Winding machine with an evaluation system of the web material being processed and method

A method for winding a web material, comprising the following steps:

• feeding a web material along a feeding path towards a winding station, where a series of winding cores, coaxial with, and adjacent to, one another, are inserted;
• cutting the web material into a plurality of strips of web material along the feeding path;
• winding the strips of web material and forming therewith a plurality of secondary reels;
• detecting at least one of the following features of the web material:
• a position of at least one longitudinal edge of the web;
• and a width of at least one strip of web;
• modulating at least one web feeding member as a function of the detected feature;
• winding at least a first series of secondary reels, each formed by a strip of web material, on respective winding cores of a first series of winding cores arranged in the winding station;
• wherein the strips of web material are formed by cutting by means of a plurality of blades arranged in a first cut position;
• while winding the first series of secondary reels, detecting information on the position taken by the edges of the strips of web material and, based on said information, determining the actual width of the strips wound on the secondary reels of the first series and the reciprocal distance between adjacent strips;
• removing the first series of secondary reels from the winding station;
• according to the actual width of the strips and the reciprocal distance between the strips, repositioning the blades in a second cut position so as to take into account the transverse contraction of the strips of web material;
• positioning a second series of winding cores in the winding station, the cores of the second series being dimensioned and positioned according to the actual width of the strips and to the reciprocal distance between the strips;
• and
• winding a second series of secondary reels on the second series of winding cores.