Carbon Fiber Rollers

Low-Inertia, low-drag idler rollers (composite rollers).

Respond immediately to changes in web speed.

Less vibration at higher speeds.

Line speed achieved almost immediately.

Carbon fiber idler rollers (composite rollers) are designed for reduced weight and high critical speed.

Lightweight, low-inertia idler rollers allow faster web speeds, reduce vibration, decrease waste, and improve product quality.

For over 30 years, the Double E Company has used carbon fiber as a shaft housing material for demanding applications in the paper, film, and foil converting industries. This high-tech material offers clear benefits over traditional steel or aluminum shafts, including light weight, higher critical speed, reduced vibration, less deflection, and faster line speeds.

Similar benefits are evident when carbon fiber rollers replace traditional steel or aluminum rollers. With carbon fiber rollers in place, machines can run at faster speeds  and the web is far less likely to drag and get damaged. These improvements in shaft and roller performance directly affect productivity and increase machine throughput.

CARBON FIBER ROLLER FEATURES, ADVANTAGES and BENEFITS

 

Why Carbon Fiber Rollers / Rolls? Carbon fiber idler rollers have low rotational inertia, high stiffness, a high stiffness to density ratio, low mass, and low momentum.
FEATURE	ADVANTAGE	BENEFIT
Low Rotational Inertia (Reduced mass moment of inertia by up to 80%)	Rollers spin at line speed. Serrations are not used so dust is not created.	Far less web scratching.
		Reduced roller wear.
		Dissipates static electricity.
	Quicker response to changes in line speed.	Fewer web breaks.
		Far less start-up waste.
		Less web stretch.
		Less web wrap-up in the event of a web break.
		Extended idler roller life and reduced coating thickness.
	Less horsepower and/or fewer motors required.	Lower energy consumption.
High Stiffness (High Modulus)	Less deflection	Less web wrinkling.
		Longer bearing life.
High Specific Modulus (High Stiffness to Density Ratio)	Faster line speeds with less vibration (higher critical speed).	More throughput and better product quality.
	Less self-loaded deflection.	Less web wrinkling across wider spans.
Low Mass	Super lightweight.	Easier and safer handling.
	Less bearing wear.	Longer bearing life.
Low Momentum	More accurate transducer measurements.	More precise tension control.
	Less lay-on roller bounce.	Higher quality wound rolls with less air entrainment.
	Quicker dancer and accumulator roller response.	Better dancer and festoon performance with consistent tension control and less web stretch.

The importance of idler rollers (idler rolls) with low rotational inertia Lightweight, high-stiffness carbon fiber rollers exhibit lower inertia to acceleration and deceleration (rotational or translational), and can run at higher speeds. Composite rollers reduce waste while increasing productivity and efficiency. Carbon fiber idler rollers provide better performance than traditional steel or aluminum rollers, particularly when wide web widths, heavy loads, and faster speeds are necessary. Consider this example where a 164 inch steel roller with an 11.25 inch O.D. was replaced with a carbon fiber roller with the same dimensions: