A method for joining ends of fiber webs with a device comprising a tool element with a gripping device and a traversing punching device. A run of the fiber web from the emptying parent roll is moved to a joining position at the tool element. The trailing end of the parent roll fiber web is cut upstream from the joining position and the fiber web is attached to the tool element by a gripping device of the tool element. An end of a new roll fiber web is guided to contact with and to an overlapping position with the trailing end of the parent roll fiber. The traversing punching device is moved across the width direction of the fiber webs and makes at least one joint cut and joins the fiber webs. The new fiber web is cut downstream from the joint, and then tension control is turned on.

In steady control, a shaft control unit (922) adjusts rotation speed of a first support shaft (31) to cause a first roll (R1) to have peripheral speed equal to predetermined conveyance speed by maintaining a sheet storage amount in a storage mechanism (5) in a first storage amount as a reference. In storage amount adjustment control, the shaft control unit (922) accelerates the rotation speed of the first support shaft (31) to increase the peripheral speed of the first roll (R1) higher than the conveyance speed, until the sheet storage amount in the storage mechanism (5) reaches a predetermined second storage amount that is larger than the first storage amount. A calculation unit (911) calculates an outer diameter of the first roll (R1) based on the conveyance speed when the steady control is performed, and calculates the outer diameter of the first roll (R1) based on the sheet thickness calculated from a decrease amount of the outer diameter of the first roll (R1) in the steady control when the storage amount adjustment control is performed.

An apparatus for splicing comprises a first web support surface configured to support a traveling web thereon and a second web support surface configured to support a replacement web thereon. The first traveling web travels in a machine direction. The splicing assembly also comprises a first web sensor and a web joiner. A controller is configured to determine, via the first web sensor, a position of a trailing end of the traveling web and to, in response to determining the position of the trailing end, cause a leading end of the replacement web to be positioned adjacently to the trailing end. The computer is also configured to control the web joiner to create a joint coupling the trailing end to the leading end.

In steady control, a shaft control unit (922) adjusts rotation speed of a first support shaft (31) to cause a first roll (R1) to have peripheral speed equal to predetermined conveyance speed by maintaining a sheet storage amount in a storage mechanism (5) in a first storage amount as a reference. In storage amount adjustment control, the shaft control unit (922) accelerates the rotation speed of the first support shaft (31) to increase the peripheral speed of the first roll (R1) higher than the conveyance speed, until the sheet storage amount in the storage mechanism (5) reaches a predetermined second storage amount that is larger than the first storage amount. A calculation unit (911) calculates an outer diameter of the first roll (R1) based on the conveyance speed when the steady control is performed, and calculates the outer diameter of the first roll (R1) based on the sheet thickness calculated from a decrease amount of the outer diameter of the first roll (R1) in the steady control when the storage amount adjustment control is performed.

An apparatus, and a related method, for unwinding reels and for joining a ply between two reels including a first unwinder adapted to unwind a first reel, a second unwinder adapted to unwind a second reel, a joining device adapted to join a first ply belonging to the first reel with a second ply belonging to the second reel, the joining device including a first pulling bar is able to pull a flap of the first ply along a joining path with the second ply, a second pulling bar is adapted to pull a flap of the second ply along a joining path with the first ply, joining means configured to join, in a joining point along the joining path, the flap of the first ply with the second ply or the flap of the second ply with the first ply, first cutting means configured to cut the first ply or the second ply upstream of the joining point where the joint is performed between the first ply and the second ply, and second cutting means configured to cut the flap of the first ply or the flap of the second ply downstream of the joining point.

An apparatus for splicing comprises a first web support surface configured to support a traveling web thereon and a second web support surface configured to support a replacement web thereon. The first traveling web travels in a machine direction. The splicing assembly also comprises a first web sensor and a web joiner. A controller is configured to determine, via the first web sensor, a position of a trailing end of the traveling web and to, in response to determining the position of the trailing end, cause a leading end of the replacement web to be positioned adjacently to the trailing end. The computer is also configured to control the web joiner to create a joint coupling the trailing end to the leading end.

An apparatus, and a related method, for unwinding reels and for joining a ply between two reels including a first unwinder adapted to unwind a first reel, a second unwinder adapted to unwind a second reel, a joining device adapted to join a first ply belonging to the first reel with a second ply belonging to the second reel, the joining device including a first pulling bar is able to pull a flap of the first ply along a joining path with the second ply, a second pulling bar is adapted to pull a flap of the second ply along a joining path with the first ply, joining means configured to join, in a joining point along the joining path, the flap of the first ply with the second ply or the flap of the second ply with the first ply, first cutting means configured to cut the first ply or the second ply upstream of the joining point where the joint is performed between the first ply and the second ply, and second cutting means configured to cut the flap of the first ply or the flap of the second ply downstream of the joining point.

A method for joining ends of fiber webs with a device comprising a tool element with a gripping device and a traversing punching device. A run of the fiber web from the emptying parent roll is moved to a joining position at the tool element. The trailing end of the parent roll fiber web is cut upstream from the joining position and the fiber web is attached to the tool element by a gripping device of the tool element. An end of a new roll fiber web is guided to contact with and to an overlapping position with the trailing end of the parent roll fiber. The traversing punching device is moved across the width direction of the fiber webs and makes at least one joint cut and joins the fiber webs. The new fiber web is cut downstream from the joint, and then tension control is turned on.

A reel handling machine includes first and second re-reeling assemblies coupled to a frame. The re-reeling assemblies each include a reel mount supporting a first reel and a re-reel mount supporting a second reel. The re-reeling assemblies operated to unwind a product strip from the first reel and rewind the product strip on the second reel. The reel handling machine includes a reel manipulator positioned proximate to the re-reeling assemblies configured to automatically remove the second reel from the re-reel mount after the product strip is rewound on the second reel and move the second reel to a remote location.

A printer includes a printing portion that performs printing on a media, and a media exchanger that can hold a roll of a plurality of media and can move a specific roll among the rolls to a media supply position where the media can be supplied from the roll to the printing portion. The media exchanger includes a plurality of media holding parts and a rotating part. Each media holding part includes a set of clamping parts that rotatably clamps a single roll, and a guide part that slidably supports one or both of the clamping parts. The rotating part holds the plurality of media holding parts in an arrangement such that, when rotated about the rotation axis, the roll held by each media holding part comes to the media supply position once in the process of the rotation.