A new academic study has verified the benefits of carbon fibre components for use in the printing, paper making and related industries. The new study from Professor Lutz Engisch and Dr. Simon Hamblyn from the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (Saxony, Germany) is titled Benefits of carbon fibre rollers in the printing, paper making and allied industries. Engisch presented the results of the research for the first time in last month at the ERA Packaging & Decorative Conference in Turin, Italy. “There’s an increasing trend for using carbon fibre for components such as print cylinder sleeves for easier handling and idler rollers, as they can reach higher rotational speeds than metal rollers for a given diameter,” the study concluded. “This is particularly important when wide web widths are used – such as in paper making and polymer film manufacturing. Their use is also likely to increase in the industry due to the manufacturing tolerances of emerging industries such as flexible electronics and solar,” the study added.
In other industries such as aviation and automotive, the benefits of using carbon fibre have been well described. Its use in the printing industry for rollers and cylinders has, so far, not been well documented – despite the fact that it’s being widely used. Carbon fibre combines strength with a low weight, making it an ideal material for parts where weight is an important factor.
To get a free copy of the study (which is available in English and German), or for any more information on carbon fibre roller benefits, please contact Pronexos at contact@pronexos.com.
Pronexos is a leading worldwide supplier of carbon fibre products and specialist manufacturing services with decades of experience in producing complex CFRP products. Its expertise covers engineering, design and series manufacturing. Its products include carbon-fibre rollers for the paper, film/foil and converting industries, as well as specialist manufacturing for the aerospace and semiconductor industries.
