Montalvo’s new line of Z4 Tension Controllers, designed for Unwind, Intermediate/Nip, and Rewind applications utilizing load cells, a dancer, or both has a built in data logger for monitoring, analyzing, and troubleshooting application run data.
Z4 Tension Controller for Unwinds, Intermediate/Nip, and Rewind Zones
Recently a customer with a Dancer based application was running into difficulty, and presumed the problem to be the controller. In order to troubleshoot the situation Montalvo’s Applications Specialists assisted the customer with tuning, wiring verification, input verification, and switching from diameter based control to output based control on the tension controller. Despite the adjustments, the change only made minor improvements in the process. With only minor improvements in the process we asked for a copy of the file from the controller’s data logger. The customer plugged in a USB and downloaded the data logging file.
The Z4’s data logger is an every 5 second sample with a 5 day “sliding window” that records the following:
- Controller run mode (Auto, Hold, Manual, etc.)
- Dancer Position
- Output to the brake
- Roll Diameter
- Time Hack
From this we can see what happens when the controller senses that the machine has started and the controller is in AUTO mode.
In this particular situation the brake output was climbing, but the dancer position was not immediately changing. Once the brake output reached a value that would overcome stiction, the dancer began to respond. When this happens, chances are the dancer will over shoot, and the dancer will be very unstable. This told us that the brake needed to overcome the force required to make the dancer cylinder move closer to the zero position from maximum negative. This information led us and the customer to look more closely at the design of the dancer system vs. the controller as the errors were more mechanical or with the air cylinder.
Montalvo’s Z4 Data Logger can give you valuable insight into how your machine is running, whether it is to troubleshoot an issue, determine where improvements can be made, or just to see how long a machine is or isn’t running. For more information on the Z4 or the Data Logger, contact your local Montalvo Applications Specialist.
Learn more about the Z4 Series of Tension Controllers.