A New Slitting Solution for Nonwoven Converters
Catbridge Machinery’s new 324-32 slitter rewinder changes the decades-long approach to nonwoven converting. This model, a turreted slitter rewinder, can slit various nonwovens to narrow widths and rewind on a common shaft to either a standard 32” diameter or an extended-range 40” diameter. Traditionally two-drum surface winders have been used effectively for this type of work, but throughput is limited by shaft handling. The 324-32’s cantilevered turret design eliminates shaft handling and allows cores to be loaded while the machine is running.
Unique features, along with the turret’s design, enable two to three times more throughput than two-drum surface winders. A short, controlled distance from slitting to core, regardless of core size or finished roll diameter, helps maintain proper tension and minimize web displacement, even for fragile materials. An automated cutoff and transfer system squarely cuts the web and creates very short tails for roll starts and last wraps. Precise placement of these tails to roll outer diameters and new cores prevents misalignment and eliminates trimming at the core or re-attachment on the outer diameter. Roll discharge options include a pusher to a tree, conveyor, or table; for heavier materials a cart unloading system is available. As with all Catbridge machines, an industry-leading safety protocol is provided, managed by a safety PLC.