Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kevin B Sartain

Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar

James Leo Baggot

Matthew Robert Wilson

Mark G Dollevoet

Walter F Montgomery

Antwain Demone Taylor

Gregory Michael Bixler

Daniel Mark Heinz

Jeffrey George Skarda

Mike Daniels

Steve Wojcik

Nathan Harris

Paul Louis Bartocci

Rick Urquhart

James Daniel Rucinski

Damon Otis Branch

Ryan A Petras

Matthew W Trautschold

Julie A Hansen

Justin P Stergar

Jeffrey Wasylyk

Brett Schoenberg

Ronald Frederick Gropp

Philip Sim Lin

Richard Martin Urquhart

Kevin A Dewitt

Wael H Elgamal

Mark Gary Dollevoet

The present invention provides an adaptive control system to control a plant using direct output feedback in which a function of the full plant state, as opposed to estimates thereof, is used for feedback control of the plant. The adaptive control system of this invention is therefore highly useful in the control of plants, particularly plants for controlling the physical properties of rolls of web material and more particularly a calendering apparatus. Accordingly, in a particularly preferred embodiment the adaptive control system of this invention controls loading of a calender apparatus, such as a pair of opposed rolls forming a calendering stack, based upon the physical properties of a previously processed web.

Adaptive sheet caliper control system and apparatus and methods

Registration and inspection systems and methods for use on a winder are disclosed. The systems and methods include scanning a region proximate a winding module with one or more sensors to determine a product defect. The product defect is then associated with a winding process parameter, such as percent roll build information or the identity of the particular sensor to first detect the defect. The winding process parameter is used to classify the defect into one or more defect profiles. The defect profiles can be based at least in part on segmenting the roll build of a web onto a winding module into a plurality of inspection windows and segmenting a plurality of sensors into a plurality of inspection sensor segments.

Winder registration and inspection system

An apparatus for perforating sheet materials is disclosed. The apparatus includes a perforation blade that defines a plurality of teeth for perforating sheet materials, such as tissue products. Each tooth on the perforation blade is defined by a pair of opposing side walls. The teeth are separated along an edge of the perforation blade by a plurality of recesses. In accordance with the present disclosure, the side walls have a non-zero angle with respect to the length direction of the blade. In one embodiment, each recess can have a slanted U-shape such that all of the side walls are parallel. In an alternative embodiment, the recesses can have a V-shape such that adjacent side walls extend in divergent directions. Perforation blades made according to the present disclosure prevent snagging and picking when a material is perforated.

Perforation blade for perforating tissue products

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to, in one embodiment, a process for controlling a converting line web. More specifically, a sheet material is provided on the converting line. A loss of control is detected in the sheet material web and the sheet material web is broken at a location upstream from the converting line web rewinder. The broken sheet material web is redirected.

Rewinder web chop with early detection and web diversion to eliminate equipment damage

An online roll firmness measurement system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a contact element is placed in a fixed position. A roll of material is placed in between the contact element and a support surface. Based upon the amount of force exerted on the contact element, the firmness of the roll of material may be measured. In an alternative embodiment, the contact element applies a predetermined amount of force on the roll of material but is displaced when a roll of material is placed in between the contact element and the support surface. In this embodiment, the amount of displacement of the contact element is measured which allows for the calculation of roll firmness. In one embodiment, a roll firmness device made in accordance with the present invention may be placed in a system for winding rolls and used to maintain rolls of material being formed within preset roll firmness ranges.

Roll firmness measuring system and process

A measurement system for measuring a parameter of a log is provided. A measuring device produces an emission in a direction of the log. A portion of the emission measures the parameter, such as log diameter, and communicates the diameter to the measuring device, which in turn communicates the diameter to a controller to selectively adjust converting equipment to vary the diameter.

Method and apparatus for on-line log diameter measurement and closed-loop control

A paper web drying apparatus and process is provided in which the heated air drying medium is replaced with between 10 percent to 100 percent of live steam. The addition of a steam component to the drying medium provides for a higher drying temperature to be supplied to the wet moving web. The introduction of live pressurized steam contributes to the load of force of the drying medium, thereby decreasing the energy requirements of blower motors. The introduction of pressurized live steam also lowers the free atmospheric oxygen content of the drying medium which reduces the burning or scorch hazard associated with high temperature drying of a cellulose web.

Apparatus and process for throughair drying of a paper web

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Broken Arrow, OK, United States of America

Kevin B Sartain