Wire Taping Machine

Covering the surface of wire and cable with strip materials is one of the important processes in wire production line, which has the functions of isolation, shielding, insulation, fire resistance, and temperature resistance. The wrapping methods include spiral wrapping, dragging (side) wrapping and longitudinal wrapping. 
Spiral wrapping means that the core wire does not rotate while the spinning and taping head rotate concentrically around the core wire. The strip material is spirally wrapped around the core wire through the circular rotating motion of the taping head and the linear traction motion of the capstan. The wrapping angle is generally around 30-60 degrees, and the overlapping ratio can be adjusted within the range of 0-80%.
Drag (side) wrapping refers to the rotation of the core wire. The strip material is dragged in (rolled in) from the side with the rotating core wire. The wrapping angle is generally around 30-60 degrees, and the overlapping ratio can only be achieved by replacing strip materials of different widths.
Longitudinal wrapping means that neither the core wire nor the strip material rotates. The core wire and strip materials are linearly dragged by capstan at the same time, and gradually transforms the strip material into a forming package through the longitudinal wrapping mold. The wrapping angle is 90 degrees, and the overlapping ratio (generally around 5-10%) is achieved by replacing strip materials of different widths.
Commonly used taping materials include Aluminum Foil tape, Mylar tape, Copper Foil tape, Polytetrafluoroethylene tape, Mica tape, Polyimide tape, Polyester tape, etc. A general wire tape wrapping production line mainly consists of pay-off, taping head, capstan, and take-up. There are some auxiliary equipments added involved in the above process depending on the type of taping materials and detailed specifications for finished wire. The wire taping machine is available for vertical or horizontal structure. The vertical structure is suitable for small-sized cables, and the horizontal wrapping machine is more compactable with both large and small cables. 
The wrapping methods include gap wrapping, butt-seam wrapping, and overlapping wrapping. Gap wrapping means that there is a certain gap between the previous and the next spiral tape edge. Butt-seam wrapping means that the edges of adjacent spiral wrapping tape are closely connected to each other. Overlapping wrapping means that when strip materials are wrapped, the previous spiral strip edge is covered by the next one. Overlapping wrapping is the commonly used method for wire and cable industry. Generally, the overlapping ratio is greater than 67% for single-layer wrapping and greater than 40% for double-layer wrapping. When double-layer or multi-layer is used, the wrapping directions should be opposite for each adjacent layer.
The wrapping process technical parameters include taping direction, pitch, angle, capstan speed, taping head rotation speed, taping tension, etc. The taping pitch refers to the distance that the wire core advances in the axial direction after one rotation by the wrapping head. The rotation speed of the wrapping process refers to the rotation speed of the taping head. The taping angle refers to the angle between the perpendicular axis of the wire movement line and the wrapping tape from taping head. The taping tension refers to the tensile force exerted at the taping point on the wrapping tape that passing through the guide wheel. The taping direction, pitch, tension, and finished outer diameter are the main parameters during the wire wrapping process, and the taping angle is the main parameter for taping machine design and manufaction. The thickness and overlapping ratio of the tape are determined based on the outer diameter of the wire core and finished wire. The width of the tape can also be determined based on the conductor outer diameter, overlapping ratio and taping angle. With a known tape width, a proper taping pitch can be selected to meet up with the overlap requirements.
The stability of the wrapping tension determines the quality and performance of the finished product. Uneven wrapping tension or unreasonable wrapping tension settings will cause defects such as uneven color, wrinkles, and “snakes” on the surface of the wire. The setting of the taping tension depends on the tensile strength of the wrapping material and the tension of the wire core. The material type, width and thickness of the wrapping material determine its tensile strength. Therefore, for different wrapping material or wire core specifications, the settings of taping tension differ. 
The taping tension includes passive electromagnetic tension type and active servo tension type. The passive type uses magnetic powder clutch or hysteresis clutch as the tension element, which tracks the consumption of the outer diameter of the tap material pad or bobbin through meter or rotation counting. The electrical control system simulates the current output tension of the tension element to decrease. With this tension control method, tension is relatively stable and can basically meet the requirements of ordinary wire wrapping production in the cable industry. It has a simple structure with an economical and affordable price. The active type is divided into three-servo dancer type and capstan roller spit type. The main feature of three-servo dancer type is its tension dancer. The servo motor provides motion and tension to the tension dancer, and generates PID dynamic feedback to keep tap pay-off at a constant speed. Tension remains constant during the taping process, and it is not affected by the consumption of the outer diameter of the material tray. The capstan roller spit type doest not have a tension dancer. After the strip material is pulled out from the material tray through capstan wheel, it is immediately wrapped around the wire core. Taping tension is set according to the desired outer diameter of the finished wire. The outer diameter of the finished wire is set as a constant in the control panel, therefore, the taping tension remains constant for the whole procedure. The mechanical structures of these two active type taping machines are distinct, but both types are of great qualities. Due to the complex mechanical structure, advanced control system hardware and software configuration, the active type taping machine has a high production cost. But it can meet the stringent wrapping quality requirements in the wire and cable industry, with an effective rate close to and high cost performance. It is especially suitable for wire and cable products that require comprehensive electrical testing.
With the advancement of science and technology, taping machines must progress in the direction of high performance, high efficiency, high reliability, and high intelligence. As a explorer of new technologies of wrapping strip materials in the global wire and cable field, Gemwell Technology still focus on technology innovation and advancement. Gemwell Technology will create more high-quality Wire Taping Machine for you.