SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CURL IN MULTI-LAYER WEBS

• Main Authors: SWANSON, RONALD P, HENDERSON, ANDREW J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.06.2009
• Subjects: APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS,CABLES; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; STORING; TRANSPORTING

A system and method for controlling curl in multi-layer webs. The method can include providing a coated web, bending the web to induce a strain or pre-curl in the web, and curing the coating to form a multi-layer web. Some coatings at least partially shrink when cured such that curing the coating induces a curl in the multi-layer web. Bending the web occurs prior to curing the coating, and the pre-curl can be configured to at least partially counteract the curl induced by curing to form a multi-layer web having a desired curvature. The system can include a curing section configured to cure a coating, and can further include a web bending section configured to bend the web to induce a strain in the web. The web bending section can be positioned upstream of the curing section such that the web is bent prior to the coating being cured.