Dentas Corporation, Denisli, is part of a large industrial group with companies in several different branches. In 1997, they decided to enter into the tissue business and contacted FlexLink through their Turkish partner for the product handling. A highly flexible distribution system for unwrapped and wrapped roll tissue products was developed for Dentas.

A turnkey project for all product handling
A plan was made for the total area of product handling, covering conveyor systems, vertical and horizontal diverters as well as upending, stacking and collating equipment. The total scope of work was based on the following conditions: Bathroom tissue rolls were to be produced on a PCMC surface-winder, wrapped by two PCMC wrappers, one UF250 and one EPS 350 and finally bundled by an FC20 bundler. The high output of about 900 rolls/min required a simultaneous operation of both wrappers in most pack configurations. This required a split-discharge from the saw as well as dynamic-flow diverters for proper lane balancing. 

“At the time there was no infeed arrangement available for the FC20 bundler and the development of a diverter/collator/stacker, became a critical subject in the scope of supply”, says Björn Hamsten, FlexLink, technically responsible for the installation. The criteria for this unit were 220 twin packs/min, 185 four-roll packs/min or 160 six roll packs/min however the twin packs were stacked in two layers. 

900 rolls/min from three lanes 
The roll diverters had to operate at 900 rolls/min from three lanes and distribute them into two, three or four lanes in a constant flow with individual roll counting. The first diverter was a vertical type that split the production between the two wrappers by a vertical movement that could divert the gap in between two logs or by activated stoppers that could split the flow in any gap created by accelerating conveyors. The secondary diverters are the horizontal type developed on our patented system with acceleration instead of clamping. 

Global and successful co-operation
The development work started early in 1998. “Our global organization turned out to be a success”, says Björn Hamsten. Our local partner handled the commercial part, the installation at site and the controls. FlexLink centrally took responsibility for the development of the layout, diverters and collators. “The line has now been running successfully since 1999 ”, says Murat Ülkü, Plant Manager, Dentas.