Roller Covering
our 9-step process

On receipt, each roller is inspected and the required work identified: re-cover (full re-rubbering), re-surface, or mandrel (shaft) repair. Dimensions, bearing journals and conformance with the order are verified.

Soremag presents the recommended work to the customer. Following acceptance of the work, a work order is created (specifications, dimensions, surface finish, required checks) and governs the entire production.

Routing per the work order: re-surfacing → finishing; re-covering → stripping in the shop, then mandrel preparation or a stop at the mandrel repair shop (shaft, bearing journals); new mandrel → surface preparation. Surface preparation is done by grit blasting or a CNC grinder fitted with an abrasive belt (sanding belt).

Application of the adhesive layers (primer and bonding agents), by brush or spray, depending on the shaft material and the elastomer. The choice of adhesive is as decisive as the choice of elastomer.

Soremag sources its rubber, silicone and polyurethane from leading manufacturers. On receipt, each rubber lot is inspected and numbered for traceability, then placed in refrigerated inventory. When a roller is to be covered, the rubber is taken out of the refrigerator the day before and brought back to temperature.

The temperature-conditioned rubber is cut into sheets and wound onto the roller to the required diameter, then wrapped with nylon tape to hold it under compression while awaiting curing.

Using our rail-mounted strip extruder, the roller is mounted on a lathe in front of the extruder, which preheats the rubber and applies strips under pressure onto the mandrel to the required diameter; it is then wrapped with nylon tape to hold it under compression.

Hot molding using a latest-generation casting machine: preheating of the mold and mandrel, calibration, selection of ingredients and color, then gravity casting.

Nylon tape removed (rubber) or roller demolded (polyurethane), then precision machining. Soremag uses exclusively CNC grinders that correct tapers; all shapes and grooves are produced by specialized CNC for elastomer grinding: cylindrical, parabolic or hyperbolic, controlled roughness, axial/circumferential/helical grooves, or embossing.

Checks recorded per our quality system: hardness with a durometer, roughness (Ra), diameter with a precision (pi) tape, and visual inspection. Any deviation from the work order is corrected before release. The roller is then packaged to protect it from UV, moisture and impacts.