Industrial Example:

Spring-loaded roller dancer to regulate the unwind zone web tension

Web tension is managed by the torque applied to the center of the roll by a brake, clutch, or drive. Tension controllers can regulate this torque, to make any necessary correction or adjustments throughout the process, allowing for continuous production.
The use of a spring-loaded dancer allows the controller to adjust the tension based on the changes in the roll radius as it unwinds. Using the MapleSim Web Handling Library to create an accurate model for the unwinding zone, the required brake torque is calculated by a controller based on the rotation angle of the dancer arm.

In this way control engineers can generate high-fidelity simulation data of the web tension applied across various tension zones, reducing the time and cost needed for developing physical prototypes. Simulations are completed in minutes – not days – and allow engineers to quickly test multiple designs for brake response, web speed, and more