The Wind-Up and Pitch
November 1998
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Look to press suppliers' suggestions, as well as material and tension specs, to make the best unwind/rewind purchase.
By Susan Friedman
Why venture beyond the standard unwind/rewind system supplied with a press? For package printers, the mission is often to reach a loftier tier of efficiency, productivity or safety.
'Herb' Herbert, president of CTC International, says CTC frequently sells automatic winding equipment to converters seeking a higher level of press automation. "A printing press will always have an unwind and a rewind. But they are not always automatic, unless specified. What comes standard might be a single-arbor unwind and a single-arbor rewind that must be stopped for each roll change," he notes.
FlexoExport sells most individual winding equipment to customers in search of ancillary winding capabilities, reports VP Scott Beaudoin. "This additional capacity is often for customized products, particularly for marrying multiple webs," he relates.
At Parkinson Machinery, wide-web winding needs make up the majority of individual system sales, says Sales Manager Dave Rumson. Converters may also look beyond standard unwind equipment if they are seeking an upgrade that can be more easily coupled with material handling devices such as lift tables and roll manipulators, he says.
So what is an interested buyer to do?
Reliable sources
Press manufacturers can be a valuable source of winding equipment guidance. But converters shouldn't necessarily just take a vendor's advice and run with it.
"If a press manufacturer has worked on multiple installations with a specific vendor and has a good relationship with that vendor, the likelihood of running into start-up issues or technical problems should be minimal," comments James Ward, division manager, light-web products at Martin Automatic. "However, if the application calls for materials or process requirements that are slightly different from that past experience, it may be wise to look at other options."
Some press suppliers may actually prefer to remain fairly neutral. In Herbert's experience, "press manufacturers don't like to make a strong recommendation that puts them in the middle. They typically will throw the ball back in the customer's court with three options for winding equipment suppliers." To pare these options, Herbert suggests converters request customer recommendation letters, visit the supplier's plant and/or demonstration center, and have potential suppliers visit their facility.
If a press manufacturer doesn't initially mention a certain supplier that is of interest, converters can still pursue the issue—with or without help. "This is not an all-or-nothing proposition," Ward states. "Many times, if an end user has a desire for a particular vendor which is not offered as a standard through the press manufacturer, most will be open to providing the desired equipment as an option."
By Susan Friedman
Why venture beyond the standard unwind/rewind system supplied with a press? For package printers, the mission is often to reach a loftier tier of efficiency, productivity or safety.
'Herb' Herbert, president of CTC International, says CTC frequently sells automatic winding equipment to converters seeking a higher level of press automation. "A printing press will always have an unwind and a rewind. But they are not always automatic, unless specified. What comes standard might be a single-arbor unwind and a single-arbor rewind that must be stopped for each roll change," he notes.
FlexoExport sells most individual winding equipment to customers in search of ancillary winding capabilities, reports VP Scott Beaudoin. "This additional capacity is often for customized products, particularly for marrying multiple webs," he relates.
At Parkinson Machinery, wide-web winding needs make up the majority of individual system sales, says Sales Manager Dave Rumson. Converters may also look beyond standard unwind equipment if they are seeking an upgrade that can be more easily coupled with material handling devices such as lift tables and roll manipulators, he says.
So what is an interested buyer to do?
Reliable sources
Press manufacturers can be a valuable source of winding equipment guidance. But converters shouldn't necessarily just take a vendor's advice and run with it.
"If a press manufacturer has worked on multiple installations with a specific vendor and has a good relationship with that vendor, the likelihood of running into start-up issues or technical problems should be minimal," comments James Ward, division manager, light-web products at Martin Automatic. "However, if the application calls for materials or process requirements that are slightly different from that past experience, it may be wise to look at other options."
Some press suppliers may actually prefer to remain fairly neutral. In Herbert's experience, "press manufacturers don't like to make a strong recommendation that puts them in the middle. They typically will throw the ball back in the customer's court with three options for winding equipment suppliers." To pare these options, Herbert suggests converters request customer recommendation letters, visit the supplier's plant and/or demonstration center, and have potential suppliers visit their facility.
If a press manufacturer doesn't initially mention a certain supplier that is of interest, converters can still pursue the issue—with or without help. "This is not an all-or-nothing proposition," Ward states. "Many times, if an end user has a desire for a particular vendor which is not offered as a standard through the press manufacturer, most will be open to providing the desired equipment as an option."
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