• Save production time and labour
  With the continuous tape, the line speed and production efficiency is higher and production batch-time is shorter.
• Save sheathing material
  With constant line speed, the production quality is more consistent enabling lower sheathing thickness.
• Save tape material
  Customised tape lengths reduce tape scrap and even short tapes can be utilized.
  Handling of the tape pads can be made at one specific area, reducing the risk for tape damages.
• Save time, labour and material
  The welding strength can be tested and corrected if necessary before production without risking the sheathing process thus eliminating the occasional need for sheath stripping.
• Shorter payback time with lower investment cost
  Only one welding system and one set of tape loading/unloading equipment are needed. No tape accumulators are required.
• Improved total efficiency
  Part of critical work done by the operator during the sheathing process can be eliminated and made flexibly in advance.

The MaxiPad tape extension line concept consists of one or two conventional size CTA 940 pay-off(s), a jointing system and a special MaxiPad Take-up (CTA 2000) being able to wind up to 2 meter diameter tape pads.

Instead of the CTA 940 pay-off, most existing pay-off(s) may be used if they are driven or brake controlled. The CTA 940 is driven with an AC-motor and a frequency converter. A pneumatically adjusted dancer after the CTA 940 controls the tape tension and the CTA 940 speed.

The welding system can be any model suitable for quality welding. High welding speed is not necessary. Using good welding equipment minimises the risk for bad welding passing the operator s quality evaluation.

The MaxiPad CTA 2000 is movable, easily locked into operating position and plugged in to its local controls. The CTA 2000 speed is regulated by the Extension Line control panel. Line start/stop-buttons and speed-, length- and tension-settings are located in the panel. The CTA 2000 unit is transported to the sheathing line before the sheathing process is started.

The MaxiPad CTA 2000 tape pad can be tilted to 60° angle from vertical position for transportation and/or operation.

The CTA 2000 contains the required amount of tape needed for a single cable thus eliminating the on-line tape extensions. The sheathing line only needs a space for a single CTA 2000, thus saving a lot of space. As the CTA 2000 can be transported to any sheathing line, in large factories two or more CTA 2000 units could be an optimal solution. One MaxiPad Extension Line may also serve several sheathing lines.

The system limitation is related to maximum practical pad diameter. With a 2m-pad diameter, the tape length is over 4 times longer than that of a normal 940mm pad. The max length is thus just over 10 – 20 km (0.3mm – 0.15mm thickness), which covers most practical cases. For longer cables, on-line welding should be used. Adopting MaxiPad into lines with on-line welding possibility will still reduce the amount of the risky on-line welding to 1/4 of conventional process and increases the productivity accordingly.