The Double E Company is pleased to announce the new CLEV12 torque activated shaft. The CLEV12 self-centering mechanical shaft features an innovative expansion system that grips cores without the need for compressed air.

CLEV-12 Torque Activated Shaft

Constructed of lightweight material.

Cores are perfectly centered throughout the winding process without the need for pre-centering tools.

Design allows a shorter body length than conventional air type shafts – no bladder clamps or body air valves are needed.

Excellent gripping performance in low or high tension applications.

The core gripping balls also serve as transfer balls for easy loading and unloading of the rolls.

CLEV-12 Video

Recently a flexible packaging converter that services the food, beverage, medical, and other specialty markets turned to Double E for help in increasing their capacity. The customer was trying to make a decision on whether to purchase a new slitter rewinder or simply upgrade their older machine. Pains they experienced with their setup included tension control problems, friction style differential rewind shafts that were difficult to maintain, and poor product support.
Tension Control Problems

The existing machine had a motorized unwind with dancer, s-wrap and rewind with ultrasonic sensor that previously had tension control upgrades performed over the years, but it was not working. The operator had to manually adjust the air pressure in the differential rewind shaft and was unable to control the wind quality. This created high scrap rates, bagging web material in some rolls and material that was too tight in others. It also limited the machine speed and caused costly production bottlenecks.

DRS Shafts Difficult to Maintain

The friction ring style differential shafts needed to be constantly oiled and the oil would drip on the food grade material causing scrap. Excess core dust was being generated and contaminated the friction rings, jamming the cam action of the rings which caused the rings to have difficulty gripping the core and ultimately created more dust and lost control. The rings needed to be disassembled and cleaned on a continuous base. Spare parts for replacement rings and other shaft spare parts from an existing shaft supplier proved costly.

Poor Product Support

The original OEM Incotek went out of business and parts were difficult to find and costly if found. The engineering controls company that re-wrote the machine PLC offered poor support. There was no viable solution being offered from other companies to take ownership of the whole system – machine controls and differential rewind shaft.

The Double E Solution

Double E was able to offer a complete solution for a fraction of the cost required to put in a new machine. To alleviate the tension control issues Double E installed a full tension zone retrofit that included pneumatic brakes with T-One tension controller coupled with load cells on the unwind. A new nip roll was installed to replace the s-wrap to set the constant master speed before slitting. A new EP.42 tension control with a T-One controller was used with a US.3 sensor for the rewind. The T-One DRS automatically controls rewind motor drivers and DRS shaft air pressure to achieve proper torque and rewind overspeed all while managing the desired taper tension. This removed all of the “trial and error” guessing for the operators to build high quality rolls, even at light tensions. Now with the automatic control and implementation of a nip, the machine was running at 1350 FPM and making great rolls. Previously it never exceeded 500 FPM.

Now this machine is a versatile part of the production and is used to schedule more demanding jobs and increasing company’s capacity and throughput. Double E engineering measured the machine on site and built a custom bolt-on nip roller. Now material does not slip through nip and the rewind controls are no longer fighting the unwind controls. Re load cells replaced the old dancers. Unwind motor was replaced with CX.250 brake with adjustable torque capacity to control tension on both light materials with small rolls and heavy materials on larger rolls.

DRS-4200 Shafts that are Easy to Maintain

New DRS-4200 shafts only require very minimal lubrication with no more oil dripping from the central shaft. The DRS-4200 rings are manufactured with tighter dimensions and tolerances to keep dust out and cam action working properly. Now with minimal oil and dust contamination, the shaft running time is increased and maintenance time has decreased.

Complete Product Support

With the exception of the main line speed signal and start/stop signals, Double E control system operates completely independent of existing PLC. Full support is now offered from one company. Both Double E and RE are long established companies that offer worldwide support on all product lines, old and new for years to come.

The new completed upgrade to the customer’s machine provided a low cost solution to increase productivity by offering a more efficient tension control solution coupled with a cleaner, easier to maintain and more efficient differential rewind shaft. Now the customer is able to run at higher speeds at a longer period of time with no material waste.

Upgraded Slitter Rewinder

The Double E Company is pleased to announce its partnership with I.E.S. Srl. Double E is now the exclusive representative of I.E.S. differential shafts in North America. This partnership allows Double E to offer the DRS-4200, the most customizable and advanced differential rewind shaft on the market. The DRS-4200 utilizes a unique “shaft within a shaft” design with a dynamically balanced central shaft that provides accurate tension control. The differential shaft is suitable for cardboard and all types of plastic cores.

I.E.S. Srl is located in Bergamo, Italy and since 1964 has offered high quality expanding air shafts throughout the world. Their exclusive design and operational features, patented world-wide, distinguish them from all the others present on the market. From the very beginning I.E.S.’s primary objective has been to provide shafts that are light weight and extremely reliable.

Double E recently worked with a converter of packaging and specialty printing material that runs a variety of web widths and materials with a range of high and low tensions. The company had a situation where they needed more efficiency and flexibility with their old Cameron slitter rewinder. The machine used a hydraulic system that proved difficult to maintain since it needed regular servicing and became expensive to operate due to the power to the motor and regular fluid changes. The hydraulic braking system was big and sized for the largest possible roll; every job was setup at the maximum brake setup and would often lose control of the tension. Another problem involved the shaft, which had to be coupled to the braking system every time it needed to be loaded and unloaded. The shaft was then crudely clamped down and if the operator neglected to clamp down the shaft then there was possibility of the roll slipping causing damage to the machine, material and possibly injuring the operator. The customer also had problems with their hydraulic web guiding system which could only edge guide. A better system was needed to slit material reference to a printed line instead of the edge to minimize rejects resulting from material being cut too far or close to the printed line.

To solve these issues, Double E engineered an unwind stand that would replace the unwinding section of the customer’s Cameron machine. This stand featured a lightweight DG-2000 aluminum bladder shaft that would grip the core evenly rather than using cone chucks to hold the material which can rip out the core and loosen the roll during winding. The shaft was held in place by flange mounted safety chucks that provided a safe way to lock the shaft into the winder. To provide the needed tension a Re CX.250 pneumatic brake was installed. This brake would allow the customer to turn on and off the calipers of the brake depending on the type of material being wound giving them flexibility and control. The tension control system was then upgraded to an automatic closed loop system using load cells and a new line guiding system was introduced. This would allow the customer to better regulate the winding and eliminate any issues with excess slack or stretching of the material.

The new upgrade to the customer’s Cameron winder provided the customer with an efficient system that could make corrections in real time thanks to the upgraded automatic tension control and line guiding system. Safety was also achieved with Double E’s smaller lightweight shafts coupled to safety chucks that lock the shafts into place. This new system would also provide cost savings with less material waste. Since the old hydraulic system was eliminated, there would also be additional cost savings due to the elimination of maintenance costs.

The customer was very pleased with this new upgrade to their machine but what they were especially pleased with was the quick turn around on this project. Since Double E had a similar “CL” (closed loop) model already available, with some slight modifications the stand was able to be delivered in only two weeks time. This allowed the customer to fulfill the obligations with their customers.

Before: Old shaft needed to be coupled to the brake system every time the customer loaded and unloaded. Clamps are dangerous and cumbersome.

After: Double E DG-2000 shafts are smaller and lighter for easier loading and unloading. Safety chucks provide a safe and efficient way to change the rolls and keep the shaft in place.

Double E worked with one of the largest hose manufacturer in the world that offers high pressure rubber hoses with wire braided sleeves often seen on industrial machinery and high end automobile engines. The company had a situation where they needed a way to control the feed of the liner material that is fed between the wire braid and the internal rubber hose. The line speed is very slow, 3 FPM at .5 pli with a roll diameter of 24″ on a 3″core. The material needed to be regulated to eliminate any distortion and provide a constant even tension throughout the production process.

Initially the customer was using a basic stub shaft, with no tension control, to unwind the material. A device had to be engineered that would be flexible enough to easily mount to the production line, provide the right amount of tension, and provide quick roll change. The solution was a stand that consisted of a strip chuck mounted on a safety chuck body and regulated with a tension option such a brake, clutch or motor.

The first device created for the customer was a prototype that featured an SR-2000 chuck combined with a Re CX-200 pneumatic brake. This device worked well but the customer wanted the flexibility of manually adjusting the tension of the slow, low tension liner material. The second prototype featured the same SR-2000 chuck but used a slipper clutch to manually control the tension. This combination was good for running the linear material but when the customer installed this second roll stand within the braiding machine to hold the internal rubber hose, they soon discovered that it was difficult to maneuver the air hose around to activate the strip chuck. The device was then modified with an LC-1000 latching roller chuck which worked by simply twisting the chuck to lock the core in place. This solution provided the customer with quick roll changes without the use of any tools.

The customer has since expressed how pleased they are with the CBA-1000 roll stand and decided to use this same LC-1000 configuration for the outside of the braiding machine to handle the liner material. Double E and the customer have since negotiated outfitting all of their braiding lines with this configuration since the line operators have communicated how easy this system allows them to change out rolls and make the necessary adjustments to line tension.

Before: Old inefficient braking system uses a spring tension pad pressed against a disc mounted to a stub shaft. Very difficult to adjust during unwind.

After: New CBA-1000 unwind stand bolted to the machine's frame. Uses LC-1000 latching roller chuck attached to a safety chuck housing and controlled by a slipper clutch.

A producer of 200Ib specialty paper approached Double E about concerns regarding the instability of their Tidland class III holders at the cut point. At high web speeds of 6,000 fpm the blade would shake due to the narrow dovetail rail and construction of the holder itself. This would cause rejected rolls, which forced the customer to shut down the line often and throw out wasted material. The dovetail rail not only added to the instability but also increased the overall setup time due to the difficulty in positioning the holders. Safety was also a concern, since the blades were always exposed, increasing the risk of a potential injury.

Double E recommended the new Mario Cotta “Platinum” series high performance, heavy duty knife holder with upgraded rack and pinion rail system. This robust holder features a dual shaft design that provides stability at the cut point, improving the cut quality even at high speeds. The precise and consistent control of the overlap, cant angle, and side load gives the operator confidence that the slit quality and accuracy of every roll is the same. The user friendly setup knobs allows the operator to set each knife the same way, which yields consistent results from knife holder to knife holder and shift to shift. Removable blade cartridge makes it safer to change blades and allows operators to reduce downtime by swapping in a new cartridge. The new rack and pinion rail provides a smooth, accurate positioning that adds to the improved finish roll quality and reduced downtime.

The new upgrade provided efficiency, cost savings, and increased product quality. The customer has since expressed how well the slitter machine performs but what the customer was most impressed with is the level of safety that the new Platinum holders provide. Since the blade cartridges could be removed before changing out the blade there was reduced concern for any operator accidents. The full protective guards added to the overall safety of the holders.

Double E recently helped one of the world’s largest commercial printing companies meet a new slitting requirement for one of its clients. The printer uses a Xeikon digital web press for special projects that run an 80 Ib., 20″ wide web material at a speed of 40 feet per minute. The press did not have any slitting capabilities, but the new project required the material to be slit into two 9.5″ sections. This production technique would be more efficient and cost effective, but they were having problems making the center cut. Double E recommended a shear center cut system to solve the problem.

Double E engineered a custom stand-alone center cut station that would fit between the printing and rewind sections of the Xeikon digital press. Since there was a very small space to work in (only 20″ in length), this proved to be quite a challenge. However, Double E was able to create a completely customized stand that was compact enough to fit between the machine’s two sections, while also matching the web’s height so that there would be no need to make adjustments to the Xeikon digital press. This station featured a Mario Cotta “Tiny” shear cut pneumatic holder to provide a high quality cut, with the added benefit of a long blade life. Integrating the new slitting station was not difficult for the customer – an air line for the pneumatic holder, power for the Siemens motor, and a speed reference signal that would regulate the speed were the only connections needed.

The customer is pleased with the results of the slitting station. The stand fit perfectly within their Xeikon machine and the basic plug-and-play delivery minimized down time. Once all of power, air, and signal lines were connected, the slitter worked with great efficiency to provide a high quality cut to the web material. When the slitter wasn’t needed, the web would simply run smoothly through the station without disrupting the line speed and tension. The customer also ordered a duplicate slitting station for the same type of machine at one of their other facilities.

Center Cut Slitting Station

One of the largest pressure-sensitive roll label suppliers in the country approached Double E with concerns about the slitting section on one of their production lines. They were not happy with the setup of their current holders and the quality of the cut the slitters were producing. The customer uses a doctor machine for line inspections that utilizes a series of Mario Cotta “Gold” series knife holders. They were so impressed with the ease of use and quality of the holders that they asked Double E to develop a similar system for their production line machine.

Double E went to work designing a slitting system that would easily bolt onto the existing machine. All twenty of the old holders were replaced with new “Gold” series holders attached to a new support beam. This much more robust support beam features a rack and pinion rail system allowing the operator to adjust the knife position more easily and accurately.

On the anvil side, the customer required a digital readout to position their anvils. Unfortunately, due to the excessive adhesive buildup, they needed to be able to move the digital readout system out of the way to clean the anvils. To alleviate this problem, Double E engineered a digital readout system on a linear rail that is pneumatically actuated so that the machine operator could move the system out of the way during maintenance and cleaning. Installation of the new system went smoothly once all of the components were delivered to the customer. The complete modification of the machine including disassembly of the old parts and fitting the new knife holder system and digital readout system took less than a business day.

Once the knives were adjusted and calibrated, the production line was ready to run at full capacity. The customer has since expressed how pleased they are with the new modifications to their slitting machine. The ease of use along with the added safety has given the customer true piece of mind knowing that their product is at the highest possible quality and their operators are safe during routine maintenance.

Recently the Double E Company worked with a producer of large-format digital graphics who specializes in large scale banners and billboards. The company had a situation where they needed a way to manufacture a welded pocket seam in the film material before it went to print. They were trying to unwind a 5″ film strip, fold it in half and weld the edges together. The process they were using proved unsuccessful so they asked Double E to engineer a small tension controlled unwind station that could be easily mounted to the production line.

Double E’s solution featured a narrow web device consisting of a SR-2000 strip chuck mounted on a safety chuck body and regulated with a Re Eleflex electromagnetic powder brake. This narrow web station combined with the Re CF.85 load cell, tension roller and integrated tension control system with a T.1 controller provided the solution for regulating the tension during the unwind process. The customer was now able to provide a consistent method for welding the pocket seam.

The success of the initial narrow web station prompted the customer to order four more units for each of the production lines.

For more information about the CBA-1000 Narrow Web Unwind / Rewind Stations, please contact Double E Company.

CBA-1000 Narrow Web Station

Re Tension Roller & Load Cell

Integrated Tension Control System with a T.1 Controller

Double E often has direct replacements to make upgrading from other manufacturer’s chucks simple, but even when a retrofit is more challenging, Double E applies its experience and expertise to solve problems for its customers. As an example, Double E recently worked with a flexible packaging converter that needed to replace safety chucks because parts were no longer available. Since the bearing housings on the existing safety chucks were integrated into the machine frame, the customer was having difficulties finding a direct replacement.

Double E engineers designed new safety chucks to fit the customer’s machine by taking measurements from the existing spindles. They planned carefully for a tricky installation then machinists manufactured two pairs of custom modern chucks with sliding faceplates to replace the old ones. Installing the new chucks would be challenging because of their position on the machine, but the Double E engineers took this into consideration. They created special mounts that would allow seamless integration. With a few minor adjustments on-site, the safety chucks fit properly into the machine, and the safety chuck upgrade was complete.

Double E also provided new 6″ strip shafts to be used with the safety chucks, and DF-2000 core chucks (on the unwind) to complete the project. Double E was able to extend the life of the customer’s dependable turret winder machine and today the product line is running at full capacity. The production manager expressed his appreciation for how dedicated and detailed oriented Double E was throughout the project.

This project demonstrates Double E’s ability to help its customers by engineering custom solutions.