With constant improvements in converting technology, particularly in slitting and rewinding, retrofits have become a natural part of the business for many slitter/rewinder machinery manufacturers. Jennerjahn Machine (Matthews, IN) in particular has found retrofits of older equipment—its own and those of other suppliers—to be a profitable part of its business. Converting asked managers there for advice on what the converter should consider before initiating a slitter retrofit project.

Dennis Kendall, parts and service manager, is a 14-year veteran of the company and oversees all retrofit projects for Jennerjahn. According to Kendall, the first question a customer has to ask when deciding to retrofit their machine is, "Will a retrofit for this machine make the company a profitable return on investment?"

Selecting the right machine for the retrofit is key to answering this question. "Let's say your machine is generally in good shape and has been well maintained over the years," he says. "However, there are problems with a certain area, such as winding, roll separation, tail tabbing or gluing." This weakness in the machine's operation, whatever it may be, should form the basis for the retrofit.

Retrofit costs can range from the inexpensive to the extensive. Converters should not assume that only an extensive retrofit will make a big difference with their machinery. Many times even simple and inexpensive retrofits can have big impact.

One area that companies focus on when looking at retrofits is how it will increase machine output. Maximizing the product volume of existing machines can give a company the competitive edge they're looking for. With new technology available in mechanical components and control systems, older machines can be upgraded to improve speed, improve product quality, and reduce scrap.

"If your operator is winding 16 rolls of cash-register product and two rolls have an interweave problem, you're maximizing only 88 percent of the machine's volume potential with each arbor of product," says Kendall.

For under $2,000, a web-separator bar can be attached to an existing machine, and immediately add a 12 percent increase to the daily volume output. This particular retrofit can be self-installed by your maintenance staff. Jennerjahn, for instance, provides detailed assembly prints and instructions to assist in-house staff with the installation. Your machine need never leave your facility.

When a retrofit is available, you are not limited by your machine's current capabilities. Consider how a machine retrofit can give the converter the ability to produce new products not currently within its capabilities or specifications. These new products can potentially open entirely new markets for the company. There are many retrofits that can be performed to expand machine capabilities to run new products and gather new business.

Example: if your machine has a maximum rewind core O.D. of 1 in., but a customer's new product must be wound on a 2-in. O.D. core, you can't compete for the business. With a retrofit to the tail-blow and tuck-bar sections of your machine, its maximum rewind core I.D. can be increased to the specifications needed to gain the new business. Retrofits to the top rider-roll section may also allow converters to lower the minimum rewind core I.D. to a smaller size. Adjusting the minimum and maximum core I.D.s to your machine's existing specifications can greatly expand your company's new-product business.

Shafted or shaftless rewind system retrofits, in many cases, not only expand the machine's capabilities but also improve productivity and product quality.

Machine downtime is a concern for every company. Older machinery that may have worn-out parts or outdated designs can be retrofitted to greatly improve or eliminate the downtime issues of the past. As improvements in mechanical and controls technology have made their way into the converting industry, many of the old design standards have been replaced by simpler designs with fewer parts. Fewer moving parts equals less maintenance.

"For instance, old-style autoloaders contain many mechanical moving parts and springs to operate," says Kendall. "Excessive wear and tear on these components often create jams on the rewind mandrels and cause the machine to shut down." Depending on how severe the problem, this can quickly add up to several minutes and/or hours a day in lost production, not only for the machine, but operators, packers and maintenance staff.

The new autoloader feeds the cored mandrels to the winding station using an escapement-rail metering system, eliminating the mechanical spring-activated autoloader method. This system was designed to eliminate as many moving parts as possible, reducing the possibility of jamming and wearing parts. As a result, replacement parts and maintenance on the machine are greatly reduced.

A new autoloader system might also incorporate a 5-hp AC top rider-roll motor and drive, replacing the older 3-hp DC motor. At the end of a cycle, the top rider-roll reverses direction to kick out the wound roll into the seal station.

One of the best ways to make sure you know what's available in the way of retrofit equipment for your slitter/rewinder is to ask around. Contact the machine's original manufacturer, if applicable, or determine which suppliers now offer sales, service and retrofits for that brand name and model. Armed with prices and benefits, you can perform your own analysis of the return on investment of such expenditures.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

JENNERJAHN MACHINE, INC., 765/998-2733, fax: 765/998-2468, www.jennerjahn.com