A method of operating a plurality of machines. Each of the machines uses a servo motor and a motor drive coupled to the servo motor, and the motor drive incorporates a regenerative braking system. The method comprises synchronising the servo motors in order to achieve overlap of the acceleration phases of some machines with the deceleration phases of other machines and providing electrical power from the regenerative braking systems of machines in a deceleration phase to machines in an acceleration phase. A controller for a machine implementing the method, and a system comprising such a controller and a plurality of machines are also disclosed.

A can coating machine control system includes a coating control signal that functions as a go/no-go signal based on a plurality of monitored conditions such as can in position, vacuum pressure, gun in position, guard in position and speed condition. Local pressure regulation of the coating material in the spray gun is provided along with optional control of the material temperature. Local pressure regulation allows for optional spray weight control based on a wrap number derived from speed and gun spray durations. A CAN to CAN network buffer is provided as well for primary network isolation. A gun control circuit may be used to select specific gun drive signals and to adjust gun drive signals based on real-time feedback of the actual spray duration.

A system and method for aligning spray guns of a spray system includes a pair of adjustment mechanisms. A laser alignment system employs a target device.

An apparatus for producing tubes comprises a mandrel, a winding unit, and a fluid dispensing unit. The tube is formed as the winding unit winds at least one strip of web material around the mandrel and advances the tube along the mandrel toward a distal end of the mandrel. The fluid dispensing unit is disposed at the distal end of the mandrel and is configured to dispense a fluid to the inner surface of the tube as it advances past the distal end of the mandrel.