A pull station has top and bottom continuous loops with the top continuous loop disposed on a frame and movable relative to the bottom continuous loop with a frame actuator connected with the frame. The frame actuator has a sensor for sensing position. A stop, adjustable with a stop actuator and having a load sensor, is operatively engageable with the frame and prevents movement of the top continuous loop toward the bottom continuous loop. A control determines a distance between the top and bottom continuous loops based upon the actuator position sensor; determines a force imparted to webs based on the stop load sensor, the weight of the frame and the top continuous loop, and a force imparted to the top continuous loop by the frame actuator as the webs are conveyed in the pull station; and controls the pull station based upon the distance and/or force measurements.

A lamination system includes a film supply, a non-woven material supply, and a laminator. The laminator causes a film from the film supply to be laminated to a sheet from the non-woven material supply to establish a laminated sheet.

A base material processing apparatus includes a transport mechanism, a mark detector, and a calculating unit. The transport mechanism transports an elongated strip-shaped base material in a longitudinal direction thereof along a predetermined transport path. The mark detector acquires a detection result by detecting a mark continuously at a detecting position on the transport path. The mark is applied previously to an end of the base material in a width direction thereof. The calculating unit calculates a transport speed of the base material, the amount of positional deviation of the base material in a transport direction, and tension on the base material applied in the transport direction on the basis of the detection result and information about the mark applied previously to the base material.

A tape attaching method for attaching a tape to a workpiece includes a placing step of placing the workpiece with respect to the tape, which has a base material and an adhesive layer on the base material, in such a manner that the adhesive layer is in contact with an attached face of the workpiece, and a close contact step of causing, after the placing step is performed, a ball to roll in contact with the base material of the tape, thereby to bring the tape in close contact with the workpiece.

A roll sheet, in which a continuous sheet is wound in a roll form, is caused to rotate in a forward direction to supply the sheet to a printing unit. First and second sensors are arranged at positions facing an outer circumferential surface of the roll sheet and deviated in an axis line direction of the roll sheet. Outputs of the first and second sensors are changed in accordance with a distance to a sheet of the roll sheet. A rotation direction of the roll sheet is switched from a forward direction to a reverse direction on the basis of the outputs of the first and second sensors while the roll sheet is being rotated in the reverse direction.

A flexible substrate adjusting device includes a substrate transmission mechanism, a pressure roller, and a force applying assembly. The substrate transmission mechanism has a transmission direction for carrying a first surface of a flexible substrate thereon. The pressure roller is disposed on at least one side of a second surface of the flexible substrate in a non-transmission direction. The force applying assembly is connected to the pressure roller and provides the pressure roller with a pressure to the flexible substrate, wherein when the flexible substrate moves in the transmission direction, the pressure roller generates a friction force in the non-transmission direction with the flexible substrate to adjust flatness or position of the flexible substrate.

A calibration determination device includes: a free roll that conveys the bonding member; a load detection device that detects a load applied to a bearing of the free roll; a tension adjustment device that winds the bonding member to increase a tension applied to the bonding member and unwinds the bonding member to reduce the tension applied to the bonding member so as to adjust the tension applied to the bonding member; and a calibration determination unit that determines whether calibration of the load detection device is necessary. The tension adjustment device unwinds the bonding member to cause the bonding member not to be subjected to the tension, and the calibration determination unit determines whether the calibration of the load detection device is necessary based on the load detected by the load detection device with the bonding member not being subjected to the tension.

A printing apparatus (printer) is provided in which a base material is conveyed by a roll-to-roll method and feedback control is performed on a tension imposed on the base material, and which includes a control unit, a first drive motor (front drive motor) configured to control a speed of conveyance of conveying the base material, and a second drive motor (feeding motor, rear drive motor, winding motor) configured to control the tension imposed on the base material. In a case where a conveyance operation for conveying the base material is stopped based on detection of a foreign object, and when a speed of the first drive motor is at a predetermined value or less, the control unit stops the tension control performed by the second drive motor.

A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.

A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.