ServoRoll Feed Systems

Red Bud Industries has rarely taken the path of least resistance when it comes to equipment design. We have always tried to think “outside of the box” in our approach to engineering in an effort to give our customers definitive advantages in the markets where they compete. Keeping with this tradition, we have developed a direct “dual motor drive” Precision Roll Feed that improves upon the traditional roll feed design.

Traditional Roll Feeds use a single input AC motor with dual output shafts to the Feed rolls. Although these systems normally use “anti-backlash” gearboxes, they still contribute to length inaccuracy. In addition, torsional flex in the drive shafts also contributes to Feed inaccuracy, especially in heavy gauge applications where you are moving a lot of weight. Our new Roll Feed has been designed with independent AC motors mounted directly to the Feed rolls. This design eliminates gearbox “knock” and virtually eliminates length variances that originate from “slop” in traditional gearboxes, as well as torsional flex in the drive shafts, even on applications running up to .375” (9.5 mm) material.

A closed loop control system is used in tandem with the new dual drive design. The intricate control system utilizes position feedback from both the top and bottom rolls, as well as a separate wheel that follows to ensure unsurpassed part length accuracy. In addition to precise part lengths, this system can detect even the most minuscule roll/material speed differential to help prevent roll marking and various other complications that arise from roll slippage.

In addition to superior length accuracy, our new Roll Feed System offers automatic “intelligent” roll gauging to provide unrivaled squareness tolerances. Varying width mill edge coils are easily accommodated through the use of the intelligent gauging roller guides to maintain proper centering throughout the sheet feeding process. The “push” pressure of the guides also adjusts automatically depending on the thickness of the material being processed. This distinct feature drastically reduces the chance of damaging the edge of light gauge material and aids in preventing damage to the guide system while processing heavy gauge material.

As every company knows, time is of the essence. Using this system, the operator can change part lengths with a push of a button. Our design allows part lengths to be changed on the fly without having to stop for set up time. Our Roll Feed can also reach nearly instantaneous feeding speeds of up to 600 FPM (183 m/min) and production speeds up to 25 ten foot (3.0 meters) or 18 twenty foot (6.0 meters) parts per minute. With these high speeds, your company is guaranteed to get the optimal production numbers they need to stay a step ahead of the competition.

Another key to maximum production is, of course, minimal maintenance down time. Our Roll Feeds are designed to withstand even the most challenging environments and are backed by Red Bud’s industry leading 5 Year Warranty. They require less maintenance due to their simplification in design and nature of operation, ultimately resulting in more time for production.