15 August 2017
Precise knurling on large rollers
Embossing rollers are used in many industries to transfer surface finishes to various materials including plastic, aluminium,
paper, cardboard, leather or even glass and then process them. The strengths of Karl Wenk GmbH lie in their customised solutions for the most varied of requirements. The traditional company located in Lörrach-Brombach is based on a combination of precise workmanship and cutting-edge production technologies.
Application requirements
The finished roller is intended to emboss the profile onto glass heated up to 1,200°C. It is therefore made of particularly high-quality stainless steel to withstand these high temperatures. An important requirement was the highest level of precision. The cylindrical concentricity could have a maximum tolerance of only 0.015 mm along the entire length of the roller. The knurling profile and the depth of the knurl also had to be uniform all over.
Special parameters
• Embossing roller with a length of 4 m and an outer diamater of 20 cm
• A maximum tolerance of cylindrical concentricity of only 0.015 mm along the entire length of the roller is allowed
• Knurling profile and depth of the knurl had to be uniform all over
• Particularly high-quality and by means of special centrifugal casting process produced and difficult to machine stainless steel
Application optimization
The tool ensures the highest level of process reliability. The toothed serration between the 32 x 32 mm tool holder and the knurling head reduces vibrations to a minimum, thus guaranteeing maximum stability and extreme precision. The knurling head can be precisely positioned using setting gearing. This simplifies the process for setting up the equipment considerably and enables repeatable processes. The stable construction also ensures optimal tool positioning on the work piece. To achieve a perfectly formed profile and a uniform knurling depth, the user can finely adjust the knurling head quickly and easily using an adjusting
RESULT
In quality control the roller with the customised zeus knurling tool received a glowing report. „We have acquired a reliable, high precision tool that is also easy to use. Furthermore, the professional support we received from Hommel+Keller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH was excellent and the project went without a hitch. These are all good foundations for further cooperation on other projects in the future.“
(Quote: Peter Treichel, Project and Desing Engineering Management at Karl Wenk GmbH, Lörrach-Brombach)
