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Silicone rollers are manufactured in the same two methods of other types of rubber rolls: injection moulding and compression moulding. However, silicone differs since it is not a true rubber, and the difference is most apparent in its liquid state. More commonly injection moulded, liquid silicone is injected using a unique type of injection moulding referred to as liquid injection moulding (LIM). This process involves proportioning, mixing and dispensing of the two components of liquid silicone rubber, which are the heat-cured liquid silicone rubber and a catalyst, which is typically platinum.
Since it is not very viscous, liquid silicone rubber is pumped through pipes or tubes to the vulcanization equipment. There, the two components are mixed in a static mixer until a single homogeneous material is achieved. Then the homogeneous mixture is transferred to the cooled metering section of the LIM equipment where the liquid silicone rubber compound is pushed through cooling sprue and runner systems into a heated cavity in which the vulcanization occurs.
For compression moulding, the liquid silicon rubber is injected into an open mould, which is closed with pressure that forces the liquid silicone rubber to solidify in the mould. Silicone rollers often consist of a silicone layer of rubber that has been bonded to a metal core, typically Alumunium or steel.
Common industries that use silicone rolls for a variety of applications include paper and pulp, for newspaper printing, commercial printing, and paper decorating; industrial manufacturing, for printing presses and many types of process and machining equipment for applications such as embossing, laminating and banding; food and beverage, for packaging and bottling applications; electronics, for computers, print circuit boards (PCBs), laser printers and photocopiers; and poly films,
Rubber rolls, just like every other component, has its limits and should be used as per the instructions. To learn how to extend the working life of your rubber rolls, read the advice below.
High temperature is an enemy of rubber, regardless of the rubber type used for making rolls. Therefore, it is best to avoid rapid heating while using rubber rolls. You should also avoid rapid heating because the bonding adhesive usually has low heat resistance even lower than the rubber. If your application demands work under high temperature, we recommend you keep your roller temperatures under operating range by water cooling them.
To avoid damage, you also need to store them properly. While storing a rubber roll, you must hold the shafts and stand them upright, so the rubber part does get exposed to other materials. Moreover, since rubber can be damaged by UV light, we recommend that you store your roller in a cool and dark place.
During regular maintenance checks, you need to pay special attention to a number of roller parts. These include: ball bearings, axes and gears. Watch out for: worn-out ball bearings, bearings misaligned along their axes, overloaded gears, faulty gears, unbalanced rollers and deflected rollers.
Rubber rolls are subject to a number of different standard requirements, depending on their application. For example, rubber machinery like extruders, generally speaking, any rubber roll you purchase should meet ISO standards for rubber products. In addition, most rubber rolls are rated according to ASTM International’s rubber hardness scale. This is helpful for determining if the roll meets your requirements.