Web handling apparatuses and methods are provided to passively control a lateral position of a moving web. The web wraps around support rollers adjacent opposed web edges. One or more guide rollers are positioned adjacent to the support rollers. The guide rollers are in rolling contact with the web edge to guide the moving, misguided web back into its desired lateral position.

A steel sheet shape control method includes, (A) setting a target correction shape of the steel sheet at a position of an electromagnet to a curved shape, (B) measuring a steel sheet shape when electromagnetic correction is performed, (C) calculating the steel sheet shape in a nozzle position based on the steel sheet shape, (D) repeating (B) and (C) by resetting the target correction shape to a curved shape having a smaller amount of warp, (E) when the amount of warp of the steel sheet shape at the position of the nozzle is less than the upper limit value, (F) calculating vibration of the steel sheet at the position of the nozzle, and (G) adjusting a control gain of the electromagnet until amplitude of vibration is less than a second upper limit value when the amplitude of the vibration is equal to or more than the second upper limit value.

Apparatus and methods are provided for automatic edge positioning and guiding of a moving web, such as a textile fabric or carpet, onto a conveyor system comprising manufacturing operations such as sewing, for example. More in particular an apparatus is provided including mechanics, optics and control for steering and positioning the side edges of the moving web in order to correct for misalignment, and hence sewing can occur appropriately.

A web path for conveying a web material includes at least two support rollers contacting a single major surface of the web material, wherein the web material is of indefinite length and has a first and a second edge. A first support roller contacts a first edge region of the web material, and a second support roller contacts a second edge region of the web material such that the web material has a substantial un-contacted region between the first and the second support roller including at least about 50% of the width of the web material. At least one of the first support roller and the second support roller are supported on a bowed shaft such that at least one of the first and second support rollers is angled with respect to the direction of motion of the web.

A method of continuous processing of flexible glass ribbon having a thickness of no more than 0.35 mm using a glass processing apparatus is provided. The method includes providing the glass processing apparatus having at least three processing zones including a first processing zone, a second processing zone and a third processing zone. The flexible glass ribbon is continuously fed from the first processing zone, through the second processing zone to the third processing zone. Rate of the flexible glass ribbon is controlled through each of the first processing zone, second processing zone and third processing zone using a global control device. The second processing zone has a conveyance path for the flexible glass ribbon through a cutting zone having a radius of curvature of from about 100 inches to about 400 inches.

A wrinkle smoothing device for a composite body of a continuous sheet related to an absorbent article includes a first belt that moves along a first travel path while retaining the central portion of the continuous sheet, and second and third belts that move along second and third travel paths while retaining side portions of the continuous sheet. The second and third travel path are inclined from the first travel path such that a downstream side is more spaced apart from the first travel path than an upstream side. The second and third belts retain side portions of the continuous sheet while relatively sliding in the width direction of the continuous sheet.

A steel sheet shape control method includes, (A) setting a target correction shape of the steel sheet at a position of an electromagnet to a curved shape, (B) measuring a steel sheet shape when electromagnetic correction is performed, (C) calculating the steel sheet shape in a nozzle position based on the steel sheet shape, (D) repeating (B) and (C) by resetting the target correction shape to a curved shape having a smaller amount of warp, (E) when the amount of warp of the steel sheet shape at the position of the nozzle is less than the upper limit value, (F) calculating vibration of the steel sheet at the position of the nozzle, and (G) adjusting a control gain of the electromagnet until amplitude of vibration is less than a second upper limit value when the amplitude of the vibration is equal to or more than the second upper limit value.

A steel sheet shape control method includes, (A) setting a target correction shape of the steel sheet at a position of an electromagnet to a curved shape, (B) measuring a steel sheet shape when electromagnetic correction is performed, (C) calculating the steel sheet shape in a nozzle position based on the steel sheet shape, (D) repeating (B) and (C) by resetting the target correction shape to a curved shape having a smaller amount of warp, (E) when the amount of warp of the steel sheet shape at the position of the nozzle is less than the upper limit value, (F) calculating vibration of the steel sheet at the position of the nozzle, and (G) adjusting a control gain of the electromagnet until amplitude of vibration is less than a second upper limit value when the amplitude of the vibration is equal to or more than the second upper limit value.