Self-Supporting Duroplastic Roll Shell for High-Temperature Web Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rollers for treating non-woven, textile, and paper webs face challenges in maintaining flexibility and hardness at high temperatures, leading to complex and costly maintenance, especially when operating temperatures exceed 60°C, and require additional production steps for surface coatings.

Innovation Solution

A roller shell made from a duroplastic material with a hardness of 85 to 95 °SHD and a modulus of elasticity between 2000 and 8000 MPa at room temperature, which remains stable up to 6000 MPa at 70°C, providing both high flexibility and surface hardness, eliminating the need for separate jacket carriers and allowing for self-supporting operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a roller shell made of elastic material with low modulus of elasticity is used to enable flexibility and deflection compensation, then the roller can be easily raised radially by hydraulic pressure, but the surface hardness is reduced which compromises the treatment effect

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidsurface hardness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The roller shell is made from a composite material combining a thermoplastic matrix (providing flexibility and elasticity) with reinforcing fibers such as aramid, carbon, or glass fibers (providing surface hardness and strength). This composite structure enables the roller shell to simultaneously achieve the flexibility needed for deflection compensation and the surface hardness required for effective web treatment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The modulus of elasticity of the roller shell is controlled within a specific range (1000-5000 MPa) through material composition and fiber orientation. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient flexibility for radial deflection while maintaining adequate surface hardness for the treatment process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If a separate jacket carrier is used to provide structural support for the roller shell, then the roller shell can maintain shape and dimensional accuracy, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape accuracyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The jacket carrier and roller shell are merged into a single integrated component. The roller shell itself is designed with sufficient structural rigidity through composite material construction to maintain shape accuracy without requiring a separate jacket carrier, thereby simplifying the overall device structure and reducing manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If a steel roller shell is used to provide high surface hardness, then the treatment effect is improved, but the flexibility and ability to compensate for sagging is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface hardnessVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using solid steel, the roller shell employs a composite material with a thermoplastic matrix reinforced with high-strength fibers. This composite provides surface hardness comparable to steel while maintaining the flexibility and elasticity needed for deflection compensation and sagging correction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of manufacture

If the roller shell is made as a self-supporting homogeneous body, then the manufacturing process is simplified and costs are reduced, but the ability to provide both flexibility and surface hardness is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsurface hardness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The self-supporting roller shell is manufactured as a homogeneous composite body using fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. This approach simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for separate jacket carriers or surface coatings, while the composite material itself provides both the required flexibility and surface hardness in a single integrated structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3891333B1Roll and method for producing a roll
Publication Date: 2023.01.11 ANDRITZ KUESTERS GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3891333B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3891333B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3891333B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a roll (1) for processing nonwoven, textile, plastic or paper material webs, comprising a roll carrier (10) and a roll shell (20), which can rotate around the roller carrier (10), the roll shell (20) having an outer peripheral surface (26) forming the working roll periphery (25) and an inner peripheral surface (27). According to the invention, the roll shell (20) is designed as a homogeneous, self-supporting shell body (21) comprising a thermosetting plastic (22) and having a hardness of 85 to 95 °ShD and a modulus of elasticity in the longitudinal extent of the shell body (21) of at least 2000 and at most 8000 MPa at room temperature and of at least 1000 and at most 6000 MPa at a temperature of 70°C, preferably 120°C.