What Is Urethane Roller?
A Urethane Roller is a component made of urethane rubber bonded to a metal roll.
They are used as conveyor parts for precision equipment such as conveyor conveyors, printers, and film packaging machines. Since Urethane Rollers are used as conveying parts for various machines, they vary in size from a palm-sized roller to a roller over 1 meter wide, depending on the machine used.
The urethane rubber used as a material has abrasion resistance and chemical resistance, and is most resistant to abrasion compared to other synthetic rubbers. Therefore, it is suitable for parts used in areas subject to repeated friction.
Applications of Urethane Rollers
Urethane Rollers are used as transportation parts for precision equipment such as conveyors, printers and film packaging machines, and as wheels for industrial vehicles. Their high resistance to abrasion makes them suitable for parts of machinery that will be used for many years.
It is often used in areas where repeated friction occurs, making it ideal for use as conveyor guides for printers and other equipment and as guide rollers for film packaging machines. When used as a guide roller, it is constructed by bringing two rolls into contact and pushing paper or film between them.
In this case, the two rolls are always in contact with each other, and wear is likely to occur. Therefore, Urethane Rollers with excellent wear resistance are suitable. The same applies to conveyor belts, which are in constant contact with the conveyor belt section, so urethane rollers with high abrasion resistance are used.
Principle of Urethane Roller
Urethane Rollers are manufactured by press-fitting urethane rubber around a metal core. In this process, the surface of the urethane rubber is ground to allow fine adjustment of the urethane roller size. In some cases, grooves may be made on the surface of the Urethane Roller to prevent slipping.
The urethane rubber that forms Urethane Roller has high abrasion resistance, oil resistance, and chemical resistance. Therefore, it is also suitable as a component for packaging machines that use oil or chemicals.
On the other hand, urethane rubber has low resistance to water and moisture and is subject to hydrolysis, making it unsuitable for use in places where water is used or in humid environments. Normal urethane rubber is also susceptible to heat and may be thermally deformed when used in high-temperature locations.
The heat resistance limit temperature is said to be 100°C, and the heat resistance safety temperature is 80°C. It is said that there is no problem in using the product in an environment where the temperature is constantly 60°C, and reaches 80°C several times an hour. When used in areas that reach higher temperatures than that, heat-resistant urethane rubber should be used.
Other Information on Urethane Roller
1. Processing of Urethane Roller
Urethane Rollers are processed with various surface grooves depending on their intended use. Some alternative examples are listed below:
Threading Grooving
In threaded grooving, thread-like grooves are formed on the roller surface to increase the surface area of the roller. This process is applied to roll coaters used for chemical application.
Longitudinal Grooving
In the longitudinal grooving process, longitudinal grooves (grooves perpendicular to the roller axial direction) are formed on the roller surface to improve heat dissipation and the coefficient of friction on the roller surface. Urethane Rollers with longitudinal grooves are used for corrugated cardboard feeding rollers, film bag feed rollers, and squeezing rollers.
Horizontal Grooving
The horizontal groove process forms horizontal grooves (grooves along the roller axis) on the roller surface to soften the roller and increase the coefficient of friction, thereby preventing slippage and meandering of belts and other materials. It is used for film and cardboard feeding rollers.
Helical Grooving/Diamond Cut Grooving
Helical grooving, in which a series of diagonal grooves are processed in the width direction of a Urethane Roller, is used to control slipping and snaking of belts and other materials and to enhance heat dissipation of the roller. The same applies to diamond-cut grooving, in which multiple oblique grooves are formed on the surface of a Urethane Roller in the width direction.
Taper crown, radial crown, and reverse radial crown processing.
The tapered crown process, in which the center portion is thicker than the ends and the transition to the thicker portion is tapered, is provided to compensate for deflection of the roller body. Radial crowning, in which the center is thicker than the ends, is used to increase roller pressure.
On the other hand, the reverse radial crown process, in which the center is narrower than the ends, is suitable for use as a guide to prevent the material being conveyed from falling out.
Others
Crepe treatment on the roller surface increases the roughness of the roller surface and enhances the gripping and friction force. Low-friction treatment is a processing method to reduce the coefficient of friction on the rubber surface without damaging the characteristics of the rubber itself. It prevents dust and dirt from adhering to the roller surface and prevents films and other materials from wrapping around the roller surface.
2. Urethane Roller Bearings
Urethane Roller Bearings are small urethane rollers with urethane rubber directly attached to the outer diameter of small diameter, deep groove ball bearings. They are used in conveyor systems and sorters, conveyor equipment in automobile and other production lines, various equipment in overhead conveyor lines in semiconductor manufacturing plants, multilevel parking lot equipment, banknote identification and conveyance mechanisms in various financial machines (ATMs), and various open/close doors such as elevator doors.