Rubber covered cylinders for the food industry
In food production and packaging lines, the roller that touches the product or its packaging is not just any component: the mixture must withstand washing, grease, sugar, and temperature changes without releasing particles or altering the product.
In many lines, where flour, sugar, cocoa, and snacks are processed, it must also prevent the accumulation of electrostatic charges that attract dust, stick the packaging film, or generate electrical discharges.
Four compound families cover almost all applications that come into contact with or near food products. The choice is made together, starting with the product being transported and the line’s washing cycle.
- Press Food Grade, with hardness between 40 and 90 Sh(A), for applications up to 100 °C, normally used on lines that process baked goods, cured meats and fatty foods
- Etisol Food Grade, with hardness between 40 and 85 Sh(A), for applications up to 120°C, normally used on lines with CIP or steam cleaning
- Silterm Food Grade, with hardness between 30 and 80 Sh(A), for applications up to 200 °C, normally used in ovens, cooling tunnels and pastry shops
Food Grade compounds comply with national regulations for food contact, whether they are the American FDA or the Italian ministerial decree DM 21/03/1973 as main examples
Special mention should be made of the antistatic compounds used on lines handling flour, sugar, cocoa, spices, or snacks, as the continuous friction between the product and the roller electrostatically charges the rubberized surface. The antistatic compound dissipates the charge in a controlled manner, without altering the mechanical performance of the coating, reducing:
- Accumulation of dust and flour on the surface of the roller
- Packaging film that sticks during forming
- Adhesion of residues on the rollers after processing
- Line shutdown for extraordinary cleaning of the rollers
Currently the antistatic compounds are developed on the basis of Press and Etisol, with continuous R&D work to optimize performances
We can also supply the metal core, whether it is AISI304, 316L stainless steel or aluminum, and we rubberize it onto boards up to 8 meters in a single piece, maintaining the concentricity and finish required by the design.
We manufacture custom rubberized cylinders and rollers by choosing the compound based on the actual application and building the metal core to your design, thus delivering a component ready for assembly.
