Covered Rollers for Metal Coil Lines

Q: My wringers leave liquid streaks at high speed?

It is usually hydroplaning. We machine grooving (spiral/herringbone/diamond), we grind the crown profile to compensate for the deflection, and we pick the right compound (often EPDM or CSM).

On coil lines, nothing is forgiving

The rollers work under tension, in contact with strip edges, rolling oils, rinse water, acid or caustic solutions and sometimes high temperatures (out of the bath). The slightest surface defect shows — especially on aluminum and on finish-grade steels.

At Soremag, we cover, grind, groove and refurbish rollers in rubber or polyurethane. We can also build and repair cores, rework journals, do reverse engineering and produce wheels and cast polyurethane parts. The right cover is not chosen on hardness alone: surface finish (Ra), geometry, runout, crown, nip pressure, chemistry, temperature, abrasion and the risk of marking.

The processes we serve

Décapage & nettoyage

Pickling, degreasing, rinsing

Wringing (wringer/squeegee), wash/rinse, de-oiling and deflection — resistance to acids and to caustic solutions.

Galvanisation

Galvanizing & coating

Process rollers

outside the molten zinc bath

: pretreatment, rinse, quench, oiler, deflector, bridle, pinch.

Coil coating

Continuous painting

Applicator and metering rollers (to drawing and tolerances), plus process rollers.

Refendage

Slitting & cut-to-length

Pinch, braking, tension, guiding and hold-down — with no marking and no slipping.

Laminage

Rolling & finishing

Bridle rolls / S-rolls, deflectors, pass-line: stable tension and a steady surface.

Manutention

Coil handling

Wheels, cam followers, guides, bumpers and polyurethane wear parts to eliminate metal-to-metal contact.

Typical uses where our solutions make a difference

Traction & tension (bridle / S-rolls) : coefficient de friction stabilisé, tenue au fluage et fini de surface adaptés — sans marquer la bande.
Essorage (wringer / squeegee) : extraction de liquide après décapage, rinçage ou quench; on combat l'hydroplanage par rainurage + crown + Ra.
Pincement & entraînement (pinch / feed) : guidage de la bande, protection de surface, moins de glissement.
Guidage & déviation (steering / deflector) : trajectoire stable; faux-rond (TIR) et alignement critiques.
Enduction (coil coating) : rouleaux applicateurs et doseurs rectifiés avec Ra et TIR contrôlés pour un film régulier.
Anti-marquage (aluminium / inox) : composé non-marquant + Ra contrôlé pour éviter l'effet ventouse et le pickup.

The rollers, wheels and parts you find on metal lines

Bridle rolls / S-rolls (traction, tension)

Stabilized friction and creep resistance to hold tension without marking.

Wringer rollers (wringer / squeegee)

Uniform wringing; grooving (spiral / herringbone / diamond) against hydroplaning.

Pinch / feed rolls

Strip drive and guiding, surface protection.

Deflector / steering / guide rolls

Deflection and alignment; concentricity (TIR) under control.

Wash / rinse, de-oiler & oiler rolls

Washing, rinsing, oil removal and oil application — materials compatible with the chemistry.

Hold-down / snubber & brake / tension rolls

Strip hold-down, braking and tension control in slitting and recoiling.

Applicator / metering rollers (coil coating)

Built and covered to drawing, hardness, Ra and TIR for a steady paint film.

Sleeves (sleeves)

Fast replacement on the existing shaft, when the assembly allows it.

Polyurethane wheels & molded parts

Cam followers, guides, bushings, bumpers, impact pads for coil cradles — often overmolded on metal; reverse engineering when the OEM part is not available.

Our solutions for steel, aluminum and metals

Soremag is a

leading supplier

of roller and wheel covering and cast polyurethane parts — for pickling, rolling and slitting lines as much as for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), in Quebec and across North America. Since 1990, every part is specified to take the chemistry on your line without costing you a day of production.

Rouleau d'essorage recouvert de caoutchouc pour ligne de décapage de métal — Soremag

Wringer, wash and squeegee rollers

Out of the bath, at the rinse, at the degreaser: the squeeze decides what the strip carries to the next station.

Voir la page

Rouleau pinch recouvert de polyuréthane pour ligne de tôle — Soremag, Laval

Nip, press and laminating rollers

Pinch and feed rolls: even pressure across the full width, without marking the sheet.

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Rouleau de traction recouvert de caoutchouc pour bridle de ligne métal — Soremag

Drive, pull and feed rollers

Bridle rolls and S-rolls: this is where strip tension is set from one end of the line to the other.

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Rouleau de guidage recouvert de polyuréthane pour ligne de métal — Soremag

Guide, idler and dancer rollers

Deflector, steering and guide rolls: keeping the strip straight where it changes direction.

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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.

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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.

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Sélection des matériaux

The right material for the chemistry on the line

Acids, caustics, oils, temperature, speed, abrasion, sharp edges and the finish you need.

On metal lines,

chemistry drives the choice

. The position sets the family: pickling bath, oily zone, sharp edges at the slitter. Each zone is specified for what it actually contains, not for what the machine is called.

EPDM

Pickling, rinsing, alkaline degreasing

Handles acids (HCl, H₂SO₄), bases, hot caustics and steam.

Definitely not rolling oils or hydrocarbons.

NitrileNBR

Oily zones

Holds up to rolling oils, greases and cutting fluids — at the nip, at the mill exit.

Less comfortable with ozone, UV and concentrated strong acids.

Polyester urethane

Sharp edges and severe wear

Very high abrasion, cut and load resistance: dry slitting and cut-to-length.

Rule it out in wet service or hot acid — hydrolysis.

Nitrile PVCNBR/PVC

Oil mist

The oil resistance of nitrile, plus better abrasion and ozone resistance.

Suits semi-exposed positions and press rollers.

HNBR

Hot oils and hot rolling

The nitrile for the hot position, around 150 °C.

Our

HeatTuff

compound holds

160 °C (320 °F)

— the hottest of our rubbers outside silicone.

CSMHypalon®

Oxidizing acids

Stands up to the HNO₃ of stainless pickling, to oxidizing agents, to ozone and UV.

Also chemical baths and rollers exposed outdoors.

Polyether urethane

Wet squeeze and soluble fluids

The abrasion resistance of urethane, plus resistance to hydrolysis.

Takes over from the ester as soon as water is involved.

FKM / Viton®

Extreme chemistry and heat

Stainless pickling at high concentrations of hot mixed acids.

Studied on request, after validation — it is not compatible with every chemistry.

FKM is not a universal answer

FKM resists chemistries and temperatures nothing else will take, but it

does not suit every chemistry

— certain caustic solutions in particular. Each case is validated before we quote it.

Other families remain available depending on the position:

neoprene (CR)

SBR

natural rubber (NR)

, and

silicone

for hot exits outside the bath.

Consulter le guide de sélection des matériaux

Problem observed → possible fix

Symptôme en usine	Ce qu'on ajuste le plus souvent
Marques / empreintes sur la tôle (surtout aluminium)	Composé non-marquant + dureté et pression au nip + fini de surface (Ra) + contrôle du pickup.
Coupure du revêtement par les arêtes de bande	Composé anti-coupure (PU ester à sec, ou caoutchouc/polyuréthane haute densité si fluides) + gestion des rives + alignement.
Attaque chimique / gonflement du revêtement	Sélection EPDM / CSM / NBR / HNBR / PU éther selon chimie réelle + test de gonflement sur échantillon.
Essorage incomplet / traces de liquide (hydroplanage)	Dureté + pression + parallélisme + rainurage (hélice/chevron) + crown + état de surface.
Patinage sous tension (bridle)	Formulation à friction stabilisée + Ra (fini mat/texturé) + pression au nip + nettoyage + alignement.
Usure rapide (calamine / abrasion)	Polyuréthane ou caoutchouc haute résistance selon milieu; validation chimie et température.
Vibration / faux-rond / marques cycliques	Rectification, concentricité (TIR), équilibrage dynamique, réparation des portées.
Enduction irrégulière (coil coating)	Ra + TIR de l'applicateur/doseur + dureté + parallélisme + crown.

Exemple terrain — essorage après décapage

A film of acid stays in the center or at the edges coming out of the rinse, which gets in the way of drying and of the coating downstream. Often it is a loss of parallelism or a

deformation of the roller under load

(barrelling). We combine two corrections: a compensating

crown profile

machined in on the grinder, and a compatible compound (often

EPDM or CSM

depending on the chemistry)

grooved in herringbone

to push the liquid out toward the ends continuously.

What we measure and validate:

hardness (Shore A / D), surface finish (Ra), runout (TIR), cylindricity, profile / crown, grooving, dynamic balancing, condition and weld build-up of the journals, adhesion of the cover to the metal core, chemical compatibility (swelling/hardness/surface test), and defect inspection (glazing, swelling, crazing, delamination, pickup).

What we like to know to recommend the right cover (without guessing)

Process: pickling, rinsing, galvanizing, coil coating, slitting, cut-to-length…
Roller type: bridle, wringer, pinch, deflector, applicator, metering, oiler…
Strip material: carbon steel, stainless, aluminum, other.
Width, thickness and line speed.
Strip tension and nip pressure.
Chemistry: acid, caustic, oil, solvent — concentration, pH, temperature.
Current hardness and required surface finish.
Symptoms: marking, slipping, cuts, swelling, wear.
Drawing, photos, sample or the old roller.

Frequently asked questions — steel, aluminum & metals

Which cover for an acid pickling line? +

For HCl and H₂SO₄,

EPDM

is a standard; for oxidizing acids (HNO₃, stainless),

CSM

. The choice depends on the concentration, the temperature, the contact time and the presence of oil. An

FKM

option can be evaluated on request for very aggressive cases, after validation.

How do you avoid marks on aluminum sheet? +

Non-marking compound, hardness and nip pressure matched to the job, controlled surface finish (Ra) to prevent the suction effect, and pickup control. Grinding and cleanliness count as much as the material.

The coil edges are cutting my cover: what can I do? +

We cut the risk with a more cut-resistant compound (polyester PU when dry, or high-density rubber/polyurethane when fluids are present) + edge management, pressure and alignment. No compound makes up for a very aggressive edge that is out of alignment.

My wringers leave liquid streaks at high speed? +

It is usually

hydroplaning

. We machine grooving (spiral/herringbone/diamond), we grind the crown profile to compensate for the deflection, and we pick the right compound (often EPDM or CSM).

My bridle rolls are slipping under tension: what should I check? +

Coefficient of friction, hardness, Ra, nip pressure, presence of oil, actual tension, TIR and alignment. The cover helps, but slipping is usually a combination of material + surface + mechanics.

Difference between polyester and polyether polyurethane? +

The

ester

resists abrasion, cutting and load better, but degrades by hydrolysis (moisture/heat/acid): keep it for dry service. The

ether

tolerates moisture better — without replacing EPDM/CSM in hot acid or caustic.

Do you cover coil coating applicator and metering rollers? +

Yes. We build and cover them to your drawing, with controlled hardness, surface finish and tolerances (Ra and TIR) — on top of the process rollers (wringer, pinch, bridle, deflector).

Do you do custom grooving? +

Yes: spiral, herringbone or diamond for wringing and drainage, depending on the material, the hardness, the speed, the pressure and the liquid to be removed.

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

No. We inspect the core, and we can repair, build up and remachine the journals before covering.

Can you remake a part if the OEM one is not available? +

Yes. Through reverse engineering, we remake wheels, cam followers, guides, bushings, bumpers and cast polyurethane parts.

Covered rollers for steel, aluminum and sheet metal lines

On coil lines, nothing is forgiving

The processes we serve

Pickling, degreasing, rinsing

Galvanizing & coating

Continuous painting

Slitting & cut-to-length

Rolling & finishing

Coil handling

Typical uses where our solutions make a difference

The rollers, wheels and parts you find on metal lines

Bridle rolls / S-rolls (traction, tension)

Wringer rollers (wringer / squeegee)

Pinch / feed rolls

Deflector / steering / guide rolls

Wash / rinse, de-oiler & oiler rolls

Hold-down / snubber & brake / tension rolls

Applicator / metering rollers (coil coating)

Sleeves (sleeves)

Polyurethane wheels & molded parts

Our solutions for steel, aluminum and metals

Wringer, wash and squeegee rollers

Nip, press and laminating rollers

Drive, pull and feed rollers

Guide, idler and dancer rollers

All our products

Our services

The right material for the chemistry on the line

EPDM

NitrileNBR

Polyester urethane

Nitrile PVCNBR/PVC

HNBR

CSMHypalon®

Polyether urethane

FKM / Viton®

FKM is not a universal answer

Problem observed → possible fix

What we like to know to recommend the right cover (without guessing)

Equipment and brands we see often

Frequently asked questions — steel, aluminum & metals

Which cover for an acid pickling line? +

How do you avoid marks on aluminum sheet? +

The coil edges are cutting my cover: what can I do? +

My wringers leave liquid streaks at high speed? +

My bridle rolls are slipping under tension: what should I check? +

Difference between polyester and polyether polyurethane? +

Do you cover coil coating applicator and metering rollers? +

Do you do custom grooving? +

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

Can you remake a part if the OEM one is not available? +

Marked sheet, a roller that slips or a cover attacked by the chemistry?