Efficiency of Substrate Conversion and its Control in Web-fed Printing Systems

The aims and objectives of this thesis are to investigate the efficiency of substrate conversion and its control in the web-fed printing system.

This work commences with an overview of the web-fed printing process, the need for investigating efficient methods of production, the benefits to be obtained by continued research into the process and the way in which the research programme proposes to investigate the system (Chapters 1 and 2).

The thesis continues by assessing the nature of the substrates (Chapter 3), the economic and environmental cost of substrate waste (Chapter 4). Having determined the level of need, the characteristics and behaviour patterns of the paper substrate which could result in excess waste were then investigated (Chapter 5) and related to its interaction with the web-fed printing production system (Chapter 6).
An analysis of the percentage waste levels of current web-fed printing systems and its relationship to the level of automatic control in current use was used to assess the need for improvement (Chapter 6).

Having determined the need for improved performance, mathematical models as the basis for closed-loop control algorithms that could be used to control and stabilise later web wander were then developed, and assessment of their dynamic response carried out (Chapter 7).

Finally, the thesis concludes by summarising the work undertaken and the results obtained with respect to the initial objectives, and details potential areas for further research (Chapter 8).

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