Pyradia Pilot Coating Line Achieves Multiple Coating Mode Changeovers Daily for Adhesive R&D

A pressure-sensitive adhesive manufacturer needed a compact, flexible pilot coating line for R&D that could test multiple substrates and production processes without interrupting regular production. The challenge included extreme low-tension web handling and the need for four different coating mode configurations in a 40-foot line.

Pyradia built a solution with Allen-Bradley GuardLogix safety controllers, Kinetix 5700 servo drives, VP-Series servo motors, and PowerFlex 525/527 AC drives on an EtherNet/IP network. Integrated safety zoning and Safe Torque Off functions allowed zone-specific machine access during operation.

The system enables testing of three to four different coating modes each day, conserves floor space in the R&D environment, and speeds regulatory approval through faster product validation. The customer has since requested a fifth coating mode, demonstrating system flexibility.

• Servo-based web handling provides the precision control needed for delicate low-tension substrates in R&D applications • Integrated safety zoning enables workers to access specific machine zones without full production stoppages • Flexible pilot lines compress product-to-market timelines by enabling more iterations in the same time window