CORfine Inc., Muncie, Indiana has developed an automatic stop feed sheet feeder capable of feeding sheet stock, ranging in thickness from .010” to .375”, or more, at speeds of up to 4,000 sheets per hour. At the heart of the unit is CORfine’s unique constant contact lead edge vacuum feed chamber.
The feed chamber contains a series of urethane covered positioning feed rolls mounted in slip clutch bearings. The positioning rolls are driven by a servo motor and programmable controller, which provide highly accurate positioning of each sheet and a variable feed rate to match the line speed of the unit into which the sheets are fed, such as a die cutter, printer, laminator, or other similar in-line equipment.
In operation, palletized sheet stock is placed on an electric lift table located below the lead edge feed chamber. After each successive sheet is fed by the lead edge feeder into the in-line equipment, the stack is moved upward in response to a photo sensor mounted over the top of the stack. Typical positioning accuracy to sheet edge is within +/-.060”, or less, and to within +/-.015”, or less, to a print mark.
Advantages of the Autovac Top Feed Lead Edge Sheet Feeder include the ability to automatically feed thinner sheet stock than can be fed effectively with conventional bottom feed sheet feeders. In addition, function of the equipment is not affected by stack weight, a characteristic limitation of sheet stock, micro-flute through triple wall corrugated, and other similar flexible and semi-rigid materials. Units are available to accommodate sheets ranging in width from 40” to 120”, stack heights from 30” to 72”, and stack weights of up to 8,000 pounds.
