Base material processing apparatus and method of predicting meandering

A base material processing apparatus comprising:

• a transport mechanism for transporting an elongated strip-shaped base material in a longitudinal direction thereof along a predetermined transport path;
• a processing part for processing the base material in a predetermined processing position lying on said transport path;
• a reference detector for acquiring a variation with time in a reference detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a reference position lying on said transport path;
• a first detector for acquiring a variation with time in a first detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a first detection position lying on said transport path;
• a second detector for acquiring a variation with time in a second detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a second detection position lying on said transport path and downstream of said first detection position;
• a meandering amount calculation part for calculating a first meandering amount and a second meandering amount, said first meandering amount being a difference between said reference detection value and said first detection value, said second meandering amount being a difference between said reference detection value and said second detection value;
• a detection position coefficient calculation part for determining a first coefficient obtained when each of the variation with time in said first meandering amount and the variation with time in said second meandering amount is applied to a predetermined model function;
• and
• a processing position coefficient calculation part for calculating a second coefficient of said model function in said processing position, based on said first coefficient and a positional relationship between said reference position, said first detection position, said second detection position and said processing position.

A method of predicting the meandering of an elongated strip-shaped base material in a predetermined processing position lying on a predetermined transport path while transporting the base material in a longitudinal direction thereof along the transport path, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) acquiring a variation with time in a first detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a first detection position lying on said transport path, and acquiring a variation with time in a second detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a second detection position lying on said transport path and downstream of said first detection position;
• b) determining a first coefficient obtained when each of the variation with time in said first detection value and the variation with time in said second detection value is applied to a predetermined model function;
• and
• c) calculating a second coefficient of said model function in said processing position, based on said first coefficient and a positional relationship between said first detection position, said second detection position and said processing position.

A method of predicting the meandering of an elongated strip-shaped base material in a predetermined processing position lying on a predetermined transport path while transporting the base material in a longitudinal direction thereof along the transport path, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) acquiring a variation with time in a reference detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a reference position lying on said transport path, acquiring a variation with time in a first detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a first detection position lying on said transport path, and acquiring a variation with time in a second detection value indicative of the amount of widthwise misregistration of the base material in a second detection position lying on said transport path and downstream of said first detection position;
• b) calculating a first meandering amount and a second meandering amount, said first meandering amount being a difference between said reference detection value and said first detection value, said second meandering amount being a difference between said reference detection value and said second detection value;
• c) determining a first coefficient obtained when each of the variation with time in said first meandering amount and the variation with time in said second meandering amount is applied to a predetermined model function;
• and
• d) calculating a second coefficient of said model function in said processing position, based on said first coefficient and a positional relationship between said reference position, said first detection position, said second detection position and said processing position.