Roll
Technology Corporation: Glossary
The following
page defines words as used in the text of this web site. The usage of
words or terms can vary from one area of industry to another and your
understanding of a given term may differ from the way that it is being
used here.
Please
contact us if you have any question
or comments on the definitions as provided.
Chromium
Plated and Belt Polished
Roll to be received ready to plate with a fine ground, defect free finish. Roll
Technology would belt polish; hard chromium plate and belt polish the roll face.
No precision grinding is involved.
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Cylindrical
Roll Grinding
Cylindrical, precision roll grinding involves supporting the roll, shaft or
drum either between machined centers or directly on the rolls bearing
surfaces. The outside diameter of the roll is then precision ground using appropriate
grinding wheels. Critical to the roll grinding operation is basic knowledge
such as the construction of the roll, wall thickness, deflection characteristics
and the base metal material.
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Fine
Precision Ground and Belt Polished Finish
Roll to be precision ground after chromium plating to a fine ground finish and
then belt polished smooth.
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Fine
Precision Ground Finish
Roll to be precision ground after chromium plating and shipped with a fine ground
(not polished) finish. Typical of high precision coating rolls.
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Finish
Grinding in Precision Bearings
When it is necessary to produce an industrial roll that has the lowest possible
operating T.I.R. (precision roll coating, precision calendering, etc.), it is
possible to cylindrically grind the roll with its precision bearings in place
on the journals.
When a roll is ground in its bearings, the resulting T.I.R. is typically lower
than the specified accuracy of the bearings. Finishing in bearings also significantly
simplifies the installation of the roll into a production line. The cost of
finishing in bearings is usually offset by the savings in installation costs.
Finishing in bearings creates a dedicated assembly of the roll, bearings, seals,
housing caps, locknuts and other related hardware. All items mounted on the
journals located between the bearings need to be supplied by the customer for
mounting in place by Roll Technology technicians.
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Hard
Chromium
Roll Technology offers industrial hard chromium plating. Hard chromium
plating, as the name implies, is extremely hard (68-70 Rc as deposited)
and as such is suitable for a wide variety of industrial applications
that require resistance to wear. It is also the finest metal deposition
to utilize when specifications call out for very low smoothness characteristics
on the roll face.
Hard chromium plated rolls must be precision ground after plating to
obtain exacting tolerances for accuracy and surface finish.
Roll Technology does not offer Decorative Chromium Plating
as used on furniture legs, hubcaps, etc.
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Hydrogen
Entrapment
In its as plated condition, hard chromium has entrapped hydrogen within
its structure. This hydrogen can be removed by baking the chromium plated
roll at 350°F for 8 hours after plating. During the baking process,
the hydrogen is driven from the micro pores of the plated deposit, and
the chromium becomes more dense.
In heating applications, it is critical to ramp the temperature at controlled
intervals, and not cause a thermal shock to the chromium
deposit. A roll that is heated too quickly will expand at a faster rate
than the chromium, and could cause cracking of the plating. We recommend
1 degree F per minute starting at ambient, with the roll rotating.
Baking of a chromium plated deposit is also recommended for producers
of plastic sheeting to eliminate the dissipation of hydrogen bubbles
onto a sheet, when initially started. Even though the hydrogen will
eventually be driven from the roll during operation in a sheet line
under heated conditions, it does not yield immediate production.
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Matte
Finish
A matte finish is created by grit blasting into a ground and polished
chromium plated surface. The resulting finish is comprised of a field
of sharp, jagged peaks to a roughness specification as called out by
the customer. The finish is dull and gray in appearance, and is utilized
when a dull or printable product is required.
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Mirror
Finish
The term mirror finish can, and has been, used to define
almost any smooth reflective finish. It is important to define the Ra
or RMS of the required finish in order to avoid conflict in interpretation.
In some industries the term mirror finish can be used to define a smooth
reflective finish ranging from 4-8 Ra, as generated by commercial belt
polishing techniques. Generally speaking, 4 Ra and under refers to surface
finishes with higher degrees of luster and reflection generated by precision
belt and stone polishing operations.
Roll Technologys standard mirror finish classifications range
from 2-4 Ra and extend to optical mirror finishes measured to 1 Ra and
less.
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Optical
Mirror Finish
When calendering, heating or cooling a web such as magnetic tape, clear
plastic sheeting or film, where perfection of the chromium plated surface
is imperative, we offer an optical mirror finish. In the most critical
of applications, Roll Technology generates an optical mirror finish
measured between .1-.2 Ra in surface smoothness (one tenth of one millionth).
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Ra
/ RMS
Chromium plated roll surfaces are typically defined in terms of Ra or RMS. The
RMS (root mean square) of a given surface typically runs about 10% higher than
it equivalent Ra (average roughness) value. In English units, 10 Ra is equal
to 11 RMS, and for many applications the two units of measure are used interchangeably.
either of these terms can also be expressed in metric units. For example, 10
Ra in inches is equal to .25 Ra micrometers or .27 RMS in micrometers.
The lower the Ra or RMS, the smoother the finish.
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Satin
Finish
A chromium plated satin finish is created by grit blasting a ground
and polished base metal, followed by a thin layer of chromium in the
range of .001-.002 thick. The resulting surface finish reproduces
the hills and valleys of the blast, yet is somewhat slick to the feel.
The surface is considerably brighter when compared to a matte
finish, and can be mechanically buffed to increase luster. Satin finishes
are often specified for textured snag-free applications in textile,
packaging and casting.
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Sulfamate
Nickel
Sulfamate Nickel as deposited with the use of electric current is a
dense coating of pure nickel. In corrosion environments, a deposit of
.004 minimum residual sulfamate nickel can extend the useful life
of an industrial roll subjected to a corrosive environment. Sulfamate
Nickel can be deposited directly to the base metal and can serve as
a sealer layer prior to hard chromium plating.
Sulfamate Nickel is relatively soft (20 Rc as deposited) and may not
be the recommended coating in high load applications or strict wear
environments. Its use, however, in diameter restoration and corrosion
resistance is widely used in many industrial applications.
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Taper
Taper is the measurement of the variance of the rolls diameter
over the width of the roll face. A perfect cone shaped roll would have
virtually undetectable T.I.R. (total indicator reading), but may vary
in diameter (taper) significantly from one side of the roll face to
the other. Specifying the exact tolerance for allowable taper in refinishing
an industrial roll is just as critical as specifying its T.I.R.
At Roll Technology, electronic instrumentation is used to accurately
measure and record taper on a roll face. These precise instruments measure
a single plane passing through the rolls centerline, and are then
recorded to compare to customers specifications. Machine adjustments
are made to correct any irregularity to taper measurements that fall
outside acceptable limits.
Roll Technology regularly works on coating, metering and applicator
rolls that require tolerances to be within millionths of an inch.
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TIR
T.I.R. is a measurement of how round a roll face is at a given single
plane, perpendicular to the rolls centerline and in relation to
the accuracy of the bearing surfaces. T.I.R. is established using both
dial indicators and electronic probes to record specific roundness values.
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