Design of a tow stabilizer for tow opening and plasticizer application machine

To reduce the differences between filter rods' draw resistances caused by the changes of the remaining height of the tow bale in use, strap indentation on the tow and bonded filaments, a tow stabilizer installed at the upstream end of the primary opener was designed. The device consists of an electric control system, an elevator and a tow feeding mechanism. High-precision tension sensors in the tow feeding mechanism monitor tow tension real-timely, and then the electronic control system automatically adjusts the tow supply to ensure constant tow tension. The device was tested on a ZL29 filter rod maker making filter rods for demi-slim cigarettes. The test results showed that the designed device decreased the tow tension from 0.599 N to 0.236 N, showing a reduction of 61%, and the standard deviation dropped from 0.150 N to 0.018 N, showing a decrease of 88%. Additionally, the manual intervention in the speed ratio of the feeding roller pairs to that of the main driver decreased by about 70%. The draw resistance stability of filter rods was improved. This device provides technical support for the promotion of the automation and filter rod qualified rate of filter rod maker.