IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO.
4, JULYIAUGUST 1993
Tension Control: Dancer Rolls or Load Cells
Norbert A. Ebler, Ragnar Arnason, Gerd Michaelis, and Noel D’Sa
Abstruct- The paper attempts to answer the question of
whether to use load cells or dancer roll regulation systems in
modern-day paper machinery. A computer model based on an
existing off-machine coater that has both systems integrated will
be used as the basis for this research. The two systems will be
analyzed, considering the stability of the system and its dynamic
response. Practical results based on measurements made on site
will be included.
INTRODUCTION
T HE MAIN GOAL of this paper is to investigate (analyze)
two different ways of regulating the web tension in an
off-machine coater by using either a tension controller with
load cells or a position controller using dancer rolls. In the
United States market, the use of dancer roll systems has been
much more widespread, and in Europe, the load cell systems
are more common. This leads to the question of which one of
the systems is the correct one for this particular application.
Our goal is to analyze these two systems from the regulation
point of view, that is, system stability and response times. The
mechanical advantages/disadvantages will not be discussed
here. The stability and response analysis will be performed on
a computer model using data from an actual off-line coating
machine that was recently commissioned in Southern Europe.
This machine is equipped with both systems and can be run
with either tension or position control. One section of this
machine has been selected and analyzed, that is, defining the
required controller type and checking the results. In addition to
the theoretical part, which would be the computer model of the
machine sections, measurements are made on site to confirm
this analysis, using the same controller type and parameters.
The section of the machine selected consists of the main
drive and the first coater (Fig. 1). All paper rolls located
within this machine section (proper commissioning granted)
will develop the torque required to run at the same speeds
as the master. Their influence on the performance of the
main drives can be neglected and excluded from the analysis.
Group #9 runs in speed control only, and group #20 runs in
tensiodposition control. The stability analysis on the current
and speed loops will not be included here, and proper tuning
of both loops will be assumed.
Paper PID 92-96, approved by the Pulp and Paper Industry Committee of
the Industry Applications Society for presentation at the 1992 Pulp and Paper
Industry Technical Conference, Portland, OR, June 8-12. Manuscript released
for publication September 27, 1992.
N. A. Ebler, R. Amason, and G. Michaelis are with Siemens AG, Erlangen,
Germany.
N. S. D’Sa is with Siemens Energy and Automation, Inc., Alpharetta, GA
30202.
IEEE Log Number 9210104.
0093-9994/93$03.00 0 1993 IEEE
727
PRINCIPLE OF THE MECHANICAL
STRUCTURE OF THE DANCERROLL
Dancer Roll Measuremenl
The dancer roll is located between two adjacent “fixpoints.”
The “upward” and “downward” movement of the dancer
results in a variable length of the paper web between the
fixpoints (Fig. 2(a) represents the working principle, and the
actual construction is different). The elongation and the tension
of the paper web between fixpoints are (in static condition)
determined by the elongation and tension of the paper entering
fixpointl. If the speed of the web entering fixpointl and
leaving fixpoint2 is the same, then the dancer roll will keep its
original position. However, if the speed at fixpoint2 is more
than fixpointl, the result is a linear upward movement after
reaching a steady-state condition.
To prevent the continuous linear movement, the tension
caused by the difference in speeds is compensated by a
counterpressure (Fig. 2(b)). This works against the direction of
the linear motion and returns the dancer to its original position
by increasing the tension. From this, it can be concluded that
the counterpressure acts as the tension set point and that a
change in pressure would result in a linear movement. This
movement is in turn detected by the position controller, which
increases the speed at fixpoint2 until the dancer is at its original
position.
Mechanics of the Dancer Roll
Disregarding all details, the dancer roll assembly may be
represented by the structure shown in Fig. 3. A system of
levers eliminates the influence of the weight of the dancer, but
its mass has to be considered for dynamic position changes.
The two pressurized air bags interact with the horizontal
component of the tension in the web (T.12H). This system
will be stable when the horizontal forces are balanced.
Fig. 4(a) is a simplified form of the mechanical structure,
and Fig. 4(b) is a close-up view that helps in the analysis of the
factors that determine the force exerted on the air bags. From
Fig. 4(b), it is obvious that the force exerted on the dancer roll
is a function of the pressure ‘‘p” and cross section “A.” This
leads to the conclusion that any change in position will result
in a change in area and may result in a change in pressure.
This relationship can be expressed by a differential equation:
df = p-dA
F =pA i - dp
+ A-.dx
dx dx
728 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO. 4. JULYIAUGUST 1993

'load rrll'-mcasurcmcnl 7 4

coater 1 s-wrap unwind

Fig. 1.

forcc cxccncd
bytcnrionT.1Zl t

I--- r-- ---

pres"*

c
--I
forccs due to 'prcssure'
forccs due 10 'area'
-- C-
L

f.rcs@) = 0
---

f.rcs(a) = 0

p.la = p.2.a; unbalanced 2

__I
forccs due to 'p-urc'
forccsduc t o ' a m '
-
- C-
+
L ---
f.rrs@) = 0
f d n ) >0

p.lb = p.2b; unbalanced a

Fig. 5.

If the expansion tanks are very large, as compared with

I
Fig. 3.
In order to determine if the change in position of the dancer
influences the pressure, it is necessary to first analyze the
mechanics of dancer rolls as Isobaric and Adiabatic systems.
the volume of the air bags, the air pressure will stay nearly
constant, regardless of the position of the dancer roll (Fig. 5).
It can be concluded that if the effect of the pull of paper is
neglected, the only force acting on the dancer is caused by the
change in the cross section of the air bag. Consequently, any
displacement of the dancer roll unbalances the equilibrium of
forces. From this analysis, the dancer roll has the following
features:
- A stable position of the dancer roll is possible at "zero-

Isobaric System: An isobaric system is characterized by the position" only.

fact that a change of volume does not result in a change of - The spring constant of the isobaric system is fixed by
pressure. P(dA/dX).
 ___

729
EBLER et al.: TENSION CONTROL DANCER ROLLS OR LOAD CELLS

--. --- r
+ I rel/

- l.res(a)
-
4
I res(p)
tres(a)

-
-
lot zero p o s i l i : for zero posnion :

t T.12
T.12H
T.12H f.r8f

lor any pcaitin :

T.12H + f.res(a) -f.ref

Fig. 6.
+
spring constan(-
- 0

T12
T.12H
T.1ZH-I.reI

for any positin :

T.12H + f.res(p) + f . r e s ( a ) - f . r e f -

Fig. 8.
* spring mnstant
0

- Due to the position controller, a static position will

always be obtained in the “zero position,” where both
the systems are identical for the given setup.

p.la = p.2a; balanczd 1 p.lb < p.2b: unbalanced

CONTROLLED SYSTEM “DANCERROLL”ASSEMBLY
Fig. I .
Basic Formulas
Adding the influence of the web (Fig. 6 ) to the above The schematic shown in Fig. 9 has been used to develop the
analysis, we find that the horizontal component of its tension formulas that define the physics of the dancer roll assembly.
has to be included in the equilibrium of forces. This leads to A legend to abbreviations in the schematic are as follows:
an additional force “f.ref,” which is caused by the reference TO1 [NI tension of the web entering fixpointl
value “p.ref,” where T12 [NI tension of the web between fixpointl
and fixpoint2
p.ref = p.1 - p.2. (3) e0 1 elongation of the web entering fixpointl
e12 elongation of the web between fixpointl
Adiabatic System: An adiabatic system is characterized by and fixpoint2
the fact that a change of volume results in a change of pressure. E [NI related modulus of elasticity
If the air bags represent a closed system of such a design, d Iml actual position of the dancer
actual length of paper between “fixpoints”
then a small horizontal compression results in a large change I12 [m]
of enclosed volume, and the net effect would be a change in f0 1 relative cross sectional area of the web
pressure (Fig. 7). If the pressures are identical and the pull of entering fixpoint 1
the web is disregarded, the dancer will be stable at the “zero- f12 relative cross sectional area of the web
position.” However, when displaced, two forces are created: between fixpoints
one from the change in area and the other from the change in s l [mh] speed at fixpointl
pressure. This leads to the following conclusions: s2 [ d s ] speed at fixpoint2
m [kg] mass of the dancer roll
- A stable position of the dancer is possible only at “zero-
c [Nlm] spring constant
position.”
T12H [NI component of the tension in the spring direction
- The spring constant of the adiabatic system is fixed by
The basic formulas are as follows:
p ( d A / d z ) and A ( d p / d z ) .
Like the isobaric system, the introduction of the web needs 1) d/dt(f.l2 .I.12) = f.01.s.l-f.12.s.2
an additional force “f.ref’ in order to stabilize the system (Fig. I* 11
8).
The actual characteristics of a dancer roll assembly are a 2) T.12 = e.12.E
combination of both. However, the system can be represented
by an adiabatic system, regardless of the actual condition, due
to the following arguments:
- For fast dynamic changes of the position of the dancer

roll, the pressure in the air bag will not equalize quickly
enough because the expansion tank provides conditions 4) AF - T.12H = m . d2/dtz(d) d.dr. d/dt(d) c . d + +
similar to those of a truly adiabatic system. law of motion
730 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO. 4, JULYIAUGUST 1993

+L2 + 1

Fig. 9.

s.2 s.1

"1 The left part of the equation represents a change of

the amount of material stored between fixpoints; the
right-hand side indicates the balance between material
entering and leaving the fixpoints.
* 2 Due to the law of the invariability of mass, an elongation
of the paper web will inevitably result in a reduction of
its cross section.
AF 4487.3 N
E 2E+06 N
Development of the System Block Diagram D.a 2.525 m
Db 0.888 m
Using the above listed formulas, three system formulas have L.a 0.984 m
L.b 2.374 m
been developed to assist in the building of a block diagram. L.12 4.63 m
Formula A: By solving ( 2 ) for elongation and substituting T.01 3500 N
T.120 3500 N
in (3), a relationship between area and tension is obtained. L.120 9.874 m
This is then used in ( 1 ) to give us an expression in measurable s.2ls.l 0 -
quantities (tension and elasticity instead of relative area and Fig. 10.
elongation).
This, after simplification and integration, results in
T.12
e.12 = - from 2) f.12 = E from 3 )
E E T.12
~

+ J' J' AFdt2 - J' J' T.12[Xl]dt2

E E
-~
[
dt E ET.12+.I.12 =
]
E+T.Ql
.S.l--~

E+T.12
s2.
=m.d + d.dr I ddt + cJ' J'd dt2
After integration this results in D.a+ d +d
D.b

x1 = d m + JL.v + (D.b + d)'.

+cl - J' [2
E + T.12
. s.2 d t
1 - c2
Formula C: The length of the web between fixed points
can be expressed as

with 1.12 = ~ . 1 2 + JW+ Jm.

c l - c2 =
E + ET.120 .L.120 The formulas derived above have been used to develop the
block diagram of the model used in the simulation of the
where the left-hand side is the change in the amount of material dancer roll system (Fig. 10; for details of the block structure,
stored between the fixpoints, and the right-hand side is the refer to the Appendix).
difference between the amount of material entering and leaving
the area between the fixpoints. The Dancer Roll Assembly as a Control Loop
Formula B: From the geometry of the dancer roll, the
component of tension in the direction of the spring tension - The reference tension expressed by A F serves as an input
variable that has to be set on the required value.
can be substituted in (4) giving us the following equation:
- The actual speed s l of the main drive is influenced by
d2 d the controllers of the neighboring section; if only one
A F - T.l2[Xl] = m . --z(d)+d.dr.-(d)+c.d section is considered, this speed will be influenced by
dt dt
D.a + d D.b + d the change in web tension.
- The actual speed s2 is controlled by the position con-
troller of the particular section.
 +
EBLER et al.: TENSION CONTROL: DANCER ROLLS OR LOAD CELLS 73 1

roll a

s.1

Fig. 11.

- The tension of the web entering the section is the tension
of the web in the previous section; if the simulation is
for one section, only this is held constant.
- All remaining values are dependent on each other: A
change in tension T12 will cause a change in T12H; this
creates an unbalance and results in a displacement of the
dancer. The movement of the dancer changes the length
of paper in the section and influences the web tension.
- The above derived model was tested in a computer
simulator, and the results were compared with practical
experience, thus verifying the discussed block structure.
BASICPRINCIPLE OF THE LOAD CELL
Using the output signal from a load cell as the actual
tension feedback is the second variant we will address. The
web tension exerts a certain force on the load cell, which is
shown in Fig. 1 1 : One is located on each side of the paper roll
“a.” This force is proportional to the web tension between the
fixpoint (1 and 2). The output signal of the load measurement
device will ideally be proportional to the web tension, granted
that there are no other factors such as mechanical unbalance
or drift in the measuring equipment. Those issues will be
addressed later on in this chapter.
There are two different variations of load cell systems that
are most commonly used in the paper-making machinery.
Those two systems will only be looked at briefly; any technical
details will be left out as the internal design of the load cell is
of no importance for this analysis. For both types, we will
assume the same basic characteristic: The output signal is
proportional to the force applied to the load cell.
Variable Permeability Load Cells: This type of load cell
uses a ferromagnetic material that changes its permeability
depending on the force applied on it and thereby alters the
inductive coupling between an energized primary coil and
a secondary signal coil. A suitable measuring circuit then
transforms the ac signal received to a dc signal with the desired
characteristic.
Cross Coil Load Cells: This second variant of load cells
Fig. 12.
reduce the effects of this noise will be discussed at the end
of the paper.
CONTROLLED
SYSTEM“LOADCELLASSEMBLY’
Any study of the structure of a tension control loop, its
simulation, and its analysis requires a sufficiently simplified
but adequate structure of the controlled system in question.
For a tension control loop, the controlled system of the “load
cell assembly” has to be defined, and its physics have to
be converted into serviceable formulas. For the “load cell
assembly,” the simplified physical setup and the mathematical
correlations can both be derived from the controlled system
“dancer roll assembly” by disregarding all items and terms
that are either nonexistent or irrelevant in the system.
Replacing the “dancer roll assembly” with a “load cell
assembly” allows for a number of simplifications:
- The displacement d of the position of the paper roll
accounts for a fraction of a millimeter and may be ignored
d = 0.
- The practical immobility of the paper roll results in the
following:
i) In a constant angle alpha and beta
ii) in a constant length of the paper between the two
fixpoints
iii) elimination of the necessity to consider the law of
motion.
The resulting schematic for the load cell assembly can be
seen in Fig. 12.
The same basic formula used for the dancer roll assembly
can now be adapted to the load cells. The solution of the
above-mentioned formulas will now result in the following
equations:
E
-~
[ +
dt E ET.12 ]
.I.12 = ~.
E+T.01
s.1 - E
E T.12
. s.2
~

+
uses two coils with a 90” displacement angle, which is located An explicit solution of the equation for the tension T.12 is
inside the load cell pillar. In a no-load situation, no voltage not required. To realize an easy to handle block structure of
will be induced in the secondary winding. As soon as the load the above-mentioned equations, the differentiations will have
cell is loaded, the displacement angle will differ from 90°, and to be eliminated. This is done by integrating both sides of the
the signal level in the secondary coil will be changed. formula. Rearranging the results and introducing a definition
Ideally, the weight of the roll can be neglected, but depend- for the integration constants leads us to the following results:
ing on the mounting position of the roll (horizontal or vertical),
the output signal level might have to be compensated. In case L.12
T.12 =
of a mechanical unbalance, the weight of the roll also has an
influence on the output signal. To eliminate the noise caused by
S &dt - s &dt+ L.12
E+T.120
-E-

this unbalance, some filtering of the actual tension value might This equation is now represented by a block structure and
be necessary; however, this will evidently have an influence will be used for the analysis and simulation of the performance
on the dynamic response of the whole system. Methods to of the controlled system “load cell assembly” and for the study
132 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO. 4, JULYIAUGUST 1993
I T.120 I 1.12
Fig. 13.
of the characteristics of the tension control loop. The block
diagram showing the structure of the load cell assembly is
shown in Fig. 13.
For the analysis on the load cell assembly, the same data
as used in the dancer roll analysis will be applied. This will
later allow for comparison of the performance of these two
systems. For the paper characteristics and tension, the same
data will also be used.
To verify the correct function of the simulation of the
load cell, the results that have been obtained have been cross
checked against practical experience, and they can be backed
by results based on mathematical calculations. A sufficiently
comprehensive verification is carried out by considering a
statically stable condition. That means that if all but one of the
parameters are defined as constants, the remaining parameters
have to be constant as well. If one parameter is changed to
another constant value, the system has to reach a new stable
condition. The mathematical definition for the statically stable
condition is derived from the following formula by setting the
time variable term d/ dt (.....) to zero.
E E
. s.1 - ____ . s.2
E + T.12
+-
E + T.O1 . s.1 = E + T.12 . s.2
~
Solving the equation for the tension of the paper web (T. 12)
then results in the following equation “A”:
Based on the differential equation, the step response of the
load cell assembly can be calculated and is defined by “B,”
where T.12 00 is the tension of the paper in the new stable
condition.
B) T.12 = T.120 + (T.1200 - T.120) [l -
1.12
r=
(s.1 + s.2)/2’
In Fig. 14, a positive step of speed is applied to the outgoing
drive: s.2h.l = 1.001. The new steady-state tension value is
Fig. 15
calculated to be T.12 CO=5504 N (Formula A) and the time
constant for the transient function t = 0.99 s.
Supplementing the mathematical calculation, the behavior
observed may also be backed by a logical explanation. In-
creasing the web tension requires a stretching of the web
(elongation). Applying a speed step to the drive does not
instantly increase the length of the web, and therefore, the
web tension will not instantly follow the step function of the
speed. The web still features the characteristic it had before
the step was applied. Due to the higher speed of the drive at
fixpoint2, more paper leaves the section at any time interval
than enters. This again results in an elongation of the paper
and, respectively, in a web tension increase.
CONTROLLER STRUCTURE: SPEED CONTROLLER BY ITSELF
We have previouly discussed how the load cell assembly
has been developed and tested, but to complete the section
between these two drives, the speed controller will now be
added. The speed controller matches the actual speed to the
speed reference and compensates for any speed variation in
the paper web. If the speed controller is selected as indicated
by Fig. 15, a change in tension cannot be detected directly.
Testing the above-mentioned speed controller circuit by
simulation, that is, by applying a load step on drive #20,
reveals a response that is quite similar to the one obtained
for the dancer roll system; see Figs. 16 and 17.
During the time interval when the dancer roll is practically
at its zero position (which is displayed by the shaded area),
both systems are nearly identical and respond uniformly to the
step of the load at drive #20. Once the dancer roll has left the
zero position, the step response of the system operating on the
EBLER et al.: TENSlON CONTROL DANCER ROLLS OR LOAD CELLS 733

5 2 1 WS

05 10 15 20 25 t/s

511 WS

20 00
19 99
19 98

05 10 15 20 25 t/s S . d

Fig. 18.
Fig. 16

T.12/N
A
Ftolal = Fsyslem Fcoiitrol = *s ref
3500 F.total
I 1

3000
s.ref 41-

closedloop
system
I

smoothing tension
1 1

s.add.

F.system F.controller ]
Fig. 19. F . t o t a l = F.system F.contro1 = -
05 10 15 20 25 t/s

d/ mm
In order to design the tension controller, the characteristics
of the controller have to be defined. As indicated in Fig. 18,

5LLllL=L 05 10 15
'dancar roll'

Fig. 17.
20 25 tis
the overall performance is determined by the transfer function
of the system (F.system) and by the transfer function of the
controller (F.controller).
The closed-loop system (Fsystem) (see Fig. 19) consists
of the speed control loop, the characteristics of the web, and
the geometry of the section. The other part consists of the
load cell system shows a larger drop in tension along with a characteristics of the tension control loop (F.control), including
lower frequency of the dampened oscillation; see Fig. 17. the tension controller and the smoothing of the actual tension:
T.12 s.add
Fsystem = - Fxontrol = -
s.ref T.12.
SELECTION AND SIMULATION OF THE TENSION CONTROLLER

Both of the systems discussed (the dancer roll and the load
cell) provide information on the tension of the paper web
(the dancer by means of position and the load cell by direct
tension). However, to control the position and the tension,
respectively, a controller is required; the controller output has
to influence the speed of the drives (the relation of the adjacent
drives determines the position of the dancer roll and the tension
of the web, respectively).
Commonly, the position controller and the speed controller,
respectively, act on the drive in the forward direction of the
web. The speed of this drive can be influenced by either an
additional speed reference or by an additional current, i.e.,
torque reference. To eliminate any unnecessary delay, it seems
reasonable to bypass the speed controller and to apply an
additional current reference rather than an additional speed
reference. A block diagram of the proposed arrangement,
based on a tension controller with a load cell system, is shown
in Fig. 18.
The overall transfer function is as in Fig. 19.
A rough estimate based on a simplified Bode diagram can
be used to find a suitable controller characteristic. The closed-
loop system F.system is a dampened second-order system. The
resonating frequency and the corner frequency, respectively,
can be determined by a practical test or by simulation, as is
done in this particular case. The simulation offers a corner
frequency of
w.system = 6.04 Hz.
Since the corner frequency of this second-order system is
known, its typical characteristic can be shown in a simplified
Bode diagram (Fig. 20).
The critical phase angle of - 180" is reached at a frequency
that is very close to the system frequency. Any P- or PI-type
controller will shift the intersection of the gain with the 0-dB
line towards larger frequencies, resulting in a decrease in the
phase margin and tending to instability. However if the "D'
134
/F(p)/ in d6
5 01 2 3 5 1 2 3 5 10
0 in dgr
Fig. 20.
/F(p)/ in dB
5 0 1 2 0 6 1 2 3 5 1 0
cp in dgr
Fig 21
component of the tension controller is introduced, i.e., a PD-
controller characteristic, the phase angle is increased by +90
for radiant frequencies that are about one decade larger than the
rate time of the PD controller (the rate time is set to match the
system frequency: t.rate = l/w.system). If a small smoothing
time constant of 10 ms is added, the slope of -40 dB/decade
and the phase shift to -180 degrees will have an impact at
higher radiant frequencies and an insignificant influence in the
behavior of the control loop (Fig. 21).
The shifting of the stability limit to large radiant frequencies
allows the use of a large proportional gain that results in a
small drop in tension and a short settling time for a step of
load on one of the drives. In practical operation, a step of load
represents a more critical condition than a step of reference
value. Considering that a phase margin of 20 to 70 generally
results in a satisfying response characteristic, a phase margin
of 45 has been chosen. (In a Bode diagram, a 45 phase margin
is defined for a phase angle of the open control-loop reading
-135O.)
By comparing “a.m.2” in Fig. 21 with “a.m.1” in Fig. 20, it
can be concluded that with a smoothing time constant of 10 ms
for the tension actual value, the amplitude margin reads +30
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO. 4, JULYJAUGUST 1993
2 3 5 100 2 3 5 1M)O 2
radiant lrequency 0 in I/s
I I I I I I I\-, 1‘2’1 I I I
;I I I 1 IYII I I I I
Fig. 22.
dB more for a PD controller than it does for a P controller.
However, in practical operation, the inevitable mechanical
unbalance of the paper rolls equipped with load cells will
generate a considerable “noise” signal. The frequency of this
signal is proportional to the speed of the paper roll, and its
amplitude is almost the same as the range of tension being
measured. Practical experience has shown that it takes a first-
order filter element with a smoothing time constant of about
500 ms to 1 s to clean up this signal. (This is particularly true
for wide machines that have a single paper roll for the load
cell measurement.)
2 3 5 1 0 0 2 3 5 1 m 2
radiant frequency 0 in lis
A change in the smoothing time constant from 10 to 500
ms could result in a different controller and new settings. The
Bode diagram has been redone with a smoothing time constant
of 500 ms (Fig. 22); curve 1 is for a P controller, and curve 2
is for a PD controller. From these figures, it can be seen that
for a P controller, the amplitude margin (a.m.3) is almost the
same as a P controller with a filter of 10 ms. However, for a
PD controller, the amplitude margin only increases by 7 dB
as opposed to 30 dB for the same circuit with a IO-ms filter.
(Because the readings are based on simplified Bode diagrams
that do not exactly match the real conditions, the numerical
values of the amplitude margin at radiant frequencies close
to the resonating frequency must be considered with care.)
Regardless of the numerical inaccuracy, it is clear that the
addition of a 500-ms filter negates the advantage of a PD
controller, which leads us to the following conclusions for
tension controllers with large smoothing time constants:
-A P(1) tension controller will perform very much like
a P(I)D controller.
- The small radiant frequency implies a long settling time
for the tension.
- The small amplitude margin allows only for a small
proportional gain, resulting in a large drop in tension
for step changes in load.
Based on the above conclusions, a PI-tension controller will
be selected.
EELER et al.: TENSION CONTROL: DANCER ROLLS OR LOAD CELLS 735

""'"1 n I 1 2 3 4 tlS

1 \-
1.r = 0.06 s

l.r E 0.13 s (Opl.)

3450 g.p = 0.32 (Opl.)

3400

1
g p = 0.16
(for all cuwes : PcCarlroller;g.p = 0.32)
1
I I I 1 I b
3350
I
1 2
I

3 4
-
11s
1 2
Fig. 24.
3 4 I l S

Fig. 23.

Optimization of the Tension Controller

The optimization of a PI controller requires settings for the
proportional gain (g.p) and for the reset time (t.r). A PID-
controller requires an additional setting for the rate time. The
rate time is then selected to match the system frequency:
t.rate = l/w.system.
The controller settings can either be calculated or found
experimentally; the latter is preferred and is used in the 2.0 4.0 6.0
simulation as well as on site. Experience suggests a test T.l2/ N A
procedure where a step of load (about 30% of the rated load)
is applied on the outgoing drive of a section. The output of the
tension controller or the tension actual value are analyzed for
the optimum response. In cases where an actual step of load
I
cannot be applied, a step of current reference can be applied I I
2.0
I
4.0 6.0
I C

to achieve comparable results.

The first step in the optimization procedure is to determine
the proportional gain by configuring the controller as a P
controller (either block the integral part or set the reset time
to a large value). In the given example, the optimum gain is
found to be 0.32 (see Fig. 23). The next step is to introduce the
reset time (t.r) and repeat the step of load to achieve optimum
results (see Fig. 24). The optimum reset time is found to be
0.13 s.
The overall performance of the discussed tension controlled
section is shown in Fig. 25. The results shown here are from
a computer simulation for a maximum speed of 20 d s ; the
results at other speeds (down to 1 d s ) are nearly the same.
SELECTION AND SIh4ULATION OF THE POSITION CONTROLLER
As already discussed, a position-controlled dancer roll ar-
rangement can be used to control the tension of the paper web.
An appropriate block diagram is indicated by Fig. 26.
Fig. 25.
The definition of the best-suited controller characteristic can
be carried out along the same line of reasoning as has been
done for the tension controller. Summarizing the interpretation
of the Bode diagrams for the dancer roll system suggests a PD
(or PID)-position controller. Since the signal for the position
of the dancer roll is superimposed by comparatively little noise
(contrary to the load cell output), a small smoothing time
constant is sufficient; in this case, the advantage of the D
component of the controller is maintained.
As before, the optimization of the position controller will
be carried out on the same experimental basis. Again, the rate
time of the controller is set to match the system frequency.
For the same section, but using the dancer roll assembly, the
system frequency reads
w.system = 3.26 Hz.
136 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO. 4, JULYIAUGUST 1993

I
I I
2.0
I
40
I
60
I

80
- I/s

s~/~nts A

4’

I I I 1 I c 115
20 40 60 80

:zP===-
T.12/N

a d

Fig. 26. t/s

d/mm 20 40 60 80

-
100

- vn- -
Fig. 29.
--
~

t l S

I / (tor aH curas : t.rate = 0.3s ) Oscillation of the Tension

1 I I I - * II
In a load cell system, only the paper web will feature a
1 .o 2.0 3 .O 4.0
spring constant, but a dancer roll system has an additional
Fig. 21. spring constant, resulting in a higher frequency of the oscil-
lation.

COMPARISON OF POSITION CONTROL (BY DANCER

ROLL) AND TENSION CONTROL (BY LOADCELL)

(tw all cwves : t.rate = 0.3s ; 9.p = 0.9)
I I I I
1 .o 2.0 3.O 4.0
Fig. 28.
Optimization of the Position Controller
The first step is to activate the PD controller and obtain the
setting for the proportional gain (Fig. 27). Next, the controller
is made into a PID controller, and the reset time is reduced
until an optimum response is obtained (Fig. 28).
The plots in Fig. 29 represent the performance of the section
discussed using the position control circuit.
COMPARISON OF THE RESPONSE CHARACTERISTICS
(LOADCELLvs. DANCERROLL)
Drop of Tension
The load cell system will signal a change in tension but can-
not react without the tension controller. The speed controller
will restore the original speed and not maintain tension.
On the other hand, the dancer roll system will respond to
a drop of tension by a movement of the dancer, resulting in
a lesser drop in tension.
Response Characteristics
The response of a tension control circuit based on load cells
depends on the smoothing time constant for tension actual
c t/s value. In most installations, large filters are required on the
tension feedback. This results in a slow response.
The position control circuit also has a slow response because
there is an inherent time delay in the position signal. The
position control circuit can only respond after a movement of
the dancer roll. As this movement is delayed considerably with
respect to the tension, the position control circuit is bound to
respond slowly.
The plots in Fig. 30 (run-up of the speed) and in Fig. 31
(step of load on the outgoing drive) compare the response
of the “dancer roll circuit” with the response of the “load cell
circuit.” These plots and the previous arguments reveal that the
position control circuit with dancer roll and the tension control
circuit with load cells have amazingly similar behavior.
COMPARISON OF THOSE TWO SYSTEMS
FROM AN OPERATIONS POINT OF VIEW
There are, of course, other factors besides the stability and
the dynamic response of the system, and one of them is how
easily the machine can be operated using either one of those
systems. At this point, the machine has not been run long
enough to be able to gather sufficient information on both
 EBLER ef al.: TENSION CONTROL: DANCER ROLLS OR LOAD CELLS 131

% I
2 4 6 8
* 11s

TIPIN 4 20 40 60 80

r~invr 4

I
2 4 6 8
47
Fig. 30. > 11s
20 40 60 80

systems. However some experience has been made on other

machines, running either with load cells or dancer rolls.

Threading of the Paper Web

Practical experience has shown that when paper is being
threaded into the machine, the characteristic of the dancer roll
is more forgiving, that is, when the web is stretched after
threading, the transition from slack to tension is smoother. 1 D 111
20 40 60 80
With a load cell system, the slack takeup requires more
awareness on behalf of the operators.

Tension Indication
Some operators feel more comfortable being able to read
the actual tension value directly by using load cell systems.
However, in a dancer roll system, the counter pressure could be
used with the right calibration of the manometer that indicates
the pressure.

SUGGESTION ON IMPROVEMENT OF THE LOADCELL
The simulation and analysis of the tension controller circuit
has made it obvious that the dynamic response of the whole
system depends very much on the value of the smoothing
used to filter the actual tension signal. Practical experience
has shown that in most cases, a large smoothing of the actual
value signal is required in order to eliminate the noise signal
coming from the load cell.
Obviously, the best solution would be to use 100% balanced
rolls in the load cell assembly; however, that is practically
impossible. Using split roll setups, that is, splitting the rolls
into smaller sections, the diameter of the rolls could be
reduced. This would result in an increase in the speed and
the frequency of the noise, resulting in a smaller filter for the
tension signal.
There is another method to compensate the noise without
using large filtering constants; we call this “dynamic compen-
sation.” This idea has been coarsely tested on site, and the
results were promising. The waveform of the noise signal is
similar to a sinusoidal wave due to the superposition of the
effects of the static and the dynamic unbalance. Normally, only
the base frequency is of any importance because the higher
frequency harmonics can be easily filtered. The amplitude of
the noise (without considering the influence of the load cell
itself) increases proportionally to the square of the speed Fig.
32.
The characteristic of the load cell itself is a function of the
frequency and has to be considered within the operating range
(4...10 Us). Basically, this characteristic can be expressed by
Figs. 33 and 34.
Since the characteristics of this noise signal and the load
cell are known, it is possible to nearly eliminate the noise
rather than dampen it by a disturbingly large smoothing time
constant. A comparison of the signal for the actual tension
and the output signal from the load cell assembly suggests a
possible solution; see Fig. 35.
A signal matching the actual tension of the paper web
(without the superimposed oscillation) can be obtained from
the load cell output by subtracting the component that is
caused by the mechanical unbalance of the paper roll. This
component has to have the same frequency, amplitude, phase,
and waveform. The block diagram below (Fig. 36) suggests a

-___.. .. ...
 738
‘noise. 4 actual speed
i--- tp(->I) --+
s speed of the paper roll (revlsec)
a peak amplkude Or the ‘noise’
t.p peridwidth of the ’noise’
f frequency of the ’noise’
a prop. s 2
t.p prop. 11s
f prop. s
Fig. 32
10 l/lk
Fig. 33.
. , ” * - I l/l/s
Fig. 34.
Fig. 35.
possible circuit (which has been realized in a simplified version
and gave satisfying practical results).
While operating without paper, any signal transmitted from
the load cell is caused by the drifting of the load cell signal or
the mechanical unbalance of the roll. This signal is influenced
in amplitude and phase by the characteristic of the load cell.
Running the paper roll at the lowest speed of the operating
range, the waveform analyzer analyzes the signal and stores
one period of this signal. Increasing the speed of the paper
roll up to the maximum operating speed, the amplitude and
the phase of the load cell signal will change, that is, both
the speed-related noise and the characteristic of the load
cell. By analyzing the load cell signal at small intervals and
comparing it with the signal at the low speed throughout the
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 29, NO. 4, JULYIAUGUST 1993
_____-____-_ correlator
wave form analyzer
synchronizing
loa+cell output
w- Fig. 36.
runup of the drive, the characteristic of the phase and of
the amplitude can be measured. A suitable tacho generator
provides a synchronizing pulse of l/rev. This synchronizing
pulse and the positive transition of the noise signal will feature
a certain phase shift and will be stored for further applications.
The waveform generator is triggered by the synchronizing
signal to produce a waveform that matches that of the noise
signal. By combining the inverted characteristics of the load
cell signal and the phase shift with the output signal of the
waveform generator, the noise is reproduced in frequency,
phase, and waveform (output of the correlator).
This synthesized noise will then be subtracted from the
actual tension signal where the noise is superimposed. This
way, the noise will be eliminated and leave only a signal
that matches the actual web tension. In the tests that were
done on site, the frequency analyzedgenerator was substituted
by a wave generator that was tuned to the frequency, phase
shift, and amplitude of the load cell signal at one particular
rotational frequency. Due to the difference in the waveforms,
the compensated waveforms were not completely zero. How-
ever, using this simplified version, we were able to reduce
the first-order smoothing down to approximately 20%. The
measurements done at different speeds showed similar results.
CONCLUSION
For all practical purposes, given the mechanical limitations
of both systems and disregarding personnel preferences, there
is no difference between controlling tension using dancer rolls
or load cells. However, in a “clean load cell system,” where
a filter of only 10 ms is necessary, the load cell system is far
superior because the gain of the controller can be increased
considerably (Fig. 21), resulting in a far superior response and
smaller drop-in tension.
APPENDIX
This appendix shows a block diagram of the “dancer roll
assembly.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank Mr. R. Alhaid of Beloit
Inc. for his valuable assistance in developing the mathematical
models.
EBLER et al.: TENSION CONTROL: DANCER ROLLS OR LOAD CELLS 139

Block dia ram of the

'dancer-royl assembly'

I 1 I

L
AP IormUla 8'
I

J'
E 'relatcd' modulus of elasticity
T.01 ovcrall tension of the paper web cnlerin the wcrion
T.120 wcrall lension of Ihc p p c r web wilhin %c seclion prior lo the stan of Ihc Iimulalion auxiliarynlucs dexnbin Ihc gcomclry of the dancer-roll asscmbly
T.12 ovcnll lcnsion of the papcr web wilhin the seclion (sec annex: tcchnial dataf
I12 aclual lcnglh of the papcrwcb of Ihe scction L.b
d
1. I 2 auxiliary value (we annex: Icchnical data) po511non of Ihe dancer roll
L.120 lcnglh 01 thc p a p wcb ofthe sccliun for zero-portlion of thc danccr-roll A;,dr
V ~orcc In~ opcnrtingdircclion
~ ~ oof thc sprtng
~ pro rlfonal
~ c%"nstrcs)
~ : !he rcfercncc
lo ~ ~ l~nslon
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
s.1 spccd of Ihc papcr web cnlcnng the seclion
r.2 spccd oflhc p p c r web lcaving thc section m mas o n h e danccr roll
I 21s.l relation of the spccd

APPENDIX. "Dancer roll assembly."

Norbert Ebler received the master's degree in Gerd Michaelis received the degree in electrical
electrical engineering at the Technical University of engineering from the Fachhochschule Coburg, Ger-
Munich, Germany, in 1980. many.
After graduation, he joined the field services divi- In 1987, he joined Siemens AG, Erlangen, Ger-
sion of Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany, as a com- many, as a commissioning engineer in the field
misioning engineer. On completion of numerous services division and has done numerous startups
commisioning jobs on PLC equipment, HV-system since then. At Siemens, he performs commission-
protection equipment, and speed-controlled drives, ing and service jobs for paper industry drives and
he joined the Siemens Training Center in 1986. automation equipment, especially on digital control
He is currently a training manager at the Training and regulation systems.
Center. He teaches classes in svstem urotection. , L

UPS systems, and speed-controlled ac and ds drives. He has written about

topics related to his teaching activities, such as applied control theory on
elastically coupled drives and computer simulation of complex drives.

Noel D'Sa received the degree in industrial elec-

Ragnar Arnason received the degree in electrical
engineering from Odense Teknikum, Denmark.
He joined the field service group of the field ser-
vices and commissioning division of Siemens AG,
Erlangen, Germany, in 1986. He started working
in the field of printing machinery, commissioning
drive control systems and PLC's. Since 1987, he
has been doing commissioning and service jobs in
the paper industry, mainly working with both analog
and digital drive control systems.
tronics from Shri Bhagubai Mafathal Polytechnic,
India. He received the degree in computer science
from Mercer University in 1988.
In 1979, he joined Siemens, India as a test en-
gineer. In 1983, he migrated to the United States
and joined Siemens as a systems enginneer with
the special projects group in Alpharetta, CA. He
has performed a number of systems tests and com-
missioning jobs for the paper and metals industries.
After receiving the B.S.C.S degree, he began his
present tasks as systems engineer, where he is responsible for the systems
design for drive systems in applications in the paper industry.