Ashe Converting Equipment has recently switched to SMC as a preferred sole-supplier catalogue, with products including SY manifold valves, CG, MYIC, C85 cylinders and FRL and ITV regulator unitsThe market leader in the design and manufacturing of high-precision, very high-speed industrial slitting and rewinding systems, Ashe Converting Equipment, has found new ways to unravel the complexity of control of its machines, together with SMC Pneumatics. Ashe's systems are bespoke examples of advanced engineering, that are capable of handling a wide range of products, from as light and delicate as six micron metallised polyester to heavyweight label stock. For instance, a typical application could be the rewinding of one-metre wide printed chocolate bar wrapping, that needs to be slit to the correct size.
Many markets worldwide include the photographic industry for light sensitive and graphic arts products, flexible packaging products, aluminium foils, printed products, security holograms and many other roll supplied products.
In those demanding environments, the reels could be outputting material at a rate of 25 metres per second (56 miles per hour).
And precision of the exercise, as it comes off the reels onto manageable spools, together with the delicacy of some of the materials handled, places very special demands on control systems.
The point is further emphasised by a typical paper mill application, where the Ashe machine would slit paper that is many metres wide as it comes off a reel, onto manageable spools at a speed of 82 feet per second.
Of crucial importance to Ashe's customers is that the finished reels must have what is called a "record edge" on a drum; in other words, a finished edge to the reel that is as smooth as an old vinyl record.
Ashe's systems have several novel characteristics precisely designed to realise a range of exacting features, which the company's distinctly-specialist market sectors find advantageous.
These include Ashe's own particular drive system where tension control for the material being rewound is absolutely crucial - Ashe has developed systems to achieve its goals.
And of crucial importance in Ashe's demanding markets, is the company's ability to provide a complete in-house service, from machining and electronic control to construction, to achieve competitive prices supported by a worldwide after-sales service.
This is where Ashe's focus on ensuring all its systems utilise state-of-the-art components to maintain the effectiveness and reliability of its machine functions, together with the capability to receive guaranteed compatible global back-up to match its own end-user commitment.
Ashe has been an SMC user for many years but has recently switched to SMC as a preferred sole-supplier catalogue, with products including SY din rail mounted manifold valves, CG, MYIC, C85 cylinders and FRL and ITV regulator units.
It is the successful application of SMC's ITV units that persuaded Ashe to source from SMC in total.
It is the ITV electro-pneumatic regulators that convert electrical signals to pneumatic signals.
They perform a vital function in the extremely delicate balancing act that takes place on an extraordinary scale between the parent roll (which receives the cut-down product) and the rewind reel.
The ITV's detect an electrical signal that conveys the known value of the reel tension to give a pneumatic signal of, for example ?
10 bar or 4-10mA, which equates to a minimum air pressure of 0.7 psi Importantly, it is the continuous efforts of SMC's field sales engineers and the technical specialists at the company's Milton Keynes headquarters that have established an unparalleled and intimate appreciation of Ashe's methods and ideas.
Ashe's Chief Engineer Keith Fordham explains, "SMC's contribution has been very helpful to us.
They supply all the cylinders and help us solve the issues that arise in establishing the best pneumatic equipment for all the machines," he said.
"To help explain how much their input is relied upon, you have to realise that all our machines are different and are required for different situations, particularly when it comes to holding materials at speed reliably.
We have been using SMC for years and their contribution has helped with our success."
Keith Fuller is one of Ashe's design engineers and together with SMC he is at the focal point of system development.
"We're very busy and these large bespoke projects can take seven months from start to finish.
But from our standard ranges, such as our label inspection and label slitting machines and inspection machines, you can be looking at a quick turn-around of only about four weeks.
Yet even then, it is only rarely that we don't have to customise a machine in some aspect or other."
Geoff Parkin, Ashe's Factory Manager described the markets in which Ashe operates as tough commercial climates.
However, through SMC having a focused approach to Ashe's engineering ideals, by maintaining a detailed knowledge of the customer's markets and the dedication of its people in understanding the product range, SMC makes a significant contribution to Ashe's success.
"Before we sourced all our pneumatics, we would have problems with other products and could spend months testing.
Of crucial importance to our machines' performance is the production of very low pressures that control the unwinding process on many applications as we sometimes need virtually no tension," he emphasised.
However, Ashe can vote with confidence for SMC because the company and its products save them on cost, on time of assembly and on Ashe's inventory, added Keith Fordham.