Honeywell is a leading global supplier of online quality control solutions for nonwovens, offering high-performance, application-specific measurement, control and information solutions that optimize quality and profitability, producing tangible economic results, attractive returns on investment and competitive advantage.

Honeywell’s measurement and control solutions are widely installed on the following processes:

• Airlaid
• Calendered
• Carded
• High loft
• Hydroentangled (Spunlace)
• Meltblown
• Needlepunched
• Spunbond
• SMS composite
• Wetlaid

Downstream converting processes, including:

• Coating/laminating of disposable hygiene products
• Fiberglass reinforced thermoplastics
• Fiberglass reinforced roofing

Honeywell’s primary Continuous Web Solutions (CWS) automation system platform is MXProLine^TM. High-speed online sensors scan the product continuously as it is being produced, providing accurate real-time feedback of essential product parameters such as weight, thickness and composition. Real-time measurements feed application-specific software, which dynamically models process behavior, providing the basis for closed-loop control. Automatic closed-loop control substantially reduces the variation of the measured parameters, typically by 30 to 60 percent, producing a variety of benefits including:

• Reduced scrap
• Raw material savings
• Faster startups and changeovers
• Elimination of out-of-spec products
• Improved product quality/consistency
• Downstream processing efficiencies
• Increased line speeds and material throughput

MXProLine profile control systems include advanced application support such as predictive/adaptive algorithms, automated mapping utilities and live onscreen tuning. MXProLine offers exceptional flexibility, scalability and customizable features that consistently meet or exceed customer requirements, whether straightforward or specialized. MXProLine also supports a full range of standards-based communications capabilities for complete integration of process information and control with both Honeywell and third-party systems and devices.

Honeywell’s CWS scanning sensors are thoroughly engineered and tested to deliver uncompromised measurement performance on a wide range of applications, from lightweight spunbond polypropylene to 0.5 meter thick high loft fiberglass insulation. Every CWS sensor includes a complete set of correctors and compensators to ensure stable performance even in harsh industrial environments. 

Honeywell’s proven automatic control applications include average weight, thickness or composition control via:

• Line speed
• Pump speed
• Card speed
• Crosslapper speed
• Vacuum
• Coordinated speed change control
• Target adaptive control
• Three-zone calender control
• Throughput optimization control

Honeywell’s experience in high-performance automatic profile controls for nonwovens includes:

• Wetlaid via slice lip position
• Drylaid via chopper speed
• Spunbond via sectionalized spinnerette control
• Coated/calendered profile via two or three zone positional actuator control

In addition to MXProLine, Honeywell offers several other solutions to nonwovens industry customers, including:

• Experion® PKS for distributed, regulatory control of production machinery
• OptiVision software for real-time control of business transactions (ordering, planning, inventory, roll tracking)
• Web Monitoring Systems for detection and analysis of web handling problems