Method and apparatus in changing the setting of a slitter

A method for changing the blade settings of a slitter-winder, comprising the steps of:

• advancing a web in a machine direction through the slitter-winder, a cross machine direction being defined perpendicular to the machine direction;
• slitting the web into a plurality of component webs of first widths and a first edge trimming of a second width by passing the web over blades located at first positions spaced from one another in the cross machine direction, the first edge trimming being defined along a first slitting line at a first cross machine position;
• changing the positions of the blades in the cross machine direction in order to slit component webs of widths different than the first widths, and form a second edge trimming of a third width different than the second width, the second edge trimming being defined along a second slitting line at a second cross machine position, to thereby form a neck extending between the first edge trimming of a second width and the second edge trimming of a third width;
• controlling a cutting apparatus with a control system to make a cut in the web with the cutting apparatus at a position upstream of the blades prior to the slitting of the web by the blades, the cut extending between the first cross machine position corresponding to the first slitting line of the first edge trimming of a second width and the second edge trimming of a third width;
• controlling a cutting apparatus with a control system to make a cut in the web with the cutting apparatus at a position upstream of the blades prior to the slitting of the web by the blades, the cut extending between the first cross machine position corresponding to the first slitting line of the first edge trimming and the second cross machine position corresponding to the second slitting line of the second edge trimming.

A slitte-winder for slitting a web into a plurality of component webs and an edge trimming. the slitter-winder comprising:

• a plurality of blades positionable at a first slitting setting spaced first distances in the cross machine direction and at a second slitting setting having different cross machine direction blade positions, the web moving in a machine direction to form, at the first slitting setting, a first edge trimming of a first width defined along a first slitting line, and to form at a second slitting setting, a second edge trimming of a second width which is different than the first width, the second edge trimming being defined along a second slitting line;
• a cutting apparatus having a cutting member for making a cut between the locations of the first slitting line and the second slitting line produced in connection with the change of the blade setting in slitting;
• and
• a control system for controlling the operation of the cutting apparatus, and changing the cross machine direction setting of the plurality of blades during slitting in order to slit component webs of different widths, in which connection the width of the edge trimming which is formed changes.