Doublefacer Article 9 - Pulling Section

Board Quality Problems on the Doubleface Side

In Article 9, we will focus on the Pulling Section of the Doublefacer, often referred to as the Cooling
Section or Traction Section. For this article, we call it the Pulling Section since that most closely aligns
with its main function. This section pulls the web off the bridge and the DB liner off the DB rollstand
through the glue machine, triple stack, and hot plate section. It then pushes the combined board to the
slitter, pulling help from the slitter and knife infeed rolls.

The pulling section is commonly made up of a top and bottom belt. The top belt runs the full length of the
Doublefacer, and the bottom belt runs from the driven bottom pulley to an idler pulley located near the exit
of the hot plate section. These two belts create a sandwich effect with moderate weight above the top
belt. These two belts then grip the paper and pull it through the machine. There are alternate methods for
accomplishing the task of the pulling section. An example is a machine with no top belt that would then
convey the board through the machine utilizing a perforated bottom belt with a vacuum chamber below
the belt. The suction created would hold the DB liner to the belt and pull the combined board at machine
speed through the machine.

The belts will be the first component we discuss in this section of the machine. Most have a full-width top
belt and one full-width bottom belt. These can be made of different materials depending on your chosen
belt supplier. Some will have split belts on either the top, the bottom, or both, but this is uncommon today.
If you have split belts, it is imperative that both of them must be traveling at the same speed as measured
in the "flat" (discussed in an earlier article). Other machines have grip top belts in this area designed to
have a very positive hold on the paper. The vacuum belts are unique in they have a top grip surface on
the belt that provides a degree of surface friction, but also have a series of holes through the belt which
allow the vacuum from the chamber below to hold the DB liner securely to the belt to pull the paper along.
So depending on the design of your pulling section, the belts could be very different from another plant.

Next, let's look at the pressure devices, or ballast, located above the top belt in the pulling section.
Remember we covered pressure and ballast in the hot plate section of the Doublefacer in Article 8. This
pressure is used to assist the two-belt system in holding the combined board securely between the top
and bottom belt so there is no slippage between the belts and the paper. The paper must travel through
the machine at the speed of the belts. The pressure can be in the form of steel rollers, either solid or
hollow core. It can be rubber-covered rollers or no rollers at all. Some machines have pressure plates or
shoes that exert a given amount of downforce. Others have positive pressure chambers where the air
pressure exerts a downforce on the steel plates or shoes. Regardless of your machine's type of pressure
system, it must be properly cleaned and maintained. A minimum amount of pressure is needed to prevent
slippage between the belts and the board. In addition, too much pressure can result in caliper loss. On the
vacuum machines, you have no upper belt and thus no upper-pressure system since it conveys using
vacuum from below.

Common defects resulting from issues originating in the pulling section are crushed edges and weak
bonds. Paper dragging through the machine or slipping is another common issue that may originate here.
Crushed edges normally result from pressure rollers or ballast systems in poor condition, like failed
bearings or dirty rollers. A weak bond is often from slippage in the area when the top and bottom belts are
not traveling at the same speed or do not have the proper grip on the paper. Keeping your belts clean and

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properly tensioned according to the manufacturer's recommendations is very important for proper pulling
to occur.

Our Technical Specialists are very knowledgeable in this area and have worked with all types of machines
and pulling sections. They are a great resource if you have an issue in this area.

For more detail on the Pulling Section and how to optimize your machine, don't hesitate to contact one of
CCI's Technical Specialists at 800-669-7589 or solutions@corrugatedchemicals.com. "Stay tuned" for the
next section on heat and steam.

3865 Virginia Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45227 (513) 561-7773 | Fax: (513) 527-6892
https://corrugatedchemicals.com solutions@corrugatedchemicals.com