A method of winding a web

A method of winding a flexible web (15) to form a parent roll, said method comprising the steps of:

• engaging a rotatable engagement member (18) against a first reel spool (26),
• rotating the first reel spool (26),
• rotating the engagement member with the first reel spool (26) to create a nip,
• advancing a first web (15) into the nip and directing the first web around the first reel spool (26) to form a first parent roll of increasing diameter,
• during said step of advancing the first web into the nip, determining one or more values of a caliper of the rolled-up web (IWC) in the first parent roll, and
• either:
• (a) moving at least one of the first reel spool (26) and the engagement member (18) in relation to the other of the first reel spool (26) and the engagement member (18), in dependence of said determined values of the caliper of the rolled-up web in the first parent roll, or
• (b) engaging a rotatable engagement member (18) against a second reel spool (262), rotating the second reel spool (262), rotating the engagement member with the second reel spool (262) to create a nip, advancing a second web into the nip and directing the second web around the second reel spool (262) to form a second parent roll (252) of increasing diameter, moving at least one of the second reel spool (262) and the engagement member (18) in relation to the other of the second reel spool (262) and the engagement member (18), in dependence of said determined values of the caliper of the rolled-up web in the first parent roll.

A controller (400) for an apparatus for winding a flexible web (15) into a parent roll, said apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted first reel spool (26), a drive motor (27) for rotating said first reel spool (26) and winding a first web (15) thereon to create a first parent roll of increasing diameter, a rotatable engagement member (18) positioned adjacent to said first reel spool (26) to engage the first web (15) against said first reel spool (26) during said winding, an actuating arrangement (39) for positioning said first reel spool (26) and said engagement member (18) relative to each other,

• wherein the controller is configured to determine, during said winding, one or more values of a caliper of the rolled-up web (IWC) in the first parent roll, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of:
• (a) control, during the winding of the first web, said actuating arrangement (39) in dependence of said determined values of the caliper of the rolled-up web (IWC) in the first parent roll, or
• (b) control said actuating arrangement (39) in dependence of said determined values of the caliper of the rolled-up web (IWC) in the first parent roll, during a winding of a second web onto a rotatably mounted second reel spool (262) rotated by the drive motor (27) to create a second parent roll (252) of increasing diameter, while the engagement member (18) is positioned adjacent to the second reel spool (262) to engage the second web against the second reel spool (262) during the winding of the second web, and while the actuating arrangement (39) is arranged to position the second reel spool (262) and the engagement member (18) relative to each other.