Everywhere you look, you’ll find products made with tension control systems. You see materials all around you, from cereal boxes to water bottle labels. They all need precise tension control during manufacturing. Companies worldwide understand that proper tension control is crucial for manufacturing success. But why? What is tension control and why is it so important in manufacturing?
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Before we delve into tension control, we should first understand what tension is. Tension is the force that pulls on a material. It stretches the material in the direction of the force applied. In manufacturing, this often begins by pulling material into the process from downstream. We define tension as the torque exerted on the centre of a roller divided by the radius of the roller. Tension = Torque / Radius (T = TQ / R). Too much tension can create the wrong tensile force. This may stretch and damage the roller’s shape. If the tension goes beyond the material’s shear strength, it can even break the roll. On the other hand, too little tension can also damage your product. Low tension can cause rewind rollers to sag or telescope. This results in poor product quality.
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To understand tension control, we need to understand the term “web”. This term means any material that comes from a roll or web. Examples include paper, plastic, film, filaments, textiles, cables, and metals. Tension control keeps the right tension on the web based on the material’s needs. The team measures the tension and keeps it at the right level. This helps the web operate without interruptions during production.
Tension is often measured in two ways:
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In the imperial system, it’s in pounds per linear inch (PLI).
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In the metric system, it’s in newtons per centimeter (N/cm).
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Proper tension control ensures precise forces on the web. This careful control reduces stretching and maintains the right tension during the process. The rule of thumb is to run the minimum tension you can get away with to produce the quality end product you want. If tension is not applied in the correct manner during the process, it can cause several issues. These include wrinkles, web breaks, and poor results. Problems can happen. Interleaving may occur during slitting. There can be misregistration in printing. Also, the coating thickness might be uneven. You might see various sheet lengths. You may also notice curling in the material during lamination. Additionally, roll defects like stretching and starring can occur.
Manufacturers face pressure to meet rising demand. They must also produce quality products without delay. This has led to a demand for better, higher-performing and higher-quality production lines. All processes—like processing, slitting, printing, and laminating—rely on one key factor: proper tension control. This control can mean the difference between high-quality, cost-effective production and low-quality, costly output. Without it, you face more waste and the hassle of broken webs.
There are two main methods of tension control, manual or automatic. The operator must always pay attention when using manual control. They need to be present to manage and adjust the speed and torque during the process. With automatic control, the operator only inputs settings at the start. The controller then maintains the required tension during the entire process. Therefore, the operator interaction and dependency is reduced. Automated control products typically include two types of systems: open loop and closed loop control.
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Open loop system:
In an open-loop system, there are three main elements: the controller, the torque device (brake, clutch or drive) and the feedback sensor. The feedback sensor is usually focused on providing diameter reference feedback and the process is controlled in proportion to the diameter signal. As the sensor measures diameter changes and transmits this signal to the controller, the controller proportionally adjusts the torque of the brake, clutch or drive to maintain the tension.
Closed-loop system:
The advantage of a closed-loop system is that it continuously monitors and adjusts the web tension to maintain it at the desired setpoint, achieving an accuracy of 96–100%. There are four main components to a closed-loop system: the controller, the torque device (brake, clutch or drive), the tension measuring device (load cell) and the measuring signal. The controller receives direct material measurement feedback from the load cell or pendulum arm. As the tension changes, it generates an electrical signal, which the controller interprets in relation to the set tension. The controller then regulates the torque of the torque output device to maintain the desired set value. Just as cruise control keeps your car at a pre-set speed, closed-loop tension control keeps your web tension at a pre-set tension.
So, as you can see, in the world of tension control, “good enough” is usually no longer good enough. Tension control is an essential part of any high-quality manufacturing process, often distinguishing a “good enough” process from the productivity powerhouse of higher-quality materials and end products. Adding an automatic tension control system extends the existing and future capabilities of your process, while delivering key advantages for you, your customers, their customers and beyond. The tension control system from Regency is designed to be a straightforward solution for your existing machine, with a fast return on investment. Whether you need an open-loop or closed-loop system, Regin will help you determine this and provide you with the productivity and profitability boost you need.
Post time: Mar-04-2025
