Rapid-Air STRAIGHTENER: SBX, SCX & SD SERIES - Manual (Page 14)

OPERATION
Once the straightener has been tested and all the functions work then it should be tested for
what it was designed to do and that is to remove coil set.
Retract all of the idler rolls and the exit pinch roll to a position so when the cover is closed the
material is not being deformed. Open the cover of the straightener and position the edge guides
for maximum width. Cut and place about a four foot length of the material onto the straightener
rolls with the exit end of the material extending through the exit pinch rolls and centered from
side to side in the straightener. Close the cover and latch it. Adjust the exit pinch roll enough
to grip and hold the material. Adjust the edge guides so that they just touch the material.
Adjust the first idler roll knob, this is the one nearest the entrance of the straightener, so that it
deforms the material no more than the thickness of the material. Adjust the second idler roll
knob so it is lightly on the roll. Run the material to check that the exit pinch roll is not slipping
on the material, readjust if necessary. This piece will still have coil set in the first two feet of
the material as it was not run through the complete straightening cycle. At this time, this piece
could be rerun and checked for straightness or a new piece could be cut and run and then be
checked.
A good check is to guide the exiting material, keeping it parallel to the rolls, until the run is
complete and then hold one end of the material in the air while peering down the length of the
material. If the material still has “coil set” then readjust roll pressure on the last roll, towards
the exit end but before the pinch roll, until the material is straight. Run one or more short
length setups while making final adjustments. Once the proper setting has been determined, the
quick release top maintains the adjustment during loading.
Thread the material from the reel through the straightener, under the dancer arm, and into the
pulling device leaving ample loop between the straightener and the pulling device. If the mate-
rial thickness is such that when exiting the straightener, it will not let the dancer arm down to
the rest position, then either lengthen the dancer arm or adjust the loop height until the straight-
ener stops feeding.
Set the % speed potentiometer to 50% for a starting position and start the pulling device to have
the material feeding. If the straightener gets finished and stops before material is needed again
then the straightener is set to feed too fast, slow it down by adjusting the % speed potentiome-
ter. The ideal straightening is to have the straightener slightly exceed the feed rate required.
This minimizes the starting and stopping and resultant stock deformation.