Web tension equipment and control manufacturer Dover Flexo Electronics, Inc. (DFE) demonstrated several new products at CMM this year.

Most significant is the WebHandler 3, a digital version of the company's popular WebHandler 2 analogue tension controller.

Used on converting machinery and web presses to maintain high substrate quality and reduce web management problems during winding, the low-cost, compact WebHandler3 combines closed-loop tension control with an easy-to-use touchpad interface. The WebHandler 3 automatically maintains a pre-selected tension set point by reading the change in web tension from a tension transducer (load cell), then sending a compensating signal to a tensioning device such as a pneumatic brake, clutch or a DC drive.

Features include touch panel set-up and calibration, job setup storage and recall, and LCD scroll-through of an array of simple-to-activate tension functions. The WebHandler 3 can be machine retrofit or installed as part of an original equipment control system. It is suitable for use in unwind, rewind or intermediate process zones. Many options are available.

Additionally DFE demonstrated the iAMP Inline Transducer Amplifier - a two-by-three-by-one-inch interface module that attaches directly to a tension transducer and supplies a 0-to-10V output signal proportional to tension plus an optional LED display of tension.

Also displayed was the new TI-21 Digital Tension Indicator, a compact, low-cost indicator designed for operator convenience. Automatic re-zero on power up and simplified keypad calibration distinguish the TI-21 from ordinary tension indicators.

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