Method for processing and finishing an endless web of material with recurring different format lengths

Abstract

Method for processing (6) and finishing, such as punching, cutting (2), embossing, creasing and sealing an endless web (3) with recurring, different format lengths (4), characterized in that a web (3) divided into different format lengths (4) is moved at variable speed over a format length (4) by means of web guiding components (7) and the web (3) moves relative to a uniform rotational movement of a processing tool (19) and during processing (6) at least one discrete part (31) is completely separated from the web (3), this discrete part (31) is transported further together and synchronously with the remaining area, following the variable speed and is transferred to a subsequent transport device (34).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for processing and finishing, in particular for punching, cutting, embossing, creasing and sealing an endless web of material with recurring different format lengths.

[0002] The state of the art for producing labels, particularly adhesive labels, is well known. A multi-layered web of material is fed to a cutting device. A carrier web with cut labels is then discharged from the cutting device. The waste grid web is removed and separated from the carrier web with labels. The main disadvantage of label production is that a carrier web is required to dispense the parts, and therefore this cannot be used for cutting and dispensing discrete parts.

[0003] Further state-of-the-art cutting methods involve a device that completely cuts out individual discrete parts from a web of material, separates the web of material and the product or label after the cutting process, and then feeds this label through a transfer plate to another transport device for the label. The disadvantage of this method is that this known method primarily and particularly only works with products where the distance between the intersection point of the cutting device and the first transport device is smaller than the length of the discrete parts to be cut out.

[0004] Another state of the art is cutting devices that are followed by vacuum rollers for transporting the labels away, although this is equally disadvantageous because, given the dimensions of the vacuum rollers, the distance between the cutting point and the transfer point is disadvantageous in relation to the label size and, in addition, static charging in the area of ​​the vacuum rollers is also a major disadvantage.

[0005] Suction on vacuum transport rollers, especially on the printed side of the labels, which is usually on the top side, often leads to damage to the printed pieces or the discrete parts or labels and thus to rejects.

[0006] Another known method, in which the labels are fed out of the cutting device with the web, is a process in which the individual products are held in place by retaining bars after cutting and then have to be removed from the web at a later time and in a separate operation. This is very time-consuming and costly. Another known disadvantage is that with particularly thin films and webs, when the products are removed, the web or label tears and is damaged at the points where the bars are attached, resulting in scrap.

[0007] Further prior art includes cutting devices in which a magnetic cylinder or cutting cylinder, to which a tool is attached, is itself designed as a vacuum roller (DE 20 2004 009 490 U1), the main disadvantages of which are described. DE 19755 058 C1 describes a method and device in which the cutting cylinder in the cutting tool also serves as a transport element and a conveyor belt is arranged downstream. This device also works with a vacuum, which can lead to the known disadvantages of the printed products. Furthermore, the device is designed in such a way that there is almost no accessibility or visibility, and therefore the device is not advantageous in practical application, since lengthy, time-consuming assembly work is necessary if malfunctions occur.

[0008] DE 198 36 211 A1 further discloses a method and device for cutting out discrete parts from a web of material. However, this prior art does not address the cutting process itself, nor does it address the resulting waste grid or the product itself or product transport. This document describes a method and device for processing a controlled film web, wherein the processing of the film web is divided into a punching cycle and a straightening interval, and after each processing cycle, the film web is repositioned during the straightening interval. The problem of having to transport and receive a finished, undamaged product afterwards is not discussed in detail. The above-mentioned document describes how the film web is stopped, retracted, and repositioned after each processing cycle.However, if the desired material savings are to be achieved, the punching cycle ends immediately after a product (not described in more detail) has been cut out, and the film web is stopped, retracted, and repositioned in the following straightening interval. Whether the product has already been picked up by a suction conveyor belt and what happens to any cut-to-length punching image or even the waste piece remains an open question. But it is precisely this point that presents the greatest challenge, since, particularly with thin and sensitive film webs, the finished cut product can only be separated from the rest of the film web and then transported with great difficulty. This point is not acknowledged in the above-mentioned prior art. Further prior art relating to punching devices is known from GB 1 216 900 A, EP 1 274 619 B1, and DE 42 39 846 A1.

[0009] The invention is therefore based on the object of making it possible, in a method, to separate individual discrete parts from a printed or unprinted web of material consisting of very thin, sensitive material in accordance with their shape and format, to separate these parts from the remaining web of material, from the waste or from waste as a whole and to remove the waste.

[0010] This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1.

[0011] In particular, the method is suitable for cutting out small or short discrete labels or parts from very thin and sensitive films or substrates and applying them from the device to a subsequent transport device.

[0012] The web consists of a single-layer or multi-layer, very thin plastic film or it consists of paper, paper-like substrate or a multi-layer paper-plastic-metal-fabric and / or nonwoven composite with a thickness equal to or less than 0.1 mm.

[0013] Essentially, this is achieved in the method according to the invention in that a web of material is drawn off from an electric motor-driven unwinding device, laterally aligned and tension-controlled, then fed to a web-guiding device, namely a pulling station at which the web of material is clamped, and then fed to a cutting device, after which the discrete, cut-out part is removed separately from the remaining web of material and fed to a transport device.

[0014] What's essential and special is that each of the individual web-contacting and web-guiding components is driven by its own drive. Furthermore, the web is detected by print-mark sensors or similar sensors, and at every point in processing, the location and position of the web is recorded and the data is made available to an electronic device. Each individual web-guiding or processing element has its own drive with its own intelligence, which promptly makes the data available to a possibly combined electronic device.

[0015] The method is characterized by the fact that the device includes a cutting tool with at least one working shaft, which has a processing area and a free area or empty area. Another advantage is that, in the inventive device and both methods, the material web performs a relative backward movement, but this only occurs relative to the movement of the rotating tool or tool device.

[0016] This relative backward movement can also take the form of the product web moving relatively slower than the tool device, thus creating a path difference. What is particularly advantageous is that this relative movement not only takes place in the free space of the cutting tool, but a relative movement can also be carried out during the cutting process itself, with the type and size of this relative movement being designed in such a way that the path difference only affects the product in such a way that it continues to be within its physical tolerances. Immediately after the cutting process, i.e. at the discharge end of the working gap, the cut product, i.e. the discrete part, as well as the waste orthe remaining web is led out of the cutting device together, wherein the web is divided into different format lengths and is moved at a variable speed over a format length by means of web-guiding components and the web moves relative to a uniform rotational movement of the processing tool and during the processing process at least one part is completely separated from the web and this part is transported further together and synchronously with the remaining area following the variable speed and is transferred to a subsequent transport device which is also synchronous with the remaining area and following the variable speed.

[0017] A particular advantage of this process is that web tolerances can be adjusted during the processing operation and in the free area of ​​the tools, that this is also possible with thin, very sensitive films and that, due to the interaction of all drives, this can be carried out in such a way that even smaller products can be fed together with the remaining web to the transport device, where they can be sucked in from the back and transported further.

[0018] Further features, details and advantages emerge from the subclaims and the following description, which refers to the drawing.

[0019] The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a rotary machining machine; Fig. 2 an adaptation; Fig. 3 a format-locking tool device; Fig. 4 a force-locking tool device; and Fig. 5 a tool device with individual drives.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows, as device 1, a rotary processing machine consisting of an unwinding device 22, a pulling station 24, a tool device 5, a transport device 34, and a winding device 23. The unwinding device 22 consists of an unwinding shaft 27, with its own drive 17, with a rotary incremental encoder 14 for precise determination of the position, and can be designed with a sensor 30 for determining the winding diameter 29 and a dancer device 26 for web tension control. The pulling station 24 consists of at least two rollers 8, between which the material web 3 is clamped in order to move it, and is equipped with its own drive 17 and a rotary incremental encoder 14 for determining the precise position.The tooling device 5 consists of two rollers 8, with the upper roller 8 exemplifying the processing of 6 cutting edges 2 as the processing tool 19, and the circumference being divided into a working area 18 and a free area 20. In the tooling station 5, discrete parts 31 (good parts) are cut out of the web 3, transported further together with the remainder of the web 3, the waste 33, and fed to a downstream transport device 34, shown here as a vacuum belt 35. The vacuum belt 35 has its own drive 17 and a rotary incremental encoder 14 for precise position determination.On the vacuum belt 35, the discrete parts 31 are separated from the waste 33. The discrete parts remain on the vacuum belt 35 to be transported further in the direction of travel 9. The waste is removed and fed to a winding device 23 with a winding shaft 28, which has its own drive 17, a rotary incremental encoder 14 for precise position determination, and can be equipped with a sensor 30 for determining the winding diameter 29 and a dancer device 26 for web tension control. Further web processing devices 25 and / or further transport devices 34 can follow the vacuum belt.

[0021] Fig. 2 describes the processing 6 of an endless web of material 3 by means of a tool device 5. By way of example, processing 6 represents the cutting out of discrete parts 31 from a web of material 3 with a recurring format length 4 in the running direction 9 of a web of material 3. The format length 4 is characterized by a maximum format length 10 and a minimum format length 11 and can have recurring marks 12 or identifiers 13 in order to read these by means of a sensor 30 and to determine the format length 4 in the running direction 9 of the web of material 3.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows the structure of a tool device 5 in which, as an example, two rollers 8 are connected in a format-locking manner 15 via gear wheels and are moved by a common drive 17.

[0023] Fig. 4 describes the structure of a tool device 5 in which two rollers 8 are non-positively connected 16 to a drive 17.

[0024] Fig.5 shows the structure of a tool device 5 in which two rollers 8 are each driven by a drive 17. List of reference symbols 1 device 2 cutting edges 3 Endless fabric web 4 Format length 5 Rotary tool setup 6 Processing 7 Track-carrying components 8 rollers 9 Running direction 10 Maximum format length 11 Minimum format length 12 brands 13 license plates 14 rotary incremental encoders 15 Form-fitting 16 Force-locking 17 Drive 18 Work area 19 editing tools 20 outdoor area 21 Regulation 22 Unwinding device 23 Reeling device 24 train station 25 web processing device 26 Dancer facility 27 Unwinding shaft 28 Take-up shaft 29 winding diameters 30 sensors 31 discrete parts 32 cutting gap 33 Waste 34 Transport device 35 vacuum belt 36 Control device

Claims

[1] Processes for processing (6) and finishing, such as punching, cutting (2), embossing, creasing and sealing an endless web of material (3) with recurring, different format lengths (4), characterized by that a web of material (3) divided into different format lengths (4) is moved at a variable speed over a format length (4) by means of web-guiding components (7), and the web of material (3) moves relative to a uniform rotational movement of a processing tool (19), and during processing (6) at least one discrete part (31) is completely separated from the web of material (3), this discrete part (31) is transported further together and synchronously with the remaining area, following the variable speed, and is transferred to a subsequent transport device (34). [2] Method according to claim 1 for operating a device (1) which comprises at least one rotary tool device (5) with which the web (3) undergoes a processing (6) and which has web-guiding components (7), e.g. rollers, wherein at least one roller (8) of the tool device (5) has a circumference which is greater than the maximum format length (4) of the web (3) to be processed, characterized by that the web of material (3) is guided over at least one roller (8) of a tool device (5) which has a circumference which is greater than the maximum format length (4) of the web of material (3) to be processed. [3] Method according to claim 2, characterized bythat the different format lengths (4) of the webs (3) have recurring marks (12) or identifiers (13) which are read by a sensor (30) to determine the format length (4) and are optionally determined with the aid of an electronic device; and / or that the determination is made by means of high-resolution rotary incremental encoders (14) on measuring wheels, transport rollers, web-length-measuring elements or processing rollers and with the aid of an electronic device if the different format lengths (4) of the web (3) do not have recurring marks (12) or identifiers (13). [4] Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that for each drive (17) the rotary position of the roller (8) is detected and determined individually and / or relative to one another. [5] Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized bythat in at least one control system the position of the tool device (5) and / or of the individual roller (8) is detected and during processing (6) individual rollers (8) of the tool device (5) are permanently synchronized with the speed and position of the web of material (3) and / or with an identification of the web of material (3) and this synchronization is maintained over the duration of processing; and / or every possible working area (18) or free area (20) on the circumference of the tool device (5) or of the individual roller (8) is driven at a different speed compared to the web of material (3) during processing (6) or when stationary, i.e. not synchronously, and is set into rotation in every direction of rotation; and / or that the stationary web of material (3) and / or the free area (20) during processing (6) is used to precisely position the tool device (5) or the individual rollers (8) relative to the web of material (3). [6] Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by that the web of material (3) is clamped and transported between at least one unwinding device (22) and at least one winding device (23) as a web-guiding component (7); and / or is additionally clamped in web-guiding components (7), such as a pulling station (24), and is transported in a supporting manner by the latter. [7] Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by that by means of an unwinding device (22) and a winding device (23), each having a high-precision drive (17), a dancer device (26) and a rotary incremental encoder (14), the position and orientation of the unwinding shaft (27) and the winding shaft (28) as well as of the respective dancer device (26) are precisely detected and determined. [8] Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized bythat the data of the unwinding device (22), winding device (23) or a pulling station (24) and other possible web processing devices (25) during the standstill and during processing (6) permanently correspond with each other via at least one control and are offset against each other, with the aim of determining the optimal tension ratio for the web of material (3) and the required processing (6) and the resulting elongation, the required location and position in order to permanently position the web of material (3) precisely to the tool device (5) and to permanently adjust it. [9] Method according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized by that discrete parts (31) are cut out in the correct position by means of the tool device (5), after leaving the cutting gap discrete parts (31) are separated from the waste (33) and immediately thereafter transferred to a transport device (34). [10] Method according to claim 9, characterized by that the discrete parts (31) are cut in such a way that they are equal to or smaller than the distance between the point of intersection and the detection area of ​​the transport device (34) in the running direction (9) of the web (3). [11] Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that by means of a separate drive (17) and separate sensors (30) of the transport device (34), the location and position of the transport device (34) are determined and these data are transmitted to at least one control system with the aim of supporting and / or enabling the register-correct, precisely fitting cutting of the discrete parts (31). [12] Method according to claim 5, characterized by that different controls are combined into a central control device (37) with the aim of achieving very fast process sequences and saving hardware costs. [13] Method according to claim 5 or 12, characterized by that the control modes are switched by the fast process sequences during processing and the control (21) allows the processing (6) via the permanent precise positioning of the controlled web (3) to the uncontrolled tool device (5) or the precise positioning of the uncontrolled web (3) to the controlled tool device (5) or a mixed form with superimposition of the control modes or a constant change between the control modes

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