Preventive maintenance programs plus qualified operators go a long way toward extending the lives of slitters and rewinders.

By Chris Mc Loone

“The sheer variety of label jobs forces machines to run at extremes, and as a result, machine components can be stressed and, as a result, fail,” says Jeff Feltz, director, product management, Mark Andy, Inc. “Today’s rewinders are also more complex, employing much more electronics than before.” As a result, according to Feltz, these machines run far better than their predecessors, but they also have many more sensitive components such as load cells, drives, touch screens, and so on. These components can and do fail. “Our engineers and support personnel work continually to improve the product life of our equipment through testing, design, and improved sourcing,” he says.