Conveyor belt systems play a vital role in the development of industrial technology and material handling. The most famous use of conveyors was when Henry Ford created the modern assembly line model that revolutionized efficiency through the movement of materials and goods.
These systems are designed to move objects of varying weight, shape, size, and to be used in a variety of operational environments. One of the basic components of a conveyor system are rollers (also called conveyor rollers), which are a series of free-flowing cylindrical “wheels” in gravity (unpowered) and powered conveyors that move using mechanical means Products or materials along the system. As a key component, there are several factors to consider when designing the roller shaft to minimize downtime, operating costs and the performance of the conveyor system.
Traditionally, rollers are made of metal (steel or aluminum) or plastic. Their design will depend on the application determining the size or diameter and the materials of construction. Carbon fiber is now an attractive option due to its inherent light weight and material strength. Intellectic carbon fiber rollers can be made from carbon fiber tubing that can rival aluminum or steel in stiffness, depending on the application. Carbon fiber rollers are half the weight of aluminum and 1/5 the weight of steel and can solve many of the problems associated with metal rollers, including inertia and bending. Some of the advantages and benefits of carbon fiber rollers over metal include:
| Advantage | Benefit |
|
Lower roller inertia and higher stiffness |
Lower inertia forces reduce roller wear
Reduce web scraping Fewer breaks Reduce vibration Reduce web wrinkling Longer bearing life |
|
Requires less power and motor to operate |
Reduce energy consumption with fewer mechanical failures |
|
Reduce drum weight |
Requires smaller bearings
Less maintenance Easier safer handling |
|
Faster line speed |
Reduces web stretch
Reduces web wrapping in case of breaks Extends life increases output Higher product qua |
