Low maintenance system for producing articles formed of web material components

Abstract

A low-maintenance system for producing articles formed of web components is disclosed. The system may include a continuous supply of a web material; a conveyor system operative to move the web material along a machine direction, and a component having a contact surface with which the web material engages in sliding contact as the material travels along the machine direction, wherein the component via the sliding contact supports the web material, guides the web, or alters the path of the web material, the contact surface comprising aluminum magnesium boride.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A low-maintenance system for producing articles formed at least in part of web material components, comprising:
 a continuous supply of a web material having a cross-direction width;   a conveyor system operable to move the web material through the system along a machine direction;   a first component having a first contact surface with which the web material engages in sliding contact as it travels along the machine direction, wherein the first component via the sliding contact supports the web material, guides the web material, or alters the path of the web material, the first contact surface comprising aluminum magnesium boride.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the web material is a woven or knitted web, nonwoven web, or a polymeric film. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first component is disposed on a second component comprised by the system and the second component moves to effect alteration of the path of the web material. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the first component is a cylindrical roll and the first contact surface is a cylindrical surface of the roll. 
     
     
         5 . The system of claim wherein the second component rotates about an axis and thereby causes the first component to move along a circular path or arc about the axis. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the movement of the first component along the circular path or arc effects the alteration of the path of the web material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first component is stationary. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first contact surface has a profile that is uniform across at least the cross-direction width of the web material. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the profile is planar. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the profile is curved along the machine direction. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the profile is at least partially cylindrical and has a uniform radius across at least the cross-direction width of the web material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  comprising a second component disposed opposite the first component with respect to the material web, the web material passing between the first component and the second component, the second component having a second contact surface with which the web material engages in sliding contact as it travels along the machine direction, wherein the second component via the sliding contact supports the web material, guides the web material, alters the path of the web material, or reduces or increases the machine direction speed of the web material, the second contact surface comprising aluminum magnesium boride. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the contact surface, first contact surface or second contact comprises a combination of aluminum magnesium boride and titanium boride. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first component is formed of aluminum or aluminum alloy which comprises a coating of aluminum magnesium boride which forms the contact surface.