Apparatus and method for correcting basis weight measurements using surface topology measurement data

An apparatus comprising:

• an areal weight measuring device configured to obtain a rough areal weight measurement of a stretchable web;
• a surface topology measuring device configured to obtain surface topology measurement data from a surface of the stretchable web;
• and
• an areal weight correction controller configured to correct the rough areal weight measurement using the surface topology measurement data, wherein the areal weight correction controller is configured to correct the rough areal weight measurement using crepe wavelength information and crepe peak height information from the surface topology measurement data.

An apparatus comprising:

• an areal weight measuring device configured to obtain a rough areal weight measurement of a stretchable web;
• a surface topology measuring device configured to obtain surface topology measurement data from a surface of the stretchable web;
• and
• an areal weight correction controller configured to correct the rough areal weight measurement using the surface topology measurement data;
• wherein the rough areal weight measurement comprises a rough water weight measurement.

An apparatus comprising:

• a basis weight measuring device configured to obtain a rough basis weight measurement of a stretchable web;
• a water weight measuring device configured to obtain a rough water weight measurement of the stretchable web;
• a surface topology measuring device configured to obtain surface topology measurement data from a surface of the stretchable web;
• and
• a controller configured to correct the rough basis weight measurement and to correct the rough water weight measurement using the surface topology measurement data to generate a corrected water weight measurement and a corrected basis weight measurement;
• wherein the controller is configured to determine a percent moisture value of the stretchable web by dividing a value of the corrected water weight measurement by a value of the corrected basis weight measurement and by multiplying a result by one hundred.

A method comprising the steps of:

• measuring a stretchable web with an areal weight measuring device to obtain a rough areal weight measurement of the stretchable web;
• measuring a surface of the stretchable web with a surface topology measuring device to obtain surface topology measurement data from the surface of the stretchable web;
• correcting the rough areal weight measurement using the surface topology measurement data to generate a corrected areal weight measurement;
• and
• using the corrected areal weight measurement as a feedback value in a manufacturing process of the stretchable web.

An apparatus comprising:

• an areal weight measuring device configured to obtain a rough areal weight measurement of a stretchable web;
• a surface topology measuring device configured to obtain surface topology measurement data from a surface of the stretchable web;
• and
• an areal weight correction controller configured to adjust the rough areal weight measurement using the surface topology measurement data in order to generate a more accurate corrected areal weight measurement of the stretchable web.

A tangible computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for:

• receiving a rough areal weight measurement of a stretchable web;
• receiving surface topology measurement data associated with a surface of the stretchable web;
• and
• adjusting the rough areal weight measurement using the surface topology measurement data in order to generate a more accurate corrected areal weight measurement of the stretchable web.