PCT Engineered Aluminum Paint Line Upgrade - Manual

© 2006 PCT Engineered Systems LLC. All Rights Reserved
Aluminum Paint Line Upgrade
The PCT Solution
PCT was asked to replace the paint line’s
existing bridle roll drives, motors and
gearboxes in order for it to operate with
improved tension control.
In addition, PCT provided:
• Programming of a new controller to
integrate the new drives into the
existing line control.
• Reassignment of the master bridle
function to improve tension isolation
between line sections.
• Mechanical and electrical design and
installation of four load cell systems
for tension feedback and monitoring.
The Application
An aluminum manufacturer of building and
construction industry products had experienced
strip-tracking difficulties resulting in line
“crashes” and poor strip quality on its 22-year
old paint line. A crash not only took the line out
of production, but also resulted in a large
amount of scrap material. Recovering from a
crash is a time consuming operation. Outdated
equipment made it difficult to make process
improvements. An engineering study identified
the need for improved tension control in order
for the line to resume running at its original
design speed.
The overall project consisted of several smaller
projects that were a combination of:
• Electrical controls upgrade
• Mechanical modifications
• Integration of purchased subsystems
• Installation planning and execution
Implementation of these improvements had to
be made with minimal disruption to the
production schedule.