Waste Not, Wobble Not

Mike Flannigan, manager, corporate user accounts, Maxcess, relates that more customers seek to upgrade their existing pneumohydraulic guides with cleaner and more efficient electromechanical systems. According to Flannigan, the existing equipment works fine, but can become a maintenance issue. “To answer this issue, Fife has developed a retrofit program that makes it easy and affordable to switch,” he says. Flannigan states that customers who have made the switch cite many benefits. “Electromechanical systems are easier to use, require less maintenance, are safer, and increase response time.” An increase in response time, he comments, means that the web guide is more accurate. Narrow-web printers typically deal with large-diameter rolls that are more likely to oscillate or wobble. “A 6-inch wide web wound to a diameter of 40 inches is not uncommon,” he says. “A web guide with a faster response time will correct for roll ‘wobble’ and maintain alignment despite this challenge.”