Automated fabrication of corrugated paper products

Apparatus for preparing a paper web having first and second opposed major surfaces and containing moisture, for adhesive joinder, comprising:

• heating means with a curved outer heated surface;
• a wrap arm movable across the outer heated surface of the heater, for wrapping the paper web across the heating means;
• means for moving the wrap arm between first and second positions so as to bring greater and lesser portions of the paper web in contact with the heating means;
• sensor means for sensing, for the different positions of the wrap arm, the surface moisture carried by the paper web at the first surface and the temperature of the paper web at the first surface;
• means for determining a low temperature wrap arm position at which a rate of increase of surface moisture increases;
• means for determining a high temperature wrap arm position at which a rate of increase of surface temperature is negligible;
• means for determining an offset comprising the difference between the low temperature wrap arm position and the high temperature wrap arm position;
• means for determining a high moisture wrap arm position at which a rate of increase of surface moisture is negligible;
• means for determining a desired operating position of the wrap arm by adjusting the high moisture wrap arm position toward the low temperature wrap arm position by an amount corresponding to the offset;
• and
• means for moving the wrap arm to the desired operating position.