Converters planning to attend the IPEX 2002 printing trade fair next April will have a wealth of roll-handling technology to investigate. In the Converflex @ IPEX Hall at the National Exhibition Ctr. in Birmingham, U.K., visitors will find a wide range of automated systems to boost productivity, promote safety and protect finished products from damage.

According to suppliers in the U.K., there has never been a better time to evaluate and improve health and safety measures in the workplace. The government has outlined broad national targets to reduce deaths and major injuries by 10 percent by 2010, and working days lost through health and safety failure by 30 percent. One particular area of concern is musculoskeletal injuries (such as back problems), currently affecting about 1.2 million people in the U.K. alone.

While there are no figures available for injuries caused in the converting workplace through the "manhandling" of heavy loads, anecdotal evidence suggests the number is high.

Careful thought should be given to the design of a roll-handling system, says Philip Fletcher, managing director of Arrowhive Equipment Ltd., Henley-on-Thames, England. A well-thought system will speed up throughput and improve the overall efficiency of the converting-logistics operation. Fletcher adds that at the roll-handling stage in any converting plant, a relatively high value has been added through various processes to create the finished rolls. In fact, Fletcher notes, roll flow is in many respects analogous to cash flow.

It's essential, therefore, to choose equipment wisely. Some new and proven approaches to converting logistics are included here:

Schlumpf Inc. (Windham, Maine) has introduced a line of 11 hoist and portable handling systems for the converter. They range from the competitively priced hoist-based NRL narrow roll turner to the Model ERU-2000-S3, a stationary electric-hydraulic roll unloading system.

The ERU-2000-S3 is designed for safe and efficient roll unloading from cantilevered, duplex slitter/rewinders. It mechanically couples with the rewind shaft of duplex slitter/rewinders to unload rolls up to 2,000 lbs. Another system, the ERH-300-P, is said to be a low-cost roll-handling machine ideal for labeling and packaging applications with rolls up to 300 lbs. It is equipped with a quick-change mandrel holder for 3- to 12-in. cores.

A trend noted among some suppliers is converter demand for shaft-handling systems. Kluin Romak (The Netherlands) provides four shaft-handling devices for winding shafts of up to 1,100 lbs and 120-in. long. The Swift WH400EL is equipped with an electric motor and is also available for operation on rails/hydraulic travel and lift, and for manual/stationary set up.

With increasing quality and the number of mills extending finishing departments, the need for roll protection in-plant and to the customer has never been greater. Wrapping is now an inevitable part of the process. The most useful material is liner-based with a vapor barrier. Production capacity and speed of roll flow should dictate the type of roll-wrapping machine to be used. A low-capacity system includes wrapper feed, crimping and header press in a single station. The operator typically applies the header and labels.

A sophisticated wrapping machine may be divided up into separate stations for higher capacity. Starting with the ID station, automatic identification, header application and bar-code labeling are options that can be added to cut labor costs. A fixed bar-code scanner and CCD camera send data on a roll's diameter, width and weight to a host computer. These advances have improved automatic roll-wrapping and handling considerably.

Topping off what might the epitome of automated roll handling are laser-guided vehicles (LGVS) for warehousing. These robotic systems are said to minimize the risk of product damage compared to human-driven forktrucks. They also offer real-time product tracking when connected to a converting plant's production MIS system.

More info on IPEX 2002: 44/20-7850-7564, fax: 44/20-7850-7503, www.ipex.org