A system and method for controlling the width of a web material supplied to a
machine
by adjusting the tension of the web material. An operator defines a target web
width via an input device. The input device generates a reference signal representative
of the target web width. A sensing device senses the width of the web material
supplied to the machine and generate feedback signal representative of the sensed
width. A control circuit compares the feedback and reference signals and generates
a tensioning signal as a function of the comparison. A tensioning device is responsive
to tensioning signal for adjusting web tension.