Conveyor Rollers, PU Wheels for Material Handling

Q: Do you do custom grooving?

Yes. Grooving can help traction, air release, contamination evacuation and stability depending on the application. Common patterns: longitudinal, spiral/helical, herringbone, diamond, evacuation/venting grooves and traction grooves.

Q: Can you remake a part if the OEM lead time is too long?

Yes. Reverse engineering and improvement of the material or the geometry to match your actual use.

The segments we serve

Common examples — describe what the roller or the part does and where it sits on the line, and we'll figure it out.

Distribution

Distribution centers & warehouses

E-commerce, parcels, sorting, shipping.

Usine

In-plant material handling

Packaging, paper/board, wood, metal, plastics.

Flux

Palletizing, transfer, sorting

Accumulation, transfer and sortation lines.

Traction

Incline / friction conveyors

Traction and hold-back zones.

Abrasif

Abrasive environments

Cardboard dust, particles, chips, recycling.

Nettoyage

Wet environments / frequent washdown

Chemical/cleaner compatibility depending on the sector.

Typical applications where our solutions make a real difference

Traction & entraînement : éviter le glissement, contrôler le grip sans marquer.
Guidage & stabilité : réduire dérive, vibration et variations dimensionnelles.
Transfert (zones de passage) : limiter accrochage, marquage et bourrages.
Accumulation & pression : surfaces et duretés qui gardent la constance dans le temps.
Abrasif & contamination : poussière, carton, copeaux, résidus → matériaux plus résistants + surfaces adaptées.
Environnements de nettoyage : compatibilité chimie/nettoyant + stabilité du revêtement.

The rollers, wheels and parts you find in conveying

Each function has its own compound, hardness, profile, surface finish and tolerances.

Drive rollers (drive rollers)

Traction, abrasion resistance, controlled surface. Typical hardness ~70-85 Shore A.

Idler rollers (idler / support)

Stability, reduced vibration, long service life.

Pressure rollers (nip / pinch)

Uniform pressure, matched surface. Typical hardness ~40-60 Shore A.

Tapered curve rollers / angled guide rollers

Path control, transfer through curves and product stability depending on the conveyor layout.

Transfer rollers

Surfaces non-marking, reduced snagging.

Sleeves (sleeves)

Simplified maintenance, fast replacement.

Drive & conveying wheels

Stable traction, wear resistance; on a steel or aluminum core — often overmolded onto metal. Load wheels: ~90-95 Shore A / ~60 Shore D.

Guide / stabilizing wheels

Reduced vibration, dimensional consistency, matched hardness.

Polyurethane molded wear parts

Bumpers, pads, shock absorbers, guides, bushings/spacers — reverse engineering when the OEM part is unavailable.

Anti-impact / anti-vibration blocks

Hardness, resilience, compression set, load and geometry matched to the mounting.

Our solutions for conveyors and material handling

Soremag is a

leading supplier

of roller and wheel covering and cast polyurethane parts — for distribution centers, plants and conveyor builders (OEMs), in Quebec and across North America. Since 1990, every part aims at the same thing: more miles before the next stoppage.

Rouleau d'entraînement recouvert de polyuréthane pour convoyeur — Soremag

Drive, pull and feed rollers

Drive rollers: grip that carries the load without slipping, wet or dry.

Voir la page

Roues de convoyage recouvertes de polyuréthane — Soremag

Wheel and roller-wheel covering

Drive, guide and stabilizing wheels, on steel or aluminum cores.

Voir la page

Racleur de bande en polyuréthane pour convoyeur — Soremag

Scrapers, blades and wipers

Belt wipers: keeping the belt clean without attacking it.

Voir la page

Plaques d'usure en polyuréthane pour goulotte et convoyeur — Soremag

Wear plates and liners

Wear plates and liners: wherever product rubs continuously against the frame.

Voir la page

Rouleaux, roues et pièces moulées recouverts en caoutchouc et polyuréthane — Soremag

All our products

Rollers, wheels and cast polyurethane parts — the full range, from nip rolls to wear pads.

Voir la page

Rectification d'un rouleau recouvert sur tour à meuler — services Soremag, Laval (Québec)

Our services

Grinding, grooving, metal fabrication and repair, reverse engineering, emergency service.

Voir la page

Sélection des matériaux

The right material for abrasion, moisture and grip

Abrasion, contamination, moisture, cleaning, pressure, speed, temperature and the grip you need.

In conveying,

abrasion and traction are what matter

. Two urethanes lead the way, separated by a single factor: moisture. The rest is chosen for the environment.

Polyester urethane

Severe dry abrasion

Very high abrasion and cut resistance.

Sensitive to hydrolysis — heat plus moisture: keep it out of wet service.

Polyether urethane

Water and washdown

More durable against hydrolysis, and long-lived.

The natural relay for the ester as soon as water is involved.

Natural rubberNR

Pure grip, no oil

Unbeatable for resilience, impact and tear strength.

On condition that oils, ozone and UV are kept away.

SBR

Standard handling

Economical, good general abrasion resistance.

Everyday press and conveying rollers.

EPDM

Wet environments and frequent cleaning

Water, steam, dilute acids and bases, ozone.

No oils, no hydrocarbons.

NitrileNBR

Oils and contaminants

Oils, greases and fuels — plus good abrasion resistance.

Less comfortable with ozone and UV.

The abrasion ranking under load

Polyester urethane > polyether urethane > natural rubber (NR) > SBR.

That is the order to remember when wear is the only criterion — but it reverses the moment water enters the picture.

Antistatic and dissipative

compounds (dust, corrugated, film) and

FDA grades

are available depending on the application. Durometer figures are indicative, confirmed case by case.

Consulter le guide de sélection des matériaux

Problem observed → possible fix

To be validated on your application.

Symptôme en usine	Piste de solution fréquente (Soremag)
Glissement / manque de traction	Formulation + dureté + surface (Ra) + revue nettoyage/contamination.
Marquage sur produit	Composé non-marquant à charges blanches (silice), sans noir de carbone ni huiles exsudantes + dureté + fini adaptés (le marquage est souvent chimique, pas juste une question de rugosité).
Usure prématurée (abrasion)	Polyuréthane spécialisé ou caoutchouc haute résistance selon l'abrasif.
Dépôts / encrassement	Matériau plus compatible + surface adaptée + méthode de nettoyage.
Usure aux extrémités	Vérifier l'alignement, le tracking de la courroie, la largeur produit vs largeur utile, le crown/profil, le parallélisme, la charge aux rives, les dépôts et l'état des portées. Solution d'usinage fréquente : un chanfrein de dégagement / dépouille (end relief) aux extrémités.
Vibration / battement	Rectification, concentricité (TIR), équilibrage si requis, état des portées.
Accrochage / bourrages en transfert	Surface + géométrie + correction mécanique des zones de transfert.

ADN Soremag

The solution isn't just “change the material”. Very often, it's the right combination:

hardness + finish (Ra) + geometry + mechanics

— and sometimes dual hardness depending on the application.

What we measure and validate:

hardness (Shore A / D), surface finish (Ra), runout (TIR), cylindricity, profile / crown, dynamic balancing, condition of the journals, and chemical compatibility (swelling, hardness and surface testing on a sample).

Common symptoms (and what we check first)

Click a category.

Traction and stability +

Slipping:

contamination, hardness, surface, actual pressure.

Traction too aggressive:

marking → adjust hardness/surface/formulation.

Drift / unstable guiding:

alignment + geometry + mechanical condition.

Surface, build-up, contamination +

Build-up that accumulates:

material compatibility + surface + cleaning.

“Glazed” surface:

unsuitable finish / contamination / aging.

Snagging:

surface too aggressive, local defect, geometry.

Wear and damage +

Abrasion:

material, hardness, dust/particles, pressure.

Cuts / gouges:

formulation + hardness + protection + process review.

Debonding:

preparation, bonding agent, chemistry, overheating, cycles.

Vibration and dimensions +

Chatter (TIR):

precision grinding, journals, concentricity, balancing if required.

Variations:

localized wear, wear or deflection of the core and of the bearing journals, alignment, load.

The full “problem → diagnosis → solution” approach → Roller & Wheel Diagnostics

Our approach (structured: diagnosis, technical selection, targeted testing when the risk justifies it)

We usually start with a call, an email or a Zoom to understand the application before driving out. Depending on the case, we ask for photos/video, parameters (speed, load, pressure), cleaning method, downtime history and sometimes a sample part.

Then we step in at the right level: resurfacing / precision grinding / grooving, complete recovering, mechanical repair (cores, shafts, journals), or reverse engineering when the OEM part is no longer available. Need a fast fix? See emergency & logistics.

Equipment and brands we see often

Even if your line goes by another name, describe the function: we'll figure it out.

Integrators / conveyors: Hytrol, Dorner, Dematic, TGW, Honeywell Intelligrated. Rollers, MDR & drum motors: Interroll, Itoh Denki, Van der Graaf. Rubber-lagged drums and pulleys for modular belts: Intralox, Habasit, Rexnord.

HytrolInterrollDornerFlexLinkDematicHoneywell IntelligratedTGWItoh Denki (MDR)Van der GraafRexnordHabasitIntralox

Motorized drive rollers (MDR):

we first assess the construction, the allowable diameter, the presence of a sleeve, the motor heat and the OEM constraints before recommending a cover, a sleeve or a replacement.

Brands listed for reference only; Soremag is not affiliated with any of these manufacturers.

Frequently asked questions — conveyors & material handling

Is it better to buy OEM or to have the part refurbished? +

In many cases, refurbishing is faster or more economical than OEM, especially if the metal body is salvageable and the geometry can be improved. Above all, we can

improve

material, hardness, surface and geometry instead of reproducing a standard.

Why does the wear happen at the ends? +

Alignment, working width vs the product being carried, load, geometry. We check whether a profile or alignment correction is needed.

Does the Ra (surface roughness) really matter? +

Yes, but it isn't “rougher = more grip”. On a clean, dry surface (plastic totes, glossy cardboard), a

smooth

finish and a lower hardness maximize contact adhesion. Roughness or grooving mainly serve to

break a film

of water or oil and to clear dust. So we look at the Ra

and

the Rz, the type of grinding/grooving, the actual pressure, the speed and the contamination.

Resurfacing instead of a complete recovering, is that possible? +

Yes if the cover is sound and the tolerances allow it. Otherwise, we strip and recover from scratch.

Do you do custom grooving? +

Yes. grooving can help traction, air release, contamination evacuation and stability depending on the application. Common patterns: longitudinal, spiral/helical, herringbone, diamond, evacuation/venting grooves and traction grooves.

My bearing journals are damaged: do I have to scrap the roller? +

No. We can often repair, build up and remachine the journals to bring them back into tolerance before covering.

Can the build-up that fouls the rollers be reduced? +

Often yes: material choice, surface and cleaning method. Some formulations and finishes clean up much better.

Can you remake a part if the OEM lead time is too long? +

Yes. Reverse Engineering and improvement of the material or the geometry to match your actual use.

How do you choose the right material without guessing? +

We start from the actual parameters (abrasion, contamination, cleaning, speed, pressure, temperature), then we choose a formulation validated against your context.

A conveyor roller is slipping: where do you start? +

We first check the contamination (oil, dust, glazing), the actual pressure, the hardness and the finish (Ra/Rz). The solution is often a combination of formulation + surface + cleaning — not just “change the material”.

Do you cover motorized drive rollers (MDR)? +

We assess every MDR (Itoh Denki, Interroll…) first: an MDR cannot go in the oven without destroying the motor. Depending on the construction, we steer toward a sleeve/jacket, a cold process or a replacement, taking into account the diameter, the heat and the OEM constraints.

Rollers, wheels and molded parts for conveyors & material handling

In a conveying system, a “small” problem quickly gets expensive

The segments we serve

Distribution centers & warehouses

In-plant material handling

Palletizing, transfer, sorting

Incline / friction conveyors

Abrasive environments

Wet environments / frequent washdown

Typical applications where our solutions make a real difference

The rollers, wheels and parts you find in conveying

Drive rollers (drive rollers)

Idler rollers (idler / support)

Pressure rollers (nip / pinch)

Tapered curve rollers / angled guide rollers

Transfer rollers

Sleeves (sleeves)

Drive & conveying wheels

Guide / stabilizing wheels

Polyurethane molded wear parts

Anti-impact / anti-vibration blocks

Our solutions for conveyors and material handling

Drive, pull and feed rollers

Wheel and roller-wheel covering

Scrapers, blades and wipers

Wear plates and liners

All our products

Our services

The right material for abrasion, moisture and grip

Polyester urethane

Polyether urethane

Natural rubberNR

SBR

EPDM

NitrileNBR

The abrasion ranking under load

Problem observed → possible fix

Common symptoms (and what we check first)

Traction and stability +

Surface, build-up, contamination +

Wear and damage +

Vibration and dimensions +

Our approach (structured: diagnosis, technical selection, targeted testing when the risk justifies it)

Equipment and brands we see often

Frequently asked questions — conveyors & material handling

Is it better to buy OEM or to have the part refurbished? +

Why does the wear happen at the ends? +

Does the Ra (surface roughness) really matter? +

Resurfacing instead of a complete recovering, is that possible? +

Do you do custom grooving? +

My bearing journals are damaged: do I have to scrap the roller? +

Can the build-up that fouls the rollers be reduced? +

Can you remake a part if the OEM lead time is too long? +

How do you choose the right material without guessing? +

A conveyor roller is slipping: where do you start? +

Do you cover motorized drive rollers (MDR)? +

Are your conveyors slipping, marking, vibrating or wearing out too fast?