Introduction:

Rubber roller is a kind of industrial parts made of metal or other hard materials, covered with a layer of rubber or elastic materials, widely used in machinery manufacturing, printing, textile, packaging, food processing and other industries. The rubber roller realizes the functions of conveying, driving, pressing and coating through its elasticity and friction force. And how to choose a professional rubber roller suitable for their own, so as to extend the service life of the equipment and improve the quality of the product, is very important.

Key Words:

Rubber roller, NR roller, NBR roller, Silicone roller, Teflon Roller, Printing Roller, PVC Roller, Industrial Roller, Conveyor Roller.

Main Content:

1- The main component of the rubber roller

1.1 Shaft

Material:

Generally used metal, such as steel, aluminum, stainless steel.

Composite materials such as carbon fiber are also used in some special cases.

Function:

Provide support and strength, carry mechanical power transmission.

1.2 Rubber layer

Material:

Natural rubber (NR), nitrile rubber (NBR), polyurethane (PU), silicone rubber (SI), etc.

Function:

Provide elasticity, wear resistance, chemical corrosion resistance.

1.3 Coating/Surface treatment (optional)

The surface may be hardened, polished, textured or coated depending on the application to improve friction, heat resistance or other characteristics.

2- Classification of rubber rollers

2.1 Classification by use

Conveyor rollers:

Used for conveyor belts and roller conveyors, commonly found in logistics and production lines.

Printing rollers:

Used in printing presses, involving ink transfer, paper pressing, etc.

Coating roller:

Used for uniform coating of glue, paint or other liquid materials.

Guide roller:

Used to guide the direction of material movement.

2.2 Sort by rubber material

High temperature rubber roller:

Such as silicone rubber roller, suitable for high temperature environment.

Oil resistant rubber roller:

Such as nitrile rubber roller, suitable for contact with grease substances.

Wear-resistant rubber roller:

Such as polyurethane rubber roller, suitable for high wear occasions.

2.3 Classification by function

Drive roll:

Used to transfer power.

Compaction rollers:

Used to compact materials or improve friction.

Coating roller:

Used to protect or reduce material loss.

3- Application field of rubber roller

Printing industry:

Used to transfer ink and press paper.

Textile industry:

Used for stretching and guiding fabrics.

Paper industry:

Used to transfer, press and dry paper.

Metal processing:

Used for rolling sheet metal.

Food processing:

Conveying food or directly touching food surfaces.

4- Define application requirements

Working environment:

Understand the temperature, humidity, chemical exposure and other external factors in the environment where the roller is located. High temperature environments require high temperature resistant rubber (such as silicone rubber).

Chemical contact requires corrosion-resistant rubber (such as FKM/Viton roller).

Use case:

Transport rollers require high wear resistance.

Printing rollers require a good surface finish.

5- Material selection

Natural rubber (NR roller) :

Suitable for applications requiring high elasticity and wear resistance, such as general industrial use.

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR roller) :

Good oil resistance, suitable for contact with oily substances.

Silicone rubber (Silicone roller):

High temperature and ozone resistant, suitable for food grade applications or high temperature operations.

FKM/Viton rubber (FKM/Viton roller) :

Resistant to chemicals and high temperatures, suitable for the chemical industry.

Polyurethane (PU roller) :

High strength and wear resistance, suitable for high load operations.

Teflon rubber (Teflon roller) :

Chemical resistance, high temperature resistance and low friction, elasticity, flexibility and good wear resistance.

PVC rubber (PVC roller) :

With good chemical resistance, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and UV resistance, suitable for some wet or corrosive gas environment.

6- Hardness selection

The hardness of rubber is expressed by Shore hardness (Shore A), the range is generally 30A-90A.

Low hardness (30A-50A):

Soft, suitable for scenes with low surface pressure requirements.

Medium hardness (50A-70A):

Balance softness and durability, versatile choice.

High hardness (70A-90A):

Suitable for high pressure or high wear environments.

7- Surface treatment

Grain:

Used to increase friction, such as a grooved roller suitable for transmission.

Smooth surface:

Suitable for scenarios requiring precision transmission or surface protection.

Coating treatment:

Anti-static, anti-slip or other functions need to be added in specific scenarios.

8- Dimensions and tolerances

Select the appropriate diameter and width according to the equipment design.

Ensure that the dimensional tolerances of rubber rollers match the equipment.

9- Economy

Choose products that fit your budget, but don’t sacrifice quality.

Consider long-term costs, such as durability and frequency of maintenance.

By comprehensively evaluating these factors, selecting a rubber roller suitable for a specific purpose can not only improve production efficiency, but also extend the service life of the equipment and reduce maintenance costs. If you have special needs, you can communicate with the rubber roller manufacturers customized solutions.

10- Common problems and solutions

10.1 Rubber roller surface damage (such as foaming, peeling, etc.)

Reason:

► Poor bonding between the coated material and the roller matrix;

► Excessively high or excessively low operating temperature;

► Use of inappropriate coating materials;

► Prolonged mechanical friction, operating overload or uneven pressure distribution.

Solution:

■ Ensure that the surface of the base of the rubber coated roller is clean and rough, and the adhesive layer is well bonded;

■ The use of high quality, suitable for the process requirements of the coating material;

■ Adjust the operating temperature to avoid aging of the coating layer due to too high or too low temperature;

■ Check the running status of the roller regularly to avoid overload and ensure uniform pressure.

10.2 Rubber roller deformation or uneven wear

Reason:

► Uneven roller force or excessive use for a long time;

► Improper control of roller load by equipment;

► Uneven contact between roller and material during operation.

Solution:

■ Check the alignment of the roller regularly to ensure that the roller is in uniform contact with the working material;

■ Adjust the load distribution to avoid uneven roller force;

■ Replace the severely worn roller to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.

10.3 Excessive wear or aging of the rubber roller

Reason:

► Long-term use without maintenance or replacement;

► The use of inappropriate coating materials, poor wear resistance;

► Excessive friction and high temperature in operation.

Solution:

■ Check the roller regularly according to the use conditions and replace it in time;

■ Choose wear-resistant, high-temperature coated materials;

■ Reduce the friction coefficient during operation and control the operating temperature.

10.4 The operation of the rubber roller is not smooth, resulting in running vibration

Reason:

► Roller installation is not accurate or eccentric;

► There is dirt or foreign matter on the surface of the roller wheel;

► Poor fit between roller and bearing or drive device.

Solution:

■ Check whether the roller is installed accurately to ensure alignment;

■ Clean the roller surface to avoid dirt and foreign matter affecting operation;

■ Check bearings and drives to ensure smooth operation.

10.5 The surface of the rubber roller is not smooth, and the coating effect is poor

Reason:

► The surface of the rubber-coated roller is rough, and no precision machining is carried out.

► The coating material used is not uniform or of poor quality;

► The coating has not been properly cured or heated.

Solution:

■ Precision machining of the roller surface to ensure smoothness;

■ Use high quality, uniform coating materials and ensure that the curing process meets the requirements;

■ Check the uniformity of the coating regularly, and repair the problem in time.

10.6 Overheat occurs on the rubber roller

Reason:

► Roller running speed is too fast;

► Material or operating temperature mismatch;

► Insufficient or uneven lubrication of equipment.

Solution:

■ Adjust the rotation speed of the roller to avoid excessive working speed resulting in friction overheating;

■ Optimize the temperature control system to ensure that the material matches the operating temperature of the roller;

■ Enhance the lubrication system and regularly check the quality and distribution of lubricating oil or grease.

10.7 The rubber roller produces noise

Reason:

► Excessive friction between the roller and the contact material;

► Roller surface is uneven, resulting in uneven contact;

► Bearing wear or poor lubrication.

Solution:

■ Adjust working parameters to reduce unnecessary friction;

■ Regularly check and repair roller surface unevenness;

■ Maintain bearings and lubrication systems regularly to ensure good lubrication.

10.8 Adhesive roller and operating materials

Reason:

► The surface of the roller is too smooth or too rough;

► The hardness of the coating layer is not suitable;

► Poor chemical compatibility between material and coating layer.

Solution:

■ Select suitable coating material and surface treatment method according to material characteristics;

■ Adjust the surface roughness or hardness of the coated roller to reduce adhesion;

■ Adjust operating conditions to avoid excessive temperature or pressure.

11- Care and maintenance

11.1 Cleaning and inspection

Regular cleaning:

The rubber roller is easy to accumulate dust, oil and other impurities during operation, which may affect its operation effect and even cause damage to the surface of the roller. Regularly use soft cloth or non-woven cloth to wipe the roller surface to avoid hard objects scratching the surface.

Check the integrity of the rubber layer: check the surface of the rubber roller regularly whether there are cracks, scratches, degumming and other phenomena. If the surface is found to be damaged, it is necessary to repair or replace the adhesive layer in time to prevent the problem from expanding.

11.2 Lubrication and rust prevention

Lubrication:

The bearings and transmission parts of the roller wheel need to be lubricated regularly to keep the lubricating oil clean and prevent wear. Use suitable lubricants or greases and avoid using substandard lubricants.

Anti-rust treatment:

The metal part of the rubber roller should be regularly checked for rust prevention, especially when used in a humid environment, anti-rust oil can be used to protect the metal part to avoid rust.

11.3 Temperature and humidity control

Temperature control:

The rubber roller is prone to deformation or aging of the rubber layer under high or low temperature environment, so the temperature should be avoided when using. If the roller is exposed to high temperature for a long time, the rubber layer will soften, resulting in surface damage.

Humidity control:

Excessive humidity will cause the rubber layer of the roller to absorb moisture and affect its performance. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the humidity of the working environment moderate to avoid long-term exposure to humid environment.

11.4 Replace and repair regularly

Replace the rubber roller:

After long-term use of the rubber roller, the rubber layer will be worn or aging, and then it needs to be replaced. For some important rollers, replacement plans can be made in advance according to the use time or wear.

Repair adhesive layer:

If the adhesive layer of the roller is partially worn, local repair can be considered. When repairing, the same material as the original adhesive layer should be used to ensure the quality and performance of the repaired part.

11.5 Align and adjust

Roller alignment:

The installation of the coated roller has a great impact on its service life. Ensure that the axis of the roller is aligned during installation to avoid problems such as deflection and friction.

Adjust the tension and pressure:

In the process of use, to ensure that the tension and pressure of the rubber roller are in a reasonable range, to avoid excessive pressure or tension affecting the life of the rubber layer and the roller.

11.6 Prevent foreign body damage

Check the transmission system:

During the operation of the rubber coated roller, foreign objects (such as paper scraps, dust, metal scraps, etc.) may get stuck between the roller wheels, causing damage to the roller wheels. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly check whether there are foreign bodies around the roller and remove them in time.

Avoid overload:

Overload operation will aggravate the wear of the roller, and even lead to the stripping of the rubber layer. Avoid operating the roller when the equipment is overloaded.

11.7 Store

Storage environment:

If the rubber roller is not used temporarily, it should be stored in a dry and well-ventilated place to avoid long-term exposure to sunlight or high humidity environment to prevent the aging of the rubber layer.

Avoid pressure:

When storing the roller, avoid heavy weight on the roller to prevent deformation of the roller or the rubber layer from being crushed.