Frequently Asked Questions
Defect Flagging FAQs: How to Improve Quality Control in Your Pressroom
Web Flagging
No. Our flags have a film lamination over the print for strength.
We offer an optional slide base on which the AF3 WebFlagger can be mounted. The slide base allows the WebFlagger to be easily adjusted from side-to side to line up to the edge of different width webs.
What we call a WebFlagger is sometimes called other names within the industry. Those other names include: flagger, tabber, tagger, web-marker, tab or tag inserter, or defect-marker. Novation’s AF3 WebFlagger automatically applies a pressure sensitive label or “flag” to almost any type of web moving at virtually all process speeds.
Flagging a web is a common method used to identify areas within a wound roll after it has been printed, coated, laminated, etc. These areas are typically defective. An operator either places a pressure sensitive label on the moving web by hand, or inserts a slip of paper into a winding roll at the rewind. A portion protrudes from the edge of the web like a “flag” making it visible after rewinding the web.
The AF3 WebFlagger can be triggered from an included pushbutton or additional, pushbuttons or machine signal. Five inputs are included for triggering a flag from different devices.
All our products are manufactured in our plant in Bethlehem, PA USA and supported by our own in-house technical and engineering staff.
Novation’s flags have the adhesive deadened on the portion which hangs off the web’s edge.
The AF3 WebFlagger is signaled to apply a flag from a pushbutton or machine signal and does not require an operator to have any body part near the moving web or rewind section of the line.
ScrapTracker
Yes. The system is designed to be user installed and configured. However, engineering start-up assistance is available at prevailing rates.
Perhaps the largest issue roll-mapping systems struggle with is to be sure the roll’s data file is always “synchronized” to the actual roll. Often a roll may have a number of wraps of damaged material cut off as it is loaded onto the unwind of the next process. Or maybe only part of the roll will be processed and the rest will be returned to inventory for use at a later date.
Since ScrapTracker utilizes the AF3 WebFlagger to apply a real, pressure sensitive flag to web as the information is recorded. Each flag has a unique ID which is read and correlated to the data stored. Therefore no matter how much material has been removed from a roll, for whatever reason, RollCode can always recover by reading any flag’s ID and “resynchronizing” the remainder or the roll to the stored data.
ScrapTracker uses the AF3 WebFlagger to apply flags with unique ID numbers. The flags are pre-printed with a number and corresponding bar code. When a flag is signaled to be applied, the flag ID is recorded along with the type of defect and its location within the roll.
ScrapTracker is a system which creates a data file or “roll map” associated with each roll of material manufactured, processes or printed. The data file contains all the information about the locations and types of any defects within the roll.
A roll map is used in a subsequent process to help identify the type of defect to be inspected and/or removed. A digital roll map can also be used to create custom reports for scrap. Reports such as total amounts of scrap, scrap by machine, shift, month, etc. can be generated. These reports allow a quality control department easy access to this valuable data used for process improvement and scrap reduction programs.
All our products are manufactured in our plant in Bethlehem, PA USA and supported by our own in-house technical and engineering staff.
A large cross-section of converters and printers can benefit from ScrapTracker. From our research we’ve concluded almost ninety percent of manufacturers have some type of procedure for the marking of defects. Many keep a manual log used in the next process for identifying and/or removing the defects. ScrapTracker creates a defect log or “roll map” automatically in the form of a data file which can be stored on a plant LAN or printed.