Rubber Rolls
Rubber rolls are cylindrical natural or synthetic rubber tools that are used to help move things. An extensive variety of industrial processes require the use of tools that can move raw materials and products. Rolls vary widely in size and can be ordered to fit particular length and diameter combinations.
Quick links to Rubber Rolls Information
History of Where Rubber Originated
- Ancient rubber
- The exact origins of rubber are not known. The indigenous people were already using it before European explorers arrived. According to history, there were rubber makers in Mesoamerica as early as 3500 years before vulcanized rubber started being manufactured. It is also said that the Mayan people used to make rubber balls using latex. The Mayans had started making these rubber balls for a ritual game they used to participate in. The game was a combination of football and baseball, but when being played, it had a lot of religious significance.
- In around 1735, a scientific study for rubber was conducted. It proved that indeed, rubber could make tubes that are elastic. After that study, many craftsmen started becoming interested in using rubber. A famous British industrialist used rubber in making clothes. Soon after, rubber snow boots were made for the people to wear.
- In around 1820, a British man made the first attempt to industrialize rubber by making clothing accessories. Two years later, a factory was set up, although it did not perform well since it used to make goods from rubber that was vulcanized and were therefore brittle when worn by customers.
Advantages of Rubber Rolls
Like most rubber products, rubber rolls can be made in a variety of colors and thicknesses. Rubber is an excellent material for assisting in the movement of objects because it can be compressed and relaxed repeatedly without losing its shape. In distribution warehouses, packaged orders must make their way to shipping vehicles in an orderly, organized and timely way. Even in individual pieces of processing equipment, materials movement tools are often necessary. In industrial heat treatment equipment, grocery store checkout lines and even in consumer printers, movement tools such as rubber rollers can be essential.
Rubber rolls are used for different roles in the manufacturing industry. Mostly, the basic use of the rubber roll is found in the manufacturing of coiled metal, paper, sheets, and films as well as textiles. They are also used in different fabricating and container equipment and machinery that is commonly used for sanding as well as grinding steel, wood, and aluminum.
On the other hand, industrial rubber rollers are used for roles that require a high degree of contact and therefore, they have to be able to hold friction. They are also used in material processing applications that do not necessarily require a lot of heavy touch. Typically, rollers are either cylindrical or spherical in shape. They either rotate or roll.
An industrial rubber roller is not confined to just the above-mentioned industries. It is also used in printing industries. In this specific industry, the hard rubber roll is used to apply ink before the paper gets impressed. Rubber rolls are also very useful in industries that engage in peripheral decorating of cylindrical shapes as well as the decorating of curved and flat surfaces. In the graphics industry, poly rollers are extensively used.
Benefits of Using Rubber Rollers
There are numerous benefits that accompany industries that use neoprene rollers and all other types. First of all, there is the ability to fully automate production. This translates to less time wastage, less labor cost and fewer mistakes in the production. All these factors point to better profits at the end of the day.
When using feed rollers, industries benefit because they can have their activities streamlined with the right approach and speed. Comparing the speeds in production where rollers are involved and when they are not involved, the difference is significant.
Features of Rubber Rollers
Rubber has a yellowish color. It is elastic, and it is obtained from the milky sap or the latex of different tropical plants. Once the latex is harvested, it is galvanized, taken through a pigmentation process, and then modified into different products. Some of the products may include hoses, gaskets, tires, electrical insulation pipes, bands as well as containers.
Simply put, a rubber roller covers metal and other materials with elastic rubber. These rollers are used in a variety of applications and have characteristics as listed below:
- They have the ability to reduce friction.
- They are able to quickly return to their original shape and size and are able to protect the core and shaft of the material that they hold on to.
- They are resistant to chemical substances and are able to protect the core and shaft.
- They compensate for minor changes that might occur in machine precision.
- They must be made of excellent rubber so that they can hold on well to the metal bond.
- They must have the ability to undergo thermal conductivity and remain intact.
- They are supposed to be heat resistant.
- They must have different hardness ratios depending on the different applications they are used on.
- They must be resistant to all forms of compression stress.
- They must be flat and contoured.
- They must not adhere to adhesives.
- They are supposed to be strong when it comes to endurance but very soft when it comes to the surface.
Materials Used to Make Rubber Rollers
Even though the polymer is the same, the performance of the industrial rubber roller is dependent on the formulation of the rubber chemicals so as to aid in finishing precision. Because they are mostly used in industries, these rollers must have accurate perfection so that they do not have any hard time when doing their role.
The hard rubber roller must also have stable strength. The hardness must also be uniform and with minimal pin holes and foreign particles. The smoother and stronger the surface, the better the rubber when matters related to performance are concerned.
The roller core structure and material must also be strong and stable. It must also have uniform strength and with no foreign particles. The poly rollers must also have sufficient bonding. This prevents pieces of rubber coming off the core when it is in motion.
The main rubber compounds that are used to make rollers are:
- Hypalon
- Viton
- Buna Nitrile
- Polyeurethane
- Neoprene
- Silicone Rubber
- Vulcanized Rubber
- After numerous attempts towards improving rubber quality, in 1840, a man named Charles Goodyear came up with vulcanization. Before that, rubber was changing depending on the weather conditions. When the weather was hot, it was sticky, and when it was cold, it was brittle. When a mixture of rubber, sulfur, and lead was dropped in a stove, Goodyear discovered vulcanization. The aftermath was a product that could not be affected by bad weather and which was in a position to come to its original shape when stretched.
- With time, the process became refined and therefore, made a boost when matters related to the use of rubber materials were concerned. Vulcanized rubber had proved to be resistant to chemical reactions and water. It also did not let electricity conduct and therefore, was better placed for different purposes.
- Modern Rubber
- Today, not less than 70% of the rubber being used is synthetic. Synthetic rubber is manufactured from crude oil. The demand for man-made rubber was first felt in World War II when the American Army was unable to make global rubber supplies to its troops. Therefore, they stepped up synthetic rubber production to meet the demand. Currently, there are not less than 20 different grades of synthetic rubber, and the intended use is the one that determines the selection. However, with natural rubber, the kind is just one.
- The rubber plant only thrives in regions that are near the equator and that are damp and hot. The only places where the use of natural rubber is high are places near South East Asia. However, there only exists a single substance or material called rubber. It belongs to a class, and it is made up of different materials that have the unique ability to be highly elastic.
- At this day and age when industrialization is at its peak, rubber has become a very indispensable product. Rubber is made of two types namely: natural and man-made. Everyone uses rubber products whether when working, at home, or when traveling. Trains, buses, aircraft, and cars rely on rubber for a variety of purposes. Therefore, to say that rubber is omnipotent in the world would not be wrong.
Process of Rubber Rolls
The roller industry uses a variety of elastomers because they have the correct combination of characteristics. Manufacturing rubber rolls requires a lot of advanced machinery. Companies that manufacture neoprene rollers and other types also have the best engineers who see to it that every step of the way is taken to ensure that only the best quality is achieved.
This is mainly because of the physical property requirements and also the exposure of some different chemicals in the line of work. With different applications, rollers have different demands, and therefore, they all need to have the highest standards of quality so as to be in a position to meet delivery that exceeds the expectations at hand.
Things to Consider When Choosing Rubber Rolls
In many rubber manufacturing companies, there are different ways through which rubber is saved without any investment, machinery or labor. A company making a rubber conveyor roller, for instance, needs to employ all tactics it can to make sure that the minimum costs are incurred without having to injure the quality of the roller. At the end of the day, what is important is manufacturing a rubber conveyor roller that will be able to surpass the quality expected of it in the line of work.
A company making a hard rubber roller also needs to subscribe to the same school of thought and make sure that at the end of the day, quality and reliability is achieved when matters related to the roller are concerned. When buying rollers, it is imperative that every industry owner enquires and understands about all matters that are related to quality to see to it that they only invest money in rollers that will give them value for money.
Proper Care for Rubber Rollers
Rollers need to be taken care of so as to serve the owner with the diligence and commitment that is needed. First of all, it is important to ensure that at all times, they are kept clean. By being clean, it means that their surfaces do not have a lot of dust and particles. It is also critical to make sure that no foreign particles are on the surface. This is because if there are foreign particles, then it is very easy for production to deteriorate.
It is also advisable to buy and install rollers that are specific for the role at hand. For example, a roller that would fit in the graphics or printing industry is not the same one that would work in the manufacturing of chemical commodities. It is important to do a thorough background research to be able to use the best roller for the specific job.
The working layer of neoprene rolls and all other types of rollers is normally less than 6 mm thick. To be in a position to improve on the rubber usage, a hard rubber layer is made on the core. The layer plays a very imperative role in protecting the core and to a great extent, reducing the quality of the needed rubber.
All said and done, however, it is important to note that feed rollers and all other industrial rollers have contributed a great deal when matters related to making the world a better place when matters related to industrialization are concerned. They have enhanced professionalism which has enhanced creativity and better quality production. Out of that, jobs have been created, empowering people economically.