Q&A: Collecting Process Tension Data Over Time

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DFE 30th Anniversary

At DFE we are continuously seeking ways to provide our customers with the best solutions to their tension control problems. One key to a successful measurement or control product, and one of our most important design considerations, is ease of use for the customer.

With the advent of digital controllers, features are delivered which were not previously available in analog versions of the same controller. One example is the easy display of more than one variable of interest, such as tension setpoint, actual running tension, and the amount of tension variation from core to full roll or throughout a production run; another would be the fact that the controller's CPU can store and recall series of operating parameters from previous jobs. Digital controls also offer a greater range of communications options with central computer workstations and PLCs.

Even so, while digital tension controllers have greater functionality and have enjoyed a strong reception in the European marketplace, they have yet to achieve widespread acceptance versus their analog counterpart in the U.S. Why? One reason may be that as powerful as they are, many digital control packages are difficult to use.

To increase tension using many of our competitors' digital controllers, one must either enter a number through a keypad, or hit an "up-arrow" key repeatedly until the desired result is achieved. Imagine if you had to steer your car that way! On all of the DFE tension controllers, however, both digital and analog, one simply turns a single control knob to control tension.

With the launch of the SteadyWeb MicroProcessor controller in 1996, Dover Flexo marked the beginning of a generation of tension controllers and indicators which takes full advantage of the features and benefits of microprocessor technology, while also providing a simpler user interface.

The DFE philosophy has always been to supply customers with high-quality, easy-to-use products which fit their applications. The new digital products we develop will continue to reflect that philosophy.

-Alan Wysocki