Strip Steering/ Edge Guide Systems
CMA’s hydraulic and control expertise, combined with our industrial client base has naturally led us to successfully develop a range of Strip steering and Edge Guide systems. These systems are used to keep aluminium, steel, or paper strip in a processing line running at the correct edge or centre position.
Delayed Sensing Uncoiler Steering Systems.
Steering systems are often employed on processing line uncoilers to ensure material is fed into the downstream processes along a correct edge line, or correctly centred as may be required.
Conventional uncoiler systems require a sensor to be installed so that it can detect strip edge position as it feeds off the uncoiler. This can be quite a problem as equipment used to peel and start the coil can be in the way, and sensors can be damaged as coils are lifted in. CMA has developed a system whereby the sensor is fitted further downstream in the process, and combined with a position feedback sensor on the uncoiler and more sophisticated control software, the uncoiler operates to position the strip correctly at this downstream sensor location. This system offers a number of benefits aside from greater convenience with sensor locations – the strip position is corrected closer to where it is needed, and the sensor does not need to deal with changing strip height as occurs when the coil diameter reduces.
Dual Deflector Roll Mid line Steering.
Processing plants generally require mid-line steering systems to keep the strip on track as it moves through the plant. Locations such as after strip accumulators, before coating-equipment, and before long runs such as occur through ovens and tanks are all considered usual places to b ring strip position back on centre.
CMA offers a conventional Dual deflector roll solution for these applications. 2 Rolls on a pivoting frame allow strip to be moved laterally, without generating stresses across the face of the strip.
Recoiler Edge Guides.
The most difficult of strip steering systems are recoiler edge-guides. Strip positioning to better than 0.5mm is usually required, and numerous external factors can impact on the recoiler edge-guide’s ability to correctly follow the strip.
CMA offers a standard ‘Armless’ recoiler, where a fixed position strip camera and recoiler position feedback sensor are used to ensure the strip is correctly tracked. This system does not require the large mechanical structure to connect the strip sensor with recoiler as is commonly used on recoiler applications.
Benefits of CMA Steering and Edge Guide Systems.
CMA systems offer a number of key advantages, including:-
- Low energy consumption and lower maintenance cost. CMA systems are configured to draw oil from a nearby hydraulic supply, rather than from a dedicated power unit.
- Line-Scan Camera Sensors. All CMA standard systems use a line-scan camera with digital signalling back to the controller. Cameras offer maximum levels of edge sensing accuracy (typically 0.1mm over a 500mm range), are compact, and sit well away from the strip, facilitating threading and maintenance.
- Standard hydraulic components and sensors. All CMA systems use standard Bosch-Rexroth components and Gemco position feedback sensors. Spares are easily obtainable, and information relating to each component and its servicing is available in the public domain.
- Multi-axis Electronics. All our systems are controlled using a standard CMA FATController- the only change made is the software downloaded prior to shipment. In addition,a single FATController can look after multiple systems, reducing capital cost.