New Product Info
Affordable Quality Roller Assembly(Mar 10,2011)
Some engineers are responsible for designing a quality roller assembly for their company. While their drawings are often perfect, others fall short, driving up the cost of the roller assembly because of assumptions or missed communication opportunities with the roller manufacturer.
One of the biggest issues occurs when engineers don’t consider how the roller assembly is produced, which can add up to 20 percent more dollars to the overall manufacturing cost.
Working closely with roller manufacturers throughout the design process is a critical step. It can help engineers design a roller assembly that meets their company requirements, reduce costs and preserve quality. Asking for suggestions after plans have already been drawn is often too late and can cause unnecessary delays regarding the approval process.
Another issue that repeatedly pops up involves tolerances
“In some cases, very tight tolerances are noted but may not be needed,” says Dean Jones, manufacturing manager at I.B. Moore in Lexington, Ky.
“For example, a roller O.D. may call out +-0.001 as the allowable tolerance when +-0.003 would work in the application. A tolerance of 0.001 is doable but could add as much as 35 percent more cost in the grinding process. This also applies to roller locations on a roller assembly.”
Other times, materials that work best with an application - cost-wise and property-wise - aren’t requested. Sometimes, engineers select material because one of its characteristics meets their requirements. However, there might be another material that produces the same results but isn’t as costly.
Not everyone realizes that there are many types of rubber materials available. Some include:
EPDM or ethylene propylene, a good rubber compound for heat applications. However, some engineers request silicone. While notorious for heat applications, he says silicone rollers could develop a flat spot if the roller sits idle for a period of time Castable polyurethanes, which are nonmarking on paper, cheaper to produce in higher volumes and typically don’t require any tooling or very few dollars spent on tooling.
Neoprene, a standard rubber compound used in a variety of applications that can tolerate low to high temperatures.
Nitrile, which is generally used when oil or grease comes in contact with the rollers. Other materials will start to degenerate or break down.
Even the types of material for your shaft, core or insert can save money if the right material is picked. Just like there are different types of rubber materials, Jones says there are also a variety of different types of steel that offer different outcomes.
Other factors to consider
Rollers that are used in Europe must also be RoHS compliant. This regulation bans certain hazardous substances, such as certain levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl and polybrominated diphenyl ether flame-retardants.
Torque requirements in roller assemblies - or how much torque is needed between the roller and shaft it’s on - can also impact cost. For instance, feeding a piece of paper, dollar bill or lottery ticket generally doesn’t require much torque, which can lead to a more cost-effective product.
Here’s why: Jones says vendors can manufacture the roller assembly by using specific processes that aren’t as expensive as bonding the material or gluing it on to the shaft.
“You can press fit it on much cheaper,” he says. “You take a lot of labor out of the process if you know what the torque requirements are.”
Common mistakes
Once the material is applied to the shaft, the OD surface has to be ground so that it’s smooth and concentric or round, not egg-shaped. Some engineers fail to consider the grinding process. They may place bearings, plastic gears or spring pins so close to the rollers that the grinding process requires special tooling and a slower cycle time, which adds more cost.
Likewise, some engineers place champers or corner breaks on the edges to create a nice clean edge. While champers are really not a problem, they still create additional labor. A radius on the edge will add even more cost either on the tooling side or the grinding side. These additional operations could add another four percent to the overall cost.
Maintenance and repair
Jones suggests cleaning rollers with Isopropyl alcohol, which can extend their life. Use alcohol when you’re getting a poor feed, poor print quality or see buildup on the roller. However, once the roller assembly stops functioning, there’s a good chance it will need to be replaced.
He says there are two signs that a roller needs repair. When it starts to degrade, the roller will either become very hard or very soft. Those are signs that the material is actually breaking down.
Keep in mind that temperature and environment also influence the life of your roller. Consider humidity, which is detrimental to most rubber and urethanes. Although expensive, there are formulations specifically designed for rollers operating in areas with high humidity.
Regardless of your situation, Jones says that designing a roller assembly should really be a team effort.
“The best source of information will come from your roller manufacture,” Jones says. “By working together with the vendor, you can create a cost efficient, roller assembly.”
Dean Jones contributed the content for this white paper. His employer - I.B. Moore (http://www.ibmoore.com/) - is a distributor, fabricator and manufacturer of eslastomeric products for a wide variety of industries. The company supports an estimated 20 workers who manufacture roller assemblies for companies worldwide.
Contact Jones at 800-553-3355 or deanjones@ibmoore.com
Some engineers are responsible for designing a quality roller assembly for their company. While their drawings are often perfect, others fall short, driving up the cost of the roller assembly because of assumptions or missed communication opportunities with the roller manufacturer.
One of the biggest issues occurs when engineers don’t consider how the roller assembly is produced, which can add up to 20 percent more dollars to the overall manufacturing cost.
Working closely with roller manufacturers throughout the design process is a critical step. It can help engineers design a roller assembly that meets their company requirements, reduce costs and preserve quality. Asking for suggestions after plans have already been drawn is often too late and can cause unnecessary delays regarding the approval process.
Another issue that repeatedly pops up involves tolerances
“In some cases, very tight tolerances are noted but may not be needed,” says Dean Jones, manufacturing manager at I.B. Moore in Lexington, Ky.
“For example, a roller O.D. may call out +-0.001 as the allowable tolerance when +-0.003 would work in the application. A tolerance of 0.001 is doable but could add as much as 35 percent more cost in the grinding process. This also applies to roller locations on a roller assembly.”
Other times, materials that work best with an application - cost-wise and property-wise - aren’t requested. Sometimes, engineers select material because one of its characteristics meets their requirements. However, there might be another material that produces the same results but isn’t as costly.
Not everyone realizes that there are many types of rubber materials available. Some include:
EPDM or ethylene propylene, a good rubber compound for heat applications. However, some engineers request silicone. While notorious for heat applications, he says silicone rollers could develop a flat spot if the roller sits idle for a period of time Castable polyurethanes, which are nonmarking on paper, cheaper to produce in higher volumes and typically don’t require any tooling or very few dollars spent on tooling.
Neoprene, a standard rubber compound used in a variety of applications that can tolerate low to high temperatures.
Nitrile, which is generally used when oil or grease comes in contact with the rollers. Other materials will start to degenerate or break down.
Even the types of material for your shaft, core or insert can save money if the right material is picked. Just like there are different types of rubber materials, Jones says there are also a variety of different types of steel that offer different outcomes.
Other factors to consider
Rollers that are used in Europe must also be RoHS compliant. This regulation bans certain hazardous substances, such as certain levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl and polybrominated diphenyl ether flame-retardants.
Torque requirements in roller assemblies - or how much torque is needed between the roller and shaft it’s on - can also impact cost. For instance, feeding a piece of paper, dollar bill or lottery ticket generally doesn’t require much torque, which can lead to a more cost-effective product.
Here’s why: Jones says vendors can manufacture the roller assembly by using specific processes that aren’t as expensive as bonding the material or gluing it on to the shaft.
“You can press fit it on much cheaper,” he says. “You take a lot of labor out of the process if you know what the torque requirements are.”
Common mistakes
Once the material is applied to the shaft, the OD surface has to be ground so that it’s smooth and concentric or round, not egg-shaped. Some engineers fail to consider the grinding process. They may place bearings, plastic gears or spring pins so close to the rollers that the grinding process requires special tooling and a slower cycle time, which adds more cost.
Likewise, some engineers place champers or corner breaks on the edges to create a nice clean edge. While champers are really not a problem, they still create additional labor. A radius on the edge will add even more cost either on the tooling side or the grinding side. These additional operations could add another four percent to the overall cost.
Maintenance and repair
Jones suggests cleaning rollers with Isopropyl alcohol, which can extend their life. Use alcohol when you’re getting a poor feed, poor print quality or see buildup on the roller. However, once the roller assembly stops functioning, there’s a good chance it will need to be replaced.
He says there are two signs that a roller needs repair. When it starts to degrade, the roller will either become very hard or very soft. Those are signs that the material is actually breaking down.
Keep in mind that temperature and environment also influence the life of your roller. Consider humidity, which is detrimental to most rubber and urethanes. Although expensive, there are formulations specifically designed for rollers operating in areas with high humidity.
Regardless of your situation, Jones says that designing a roller assembly should really be a team effort.
“The best source of information will come from your roller manufacture,” Jones says. “By working together with the vendor, you can create a cost efficient, roller assembly.”
Dean Jones contributed the content for this white paper. His employer - I.B. Moore (http://www.ibmoore.com/) - is a distributor, fabricator and manufacturer of eslastomeric products for a wide variety of industries. The company supports an estimated 20 workers who manufacture roller assemblies for companies worldwide.
Contact Jones at 800-553-3355 or deanjones@ibmoore.com
Previous NSK Shielded Double-Row Angular Contact Ball Bearing for Industrial Water Pumps
Next Cooper Split Roller Bearings from CBC Australia
Next Cooper Split Roller Bearings from CBC Australia
BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Cnbearing is the No.1 bearing inquiry system and information service in China, dedicated to helping all bearing users and sellers throughout the world.
Cnbearing is supported by China National Bearing Industry Association, whose operation online is charged by China Bearing Unisun Tech. Co., Ltd.
China Bearing Unisun Tech. Co., Ltd owns all the rights. Since 2000, over 3,000 companies have been registered and enjoyed the company' s complete skillful service, which ranking many aspects in bearing industry at home and abroad with the most authority practical devices in China.
All new product info are from suppliers. If you want to display your new product info,just contact
Service@cnbearing.com
