Decision Guide for Feeding System of Wet Wipes Machine:
Comparison between Vertical & Horizontal Unwinders
In the process of wet wipes production, the selection of the feeding device（we also call it "unwinder") is crucial to ensure efficient production. This article will explore the characteristics of common vertical and horizontal unwinders to help you make informed decisions.
The wet wipes production process includes loading the nonwoven fabric roll onto the wet wipes machine, followed by folding, humidification, cutting, stacking, and finally packaging with a plastic film. However, the limited length of the nonwoven fabric roll leads to the need for machine downtime during roll replacement, which seriously affects production efficiency.
To address this issue, automatic splicing technology has emerged. When a roll of nonwoven fabric is about to be used up, the machine automatically detects it through sensors and splices the prepared new roll to achieve uninterrupted production.
In China, there are two common types of unwinders with automatic splicing feeding structures: vertical roll structure and horizontal roll structure. In the former, the used and unused nonwoven fabric rolls are in a vertical relationship, while in the latter, they are in a parallel relationship.
In terms of splicing function,both structures can achieve accurate splicing of nonwoven fabric rolls, avoiding problems such as tilting and misalignment.
From the operating principle of the wet wipes production line, the vertical unwinder places the used nonwoven fabric roll and the unused nonwoven fabric roll vertically. When the upper or lower roll is used up, the other roll will be automatically spliced. During the production process, the machine pulls the nonwoven fabric out of the roll and feeds it to the folding device in the later stage. Since the roll itself has no power, relying solely on the pulling force may cause the nonwoven fabric to deform during stretching.
The horizontal unwinder, on the other hand, places the used and unused rolls parallel to each other. When the roll on the left or right is used up, the roll on the other side will be automatically spliced. Unlike the vertical roll, the horizontal roll uses a powered driving method, which not only has a pulling force, but also has the rotational power of the roll itself, similar to a thrust. This method can make the nonwoven fabric less likely to deform during operation.
In summary, When choosing a splicing structure, the vertical roll unwinder has a lower cost and smaller footprint; while the horizontal roll unwinder has a higher cost and larger footprint, but the nonwoven fabric has less deformation. You can choose the wet wipes machine splicing method that suits your production needs according to your own site and investment situation to achieve continuous and efficient production.
