Vishay Systems Web Tension Control Technology to Be Used in Coating Pilot Plant |
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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
63 Lincoln Hwy., P.O. Box 4004
Malvern, PA, 19355 2143
USA
Press release date: October 20, 2009
Western Michigan University to Upgrade Coating Pilot Plant Line with Vishay Web Tension Measurement and Control Technology
MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA - October 20, 2009 - Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE: VSH) announces that it has provided a web tension measurement system to Western Michigan University (WMU) for use in its Coating Pilot Plant. WMU's Coating Pilot Plant, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is a leading research center for papermaking, coating, printing, and recycling. Vishay is the major producer of strain gages and strain gage-based load cells, as well as systems based on strain gage technology. Vishay Systems Web Tension measurement system was upgraded in the spring of 2009, and performance trials have showed dramatic improvement in tension measurement stability with varying temperatures. The upgraded system precisely measures the sheet web tension between the coater backing rolls and the chill-roll S-wrap.
WMU approached Vishay because its existing web tension measurement system suffered from temperature induced drift, which resulted in complete loss of web tension control. The loss of control resulted in web breaks, which resulted in costly down-time. Vishay model HTK web tension transducers were chosen because of their excellent temperature performance and stainless steel construction, which are ideally suited for use in harsh environments. Vishay Systems also supplied the signal conditioning electronics that interface the transducers to the machine PLC controller for automatic feedback control of web tension. The Vishay Systems technology also will enable the pilot plant to process extremely light weight substrates, which was not possible with the previous web tension system.
About Western Michigan University's Coating Pilot Plant
Western Michigan University's Coating Pilot Plant provides paper manufacturers with the opportunity to perform research in an unbiased and completely confidential facility. Paper mills, suppliers, and process equipment makers from around the world run trials there to develop and screen coating formulations, base stocks, or combined finished-coated products; solve run ability issues; and improve equipment designs. The cost-effectiveness of running trials on a pilot scale to optimize products under development is a great advantage for industry research and development. For most applications, the machine conditions at WMU mimic the conditions in a mill and therefore can be scaled up and go directly into production. More information is available at http://www.wmich.edu/pilotplants/coating/index.html.
About Vishay Systems
Vishay Systems manufactures, installs, and services systems for weighing and force measurement and control. These include systems with transducers and instruments to control process weighing in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical plants; force measurement systems to control web tension in paper mills, roller force in steel mills, and cable tension in winch controls; on-board weighing systems that are installed in logging and waste-handling trucks; and special scale systems for aircraft weighing and portable truck weighing. Vishay Systems is a division of Vishay Measurements Group, which develops, manufactures, and markets components, instruments, and systems for a wide variety of test and measurement applications. These include electrical resistance strain gages for both stress analysis testing and transducer manufacturing applications, as well as strain gage instrumentation; PhotoStress® coatings and instruments, which use a unique optical process to detect stress and other physical forces; and transducer products such as load cells, force transducers, and instruments. Vishay Measurements Group is part of Vishay Intertechnology.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., a Fortune 1,000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH), is one of the world's largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors (diodes, rectifiers, MOSFETs, and optoelectronics and selected ICs) and passive electronic components (resistors, capacitors, inductors, sensors, and transducers). These components are used in virtually all types of electronic devices and equipment, in the industrial, computing, automotive, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets. Its product innovations, successful acquisition strategy, and ability to provide "one-stop shop" service have made Vishay a global industry leader. Vishay can be found on the Internet at http://www.vishay.com.
Media Contact: Marti Spalding Vishay Measurements Group Tel: + 1 919 365 3800, ext. 113 Fax: + 1 919 365 3303 marti.spalding@vishay.com
Technical Contact: Don Andres Vishay Systems Tel: + 1 781 298-2277 Fax: + 1 781 762-3988
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