System for producing lengths of tube comprising helically wound strips

A system for producing lengths of tube, such as drinking straws, from helically wound strips, said system comprising:

• a mandrel,
• a winding device for helically winding strips around the mandrel to form a base tube moving away from the mandrel at a tube speed, wherein a selection of at least one of the strips during the winding is placed with a contact side thereof in direct contact with the mandrel,
• a strip supplying device for supplying the strips to the winding device,
• a cutting device for cutting the base tube at a predetermined length to form the lengths of tube while the base tube is moving in a tube direction at the tube speed, wherein:
• the system comprises a lubrication device along which the at least one strip of the selection is moved to apply a layer of lubrication material on the contact side of the at least one strip of the selection before said at least one strip of the selection is wound around the mandrel,
• the lubrication device comprises at least one lubrication member,
• each lubrication member has a cylindrical outer surface made from the lubrication material and defining a cylinder axis, which cylindrical outer surface is in contact with the contact side of one or more of the at least one strip of the selection,
• each lubrication member is rotatable about the cylinder axis thereof, and
• the lubrication device comprises at least one lubrication drive to rotate the at east one lubrication member about the cylinder axis thereof.