INDUSTRIAL ROLLERS FOR INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMER


APPLICATION:

Industrial rollers for the converting industry. The converting industry “converts” specific raw materials into a different form. Example: pulp into paper, aluminum into tin foil, plastic into cellophane, etc.

PREVIOUS LIMITING TECHNOLOGY:

Steel and/or aluminum cylindrical tubing.

CHALLENGE:

Cylindrical shafts needed to exhibit less thermal expansion/contraction (dimensional change) during temperature fluctuations. Stiffer and lighter support structure would also be beneficial for higher precision and portability.

SOLUTION

Rock West Composites developed for the customer custom composite tubing, high modulus carbon fiber/epoxy composite tubing approaching the stiffness of steel (25 MSI) combined with an externally bonded thin steel wear surface. This created a truly “composite” solution combining the best properties of FRP composites in conjunction with metallic features.

Image shows the end of several tubes suspending over a light grey background. The tube have carbon fiber interior layers and exterior fiberglass layers.
Image shows the one custom composite tube with the end placed on a white ground. The tube has carbon fiber interior layers and exterior fiberglass layers. The surface has a filament wound texture and glossy finish.