Q1: What is RollCode?
Q2: How does RollCode’s technology save converters money?
Q3: Who can benefit from RollCode?
Q4: Does RollCode address any safety issues?
Q5: Can RollCode be installed by the converter?
Q6: Does RollCode use proven technology?
Q7: What if I want to convert on a slitter not equipped with RollCode?
Q8: Where is the product manufactured and how is it supported?
Q9: How will the RollCode website work?
Q10: How does RollCode compare with existing technologies that address the same problem?

Q1: What is RollCode?
A: RollCode is a system which addresses an age old practice of manually marking (or flagging) defective sections of a moving web. RollCode not only flags the defective sections of the web, but also creates a record of those locations in the rewound roll. The system then uses that record to automatically stop a downstream process machine, very often a slitter, at the correct location for the culling out of each of the defects. It's a perfect fit for coating, laminating and printing lines.

Q2: How does RollCode’s technology save converters money?
A: The greatest savings occur at the slitter where typically, an operator needs to be stationed to watch for flags which had been manually inserted into the roll at the coater or printer. Not only is the operator inspection not required, but since the stopping is automatic, the slitter can run at maximum process speeds until the very last moment.

The manual approach requires that an operator run the machine a little slower so he can watch for the flag, stop a little early so he doesn't miss the spot, and then creep to the final location.

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Q3: Who can benefit from RollCode?
A:We believe a large percentage of converters and printers can benefit from RollCode. In the R&D process we canvassed a cross-section of converters and printers. Almost ninety percent of them currently have some type of manual flagging procedure. Although some use too few flags, or run at too slow a speed to justify RollCode, our research shows that the vast majority of that ninety percent would realize a justifiable payback.

Q4: Does RollCode address any safety issues?
A:Yes. An additional consideration is that currently most converters have operators manually insert flags into a winding roll, creating obvious safety issues.

Q5: Can RollCode be installed by the converter?
A:Yes the system is designed to be user installed and configured. However we will be offering installation services for those not staffed to do it themselves.

Q6: Does RollCode use proven technology?
A:The design utilizes some rather unique features, but basically combines existing, proven technologies. We like to be on the cutting edge of technology, not the bleeding edge.

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Q7: What if I want to convert on a slitter not equipped with RollCode?
A:RollCode applies real flags, instead of purely storing roll data. Therefore if necessary, any roll can be converted on any machine the "old fashion way." That is, looking for the flags manually.

Q8. Where is the product manufactured and how is it supported?
A: RollCode is manufactured in our plant in Bethlehem. Our technology partner GCI, also in Bethlehem, is a well established and staffed, fifteen year old integration company with strong ties and experience in the converting field. GCI has developed the RollCode software and is the support arm for RollCode.

Q9. How will the RollCode website work?
A:Once the information about a converted roll of material is collected, there are three options for recovering that information when the roll is place on the unwind of the downstream machine.

• The first is a connection to a LAN (Local Area Network), or an in-plant network where the roll data can be stored.
  
• The second is by printing a label with the roll data encoded into a bar code which can be read at any downstream machine.
  
• The third place the information can be stored is at the RollCode website, allowing a roll to be shipped anywhere in the world another RollCode system is located, and the roll data downloaded from the website.

Q10: How does RollCode compare with existing technologies that address the same problem?
A: The issue most have struggled with in past attempts at similar products has been to "resynchronize" the stored data to a roll which may have a number of wraps of damaged material cut off as the roll is loaded onto a slitter's unwind. Or a roll which has been partially converted, returned to inventory and then brought back out to a slitter some time later.

Our system applies a real, pressure sensitive flag to web as the information is recorded. Each flag has a unique ID which is related to the data stored. Therefore no matter how much material has been removed from a roll, for whatever reason, RollCode can always recover by reading any flag's ID and "resynchronizing" the remainder or the roll to the stored data.

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