3 Key Insights to Create World Class Braided Shafts

Creating braided shafts? Listen to this webinar and our esteemed SteegerUSA experts to learn about
crucial factors that lead to successful braiding, including variable density patterns, system configurations
and the importance of proper set-up and maintenance.

During this 3-part presentation, you’ll learn about:

Horizontal Vs Vertical Systems, Braid Patterns and Carrier Maintenance

VERTICAL VS. HORIZONTAL MACHINES HIGHLIGHTS

Vertical Braiding Equipment

2 Capstand Options
Flat – Great for tubing in large OD core material
Groove – for smaller and more lubricous materials
Steeger braid formers can accommodate a wide variety of material sizes and can be customized for your process.
Available Braid Carriers – KL80d and KL 4000 (for fiber braiding). We can increase the size of the horn gear for larger volume requirements.
Vertical machines feature small foot print and operate Reel-to-Reel
Spool capacity can be up to 20” Diameter
Carrier tension pattern and density is adjustable via different roller set ups and eyelets. Steeger offers consultation to ensure you specify the correct set-up.
Control Package: Allen Bradley System allows for variable density braid run with multiple segments if needed, and can create complex catheter braiding product. The vertical braiding system can create 25 segments and save 99 recipes.

Horizontal Braiding Equipment

Features the NEW Allen Bradley IMC 7 offering better response time to start and stop times.
New Light Tower
Flexibility of Horizontal system
Braids Reel to Reel or discrete pieces (great for start-ups)
Take UP Options: torque motor or dancer
Feed Tray for feed in and feed out
Automated Pick and Place System option

Which braider has the most flexibility for future braid development?

Steeger’s horizontal braiders have the most flexibility from a standalone machine. Horizontal braiders allow for “discrete peice braiding” and “reel to reel” applications. The Horizontal Modular platform would the choice for R&D customers or customers that may want multiple braiding heads within the 32 carrier and below category. This would allow all the flexibility of a horizontal unit plus the additional heads for patterns and product characteristics.

What control system do I need for variable density braiding?

Our Allen Bradley IMC control system allows customers to have the software needed for recipe loading and storage, braid density entry along the length of your part, multiple segments entry, in addition to PPI, footage and RPM readout.

If my process information is limited, how can I know which system is right for my product?

Our braiding team at Steeger will work with future and current customers through our lab to help dial in the braiding parameters that will guide you to a specific braider for your product. We work closely to ensure the product specs are met and record all parameters of the braiding process for quality assurance with the next braid run or machine purchase.

BRAID PATTERN HIGHLIGHTS

Steeger manufactures flat braiders, square braiders and coilers
Full Load “Regular Pattern”: This pattern has the most flexibility out of the three symmetrical braid patterns, and least elongation when stretched.
Full Load Diamond Pattern: Useful for full coverage and yields a sharper braid angle. For applications where radial force, stiffness and rigidity are required. (Often Used for endoscopy applications).
Half Load Diamond Pattern: Is a hybrid system producing both excellent radial force and compression strength, while offering the flexibility of full load regular pattern with kink resistance torquability and pushability.
Modular Systems: Flex Manufacturing capacity and perfect for R&D applications. Can accept 8, 12 or 16 carrier head with very little floor space
We invite you to our R&D Lab, make samples, run trials, short production ramp up.

What pattern has the most flexibility?

The Full Load Regular Pattern is known for having the most Flexibility. The braid angle for this pattern is lower when compared to the other patterns if all else is the same due to the configuration of the wires (1 over 2 under 2). The other two patterns cause the wires to interlock which can cause a larger bend radius.

Which Pattern provides the most coverage?

All the patterns can provide full coverage if you simply increase the picks per inch. The Full Load Diamond Pattern would be the answer though because it uses twice the amount of material per bobbin as the Full load regular pattern if all else is the same. The half load is half the number of wires on the machine so the full load diamond provide more material simply because it is using twice the amount of carriers/bobbins.

Which pattern is most commonly used?

The Full Load Regular Pattern. Hints the name Regular Pattern because it is the most used pattern. The reason for this is throughput. This pattern runs at 100% capacity of the machine whereas the other two patterns run at 50%.

CARRIER MAINTENANCE HIGHLIGHTS

KL80d Carrier can be broken down, cleaned and reassembled with ease.
All parts from KL80d Carrier can be removed and replaced as necessary.
Wear items include Carrier Feet, Ratchet Springs, Top Eyelets, Compensation Rollers. Tending to these items helps will prevent pre-mature wear and keep the machine running at its most efficient state.
Carrier Performance is impacted by proper tensioning, the parts that influence the tensioning are the tension springs, ratchet springs and compensation rollers.

What machine usage is the SteegerUSA maintenance schedule based on?

A recommended machine maintenance schedule can be found in our SteegerUSA braiding machine manual. This schedule is based off of 24/7, maximum speed operation.

Can the maintenance schedule be adjusted if the machine is not used at the 24/7 @400RPM run time?

Yes, the maintenance on the braiding machines can be adjusted if they are not operating 24/7 at maximum speed. Our IMC Allen Bradley machines have a machine statistics menu that shows a total accumulated time for each of the machine states. These times can be used to best align with machine maintenance. Please consult with a SteegerUSA representative before making these adjustments.

How do I know the carrier set up for my machine and product?

There are numerous braid parameters that go into creating a braided product. Because of this it is hard to find a one size fits all solution for machine setup. The R&D Lab at SteegerUSA has many years of experience with different type products and can help guide customers towards a recommended setup that may only require some fine tuning for their specific product. Customers can reach out to Will Hughey, or Forrest Copeland at SteegerUSA and they will help with the machine setup.