Van Wees can supply its production lines turn-key. This means that we combine our machines with other equipment, either from sub suppliers or from partner companies to deliver a complete production line. In those cases when we cannot find the correct solution in the market we decide to engineer and build the equipment ourselves. The Creel and Roll Storages, as built by van Wees, are excellent examples of this practice.
The Creel was built because we could not find a supplier that was able to deliver a system for unrolling carbon fibre tows at very low tension and with a back lash facility at a reasonable price. Together with the customer we developed a new system. The yarn tension is generated by brake belts which are loaded with two pneumatic cylinders. These special cylinders both have different strokes and each holds one end of the brake belt. During unrolling of the yarns, one of the cylinders is at its extreme position while the other is generating the brake force. When the machine stops, the yarns have the tendency to go slack. The second cylinder rotates the bobbin backwards and exerts a holding force determined by the pneumatic pressure in this cylinder. The spool holders are equipped with an adjustable core making it possible to fit a range of cardboard tubes. In this case from 75 mm up to 95 mm diameter. In order to feed the yarns in the shortest distance and without sharp angles into the machine, we have made the Creel 5,5 meters high.
The Roll Storage is developed to store large rolls of material in a limited space. It is possible to place the rolls at four positions in the machine. By rotating the supporting wheels the selected item is placed at the position where it is taken out by means of a crane. In stead of a crane, a dolly can be used which is placed underneath the supporting surface.
Van Wees has built two versions. The largest Roll Storage so far has a capacity of 4 rolls of 1000 kilograms each and a diameter of up to 1000 mm. The depth of the machine is 2,8 meters and the width is 2,9 meters including the fences and control cabinet. The height is 2,9 meters. The smaller version can take 4 times 750 kilograms with diameters of 800 mm. This machine can be placed in an area of 2,4 meters by 2,9 meters.