Web material application methods and systems

A method for applying web material to a series of substrates, comprising:

• introducing a web material traveling at a predetermined speed onto a vacuum roll, the vacuum roll being positioned near a rotary knife;
• rotating the rotary knife at a peripheral speed that is substantially the same as the predetermined speed of the web material traveling on the vacuum roll so as to cut the web material to form lengths of web material;
• applying the lengths of web material to a series of substrates, wherein the substrates are spaced at non-uniform intervals and the lengths of web material are applied at non-uniform intervals;
• and
• controlling the timing of each cutting of the web material so as to register the positions of the lengths of web material with predetermined locations on the substrates.

A method for applying web material to a substrate, comprising:

• detecting the presence or absence of a substrate, registry indicia on a substrate, or a predetermined length of substrate to which a length of web material can be applied;
• initiating introduction of a web material into a feed mechanism only if the presence of a substrate, registry indicia, or a predetermined substrate length is detected;
• continuously cutting the web material supplied from the feed mechanism into individual lengths of web material;
• applying the length of web material to the substrate;
• and
• controlling the timing of each cutting of the web material so as to register the position of the length of web material with a predetermined location on the substrate.