A system associated with a sensing roll for collecting sensor signals, the system comprising: a plurality of sensors located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll, wherein each sensor enters a region of a first nip between the sensing roll and a mating roll during each rotation of the sensing roll; an application station, comprising a rotatable applicator rod forming a second nip with the sensing roll, wherein each sensor enters a region of the second nip between the sensing roll and the applicator rod during each rotation of the sensing roll, and wherein each sensor generates a respective sensor signal upon entering a region of the second nip; a structure for generating a periodically occurring starting reference associated with each rotation of the applicator rod; and a processor to receive the periodically occurring starting reference and the respective sensor signal generated by each sensor as it moves through the second nip and, after receiving the respective sensor signal, the processor operates to: determine a particular one of the plurality of sensors which generated the respective sensor signal, based upon a value occurring between when the respective sensor signal was generated and a most recent starting reference, identify one of a plurality of tracking segments of the applicator rod, wherein each of the plurality of tracking segments is, respectively, associated with a different value, and store the respective sensor signal to associate the respective sensor signal with the identified one tracking segment. a plurality of sensors located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll, wherein each sensor enters a region of a first nip between the sensing roll and a mating roll during each rotation of the sensing roll; an application station, comprising a rotatable applicator rod forming a second nip with the sensing roll, wherein each sensor enters a region of the second nip between the sensing roll and the applicator rod during each rotation of the sensing roll, and wherein each sensor generates a respective sensor signal upon entering a region of the second nip; a structure for generating a periodically occurring starting reference associated with each rotation of the applicator rod; and a processor to receive the periodically occurring starting reference and the respective sensor signal generated by each sensor as it moves through the second nip and, after receiving the respective sensor signal, the processor operates to: determine a particular one of the plurality of sensors which generated the respective sensor signal, based upon a value occurring between when the respective sensor signal was generated and a most recent starting reference, identify one of a plurality of tracking segments of the applicator rod, wherein each of the plurality of tracking segments is, respectively, associated with a different value, and store the respective sensor signal to associate the respective sensor signal with the identified one tracking segment. determine a particular one of the plurality of sensors which generated the respective sensor signal, based upon a value occurring between when the respective sensor signal was generated and a most recent starting reference, identify one of a plurality of tracking segments of the applicator rod, wherein each of the plurality of tracking segments is, respectively, associated with a different value, and store the respective sensor signal to associate the respective sensor signal with the identified one tracking segment.