwards as the diameter of the reel increases. This maintains a constant tension in the web by keeping the distance between the rewind shaft and the slitting knives to a minimum.

Atlas senior communications manager Roger Astell said the new feature ensures the highest quality converting by creating a straight, uniform side wall along the outer edges of the reel.

The SR9 series now run at a higher speed, at around 1000m/min compared to previous maximum speeds of 600m/min.

Astell said that the focus for both the Titan SR9 and Atlas CW series redesigns was "higher productivity with reduced machine downtime, reduced set up time and waste".

The revamped CW series of slitters for film and flexible material reels up to 10m-wide, now includes Bluetooth technology to automatically change the position of the rewind arm during converting.

The control panel now sends signals to the rewind module to pivot as the web grows in diameter; before this was controlled by cabling and electronics within the machine.

Astell said that this, along with a built in electrical cabinet as opposed to previous external wiring, reduces the machine’s footprint significantly through smarter design.

He said that the machines had not increased significantly in price, adding that customers now get "more bang for their bucks".

The Atlas team will be showing video demonstrations of the "next generation" machines at Ice Europe 2012 at Munich Trade Fair Centre on 19 to 21 March.