Co. offers the BKS010 Series ultra-compact web guide in 100-, 150- and 200-mm widths. It comes with 36-mm diameter turned aluminum rollers, +/- 5 mm of correction capability and a moving speed of 15 mm per second for quick corrections. The standard BKS010 unit also includes one ultrasonic or optical edge sensor, built in position controls, quick bolt-down frame design and CE conformity.

FMS USA, INC. , 847/392-7872, fax: 847/392-7873, www.fms-technology.com

The Re RK31 remote web guide controller features a simple joystick operation with an LCD display that communicates step-by-step instructions for initial calibration and setting web guide parameters. Instructions are available in multiple languages and the RK31 can control up to 10 web guides at a time. It is able to receive signals from ultrasonic, infrared and camera sensors, making it unnecessary to change the sensor carrier when the web demands different sensor types.

DOUBLE E CO., INC. , 508/588-8099, fax: 508/580-2915, www.doubleeusa.com

The Platinum MDG series is made up of three web guiding models. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on the web width and guiding application, and can guide narrow webs up to 13 in. They are powered by air and come with a friction-free servo controller. Their positive airflow sensing capability provides accurate web alignment and self-cleaning, co. says.

COAST CONTROLS, INC. , 941/355-7555, fax: 941/359-2321, www.coastcontrols.com

The Edge Master™ guiding system detects clear, opaque or tight mesh webs. It requires no gain or sensitivity adjustment and has a guiding accuracy of +/- 0.03 in. It has a compact sensor head with universal mount and an adjustable dead band.

HYDRALIGN® , 800/688-0954, fax: 508/894-8134, www.butlerautomatic.com/hydralign/

Green Bay, WI-based Fox Converting, which specializes in coating/laminating and printing on wide webs, decided to switch from using mini hydraulic units to using electronic controls for web guiding. The company installed WideArray edge detectors from AccuWeb, Inc. (www.accuweb.com) on "just about everything," said Greg Baranczyk, plant manager.

WideArray is a digital edge detection system that uses a series of overlapping emitters and receivers, creating a larger area of detection. It can be used on webs up to 18.2 in. wide. At Fox Converting, they are being used mainly for center guiding and detecting both edges of the web. "(WideArray) provides a lot more options in various operations (than the hydraulic units)," said Baranczyk. It allows operators to change web widths "on-the-fly" without needing to recalibrate the system.

The system periodically samples the reference beam that is closest to the beam guiding the web's edge, and then combines the reference and sensing beam measurements to produce a true snapshot of the web.

ACCUWEB, INC. , 888/422-2893, fax: 608/223-0074, www.accuweb.com

Co.'s Knuckle web guide is commonly integrated to co.'s in-line slitting systems to make sure that the web enters straight into the slitter section. This also gives the operator a chance to set up the slitting job offline and then direct the web to the slitter section, rather than having to adjust the slitters and anvils to the web.

MARTIN AUTOMATIC, INC. , 815/654-4800, fax: 815/654-4810, www.martinauto.com

The DRS style of digital web guide systems are the fastest guides in their class with adjustable correction speeds, complete diagnostics and a variety of interfaces, co. says. Co. offers a variety of infrared, ultrasonic, CCD and color line sensors to detect web positioning. The digital operator controllers can be integrated into pivoting frames or remotely mounted. Multiple guide systems can be controlled from one operator station.

ERHARDT + LEIMER, INC. , 864/486-3000, fax: 864/486-3011, www.Erhardt-leimer-us.com

Co.'s new H6421 web guide controller combines an operator touchpad with a robust pulse width modulated drive in one compact package. It operates on a 24 VDC power supply within an IP55-rated, water- and dust-resistant housing. Used with SimPlex™ sensors and actuators, it provides precise web position control for edge guide, center guide or line-following applications.

NORTH AMERICAN MANUFACTURING CO. , 216/271-6000, fax: 216/641-7852, www.namfg.com

Primarily a paper, adhesive and foil converter, Budnick Converting, Inc. (Columbia, IL) focuses on out-of-the-ordinary jobs for adhesives and tapes. "Anything specialized, we deal with," says Jim Inman, production team leader at Budnick. To ensure that the materials are running smoothly, Budnick uses Fife's CDP-01 controllers (www.fife.com). "They have always been extremely reliable with little to no cost to maintain," Inman said. "They are very accurate and very user friendly."

The CDP-01 automatically determines and sets guide polarity, guide point and system gain. Built for demanding web guiding applications, it can be configured for line, edge, either edge or center guiding applications. It is available for electromechanical and electrohydraulic operations.

Recently, Fife has come out with a new web guiding system called the D-MAX Series. It has improved dynamic response to ensure that corrections in web alignment are done as fast as possible, reducing the amount of wasted material, co. says. An optional network version of the D-MAX comes with a built-in Ethernet hub, which provides easy access to guide-related data or control of multiple guides from a single location.

FIFE CORP. , 800/639-3433, fax: 405/755-8425, www.fife.com

Co.'s new closed-loop web width measuring system, ProTouch, integrates co.'s CCD Pro cameras into a web management system. The camera features digital detection of web edges, center lines and has an LCD dot matrix display of web widths for multiple set points. The camera can also be used on applications where web sizes change frequently. It eliminates the need to readjust edge sensors by automatically sensing the changing widths.

BST PRO MARK , 630/833-9900, fax: 630/833-9909, www.bstpromark.com