Composite Roller Reinforcement for Printing Press Braking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rotary printing presses face significant challenges in stopping the machine quickly during malfunctions due to high paper speeds, resulting in lengthy braking times and substantial paper waste, as existing roller arrangements are not adequately reinforced to manage bending loads and deflection effectively.

Innovation Solution

The roller assembly incorporates a reinforcement with fiber composite material, strategically positioned between pivot bearings to enhance rigidity and minimize deflection, allowing for faster stopping and reduced paper web stretching, with optimized design parameters for the ratio of radial bearing distance to roller length and reinforcement thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the roller is made heavier to increase rigidity, then the bending load resistance improves, but the moment of inertia increases causing longer braking time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending load resistanceVSAvoidbraking time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The roller uses a composite structure combining a metal roller shell with an internal fiber composite reinforcement (carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber). This composite reinforcement provides high bending stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio, increasing rigidity without significantly increasing the moment of inertia, thus reducing braking time while maintaining structural integrity under bending loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The fiber composite reinforcement is strategically positioned inside the roller at specific locations where bending stresses are highest. The reinforcement consists of multiple layers with fibers oriented in different directions (0°, 90°, ±45°) to provide targeted structural support. This localized reinforcement approach optimizes rigidity where needed while minimizing overall weight increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If the roller wall thickness is increased to reduce deflection, then the structural rigidity improves, but the moment of inertia increases causing slower stopping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller deflectionVSAvoidstopping time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The internal fiber composite reinforcement acts as a stiffening element that reduces roller deflection under paper web tension without requiring increased wall thickness. The high modulus fibers (especially carbon fiber) provide exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio, minimizing deflection while keeping the moment of inertia low for faster stopping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes the wall thickness of the roller shell within a specific range (e0.01 to e0.08 times the outer diameter) and combines it with fiber composite reinforcement. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient structural stability and low deflection while maintaining a low moment of inertia for rapid stopping capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the roller length is increased to improve printing capacity, then the productivity improves, but the deflection under paper web force increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting capacityVSAvoidroller deflection
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber composite reinforcement (particularly carbon fiber with high modulus) provides exceptional stiffness along the roller length, enabling longer roller designs that maintain low deflection under paper web tension. This allows increased printing capacity through longer roller lengths without sacrificing structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The roller is designed with an optimized outer diameter to length ratio (e0.03 to e0.1) and a slightly curved fiber orientation pattern in the reinforcement layers. This geometric optimization distributes stresses more evenly along the roller length, reducing peak deflections while maintaining productivity benefits of longer roller design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP2275372B1Roller for a printing press
Publication Date: 2012.05.30 TEXMAG GMBH VERTRIEBS
  • EP2275372B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2275372B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2275372B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The machine has a reinforcement member formed from fiber composite. The reinforcement member is located between two rotational bearings (2a, 2b). The reinforcement member comprises a fiber composite material pipe (3) that is located against an inside surface of a roll (1). The reinforcement member comprises fiber composite material strips that run parallel to roll axis, and are arranged inside the roll to extend radially outward from the roll. A stationary shaft (8) extends along entire length of the roll. An independent claim is also included for a printing press comprising a roll body.