Pronexos has launched a new range of wear resistant composite coatings for CFRP rollers that will offer customers new cost-effective options for CFRP roller applications. Tonex®, which is a registered trademark, is a resin-based composite coating for rollers that has been designed to meet the specific needs of the printing & packaging, converting and non-woven markets, although it has other applications too.
“As a coating for a carbon fibre roller Tonex® has many attractive properties” comments Philipp Kroschner from Pronexos. “Tonex® has a very high wear resistance for its price point, which makes it an attractive choice as it’s lighter and cheaper than ceramic or metal alternatives. It is also much easier to machine. You can machine a Tonex®-coated roller simply by lathe turning. Achieving a smooth surface on a carbon fibre tube is difficult, but with Tonex® it becomes a simple job to make fine adjustments to size and shape.”
This workability also means that small areas of damage on Tonex®-coated rollers can be easily repaired. “The standard application of Tonex® is a thin layer about 1.5mm thick” explains Kroschner. “Scratches and surface damage can be shaved off to give a perfect repair. You cannot do that with ceramic and metal coatings. This offers a significant boost to the operational life of any roller made with this coating.”
Pronexos can offer Tonex®-coated rollers manufactured at its plant in Almelo, The Netherlands. Tonex® has been developed and further improved over the last four years using Pronexos’ advanced research and development capabilities, which include materials laboratories and extensive testing equipment.
Pronexos has already delivered several impressive projects using the new range. “Customers who are already using Tonex®-coated rollers report that its hardness is the key characteristic that is delivering improved roller performance” explains Kroschner. “The typical application for Tonex® is for guide rollers for offset and flexographic printing machines, and also as a replacement for expensive ceramic-coated rollers.”
A full range of coatings
Currently Pronexos can offer two product variants of the Tonex® coating: the regular version and a conductive version. New variants are in the pipeline, including coloured versions and other customised applications. “We believe that Tonex® will become a very popular choice for coating material for CFRP rollers because the combination of hardness, machinability and price point make this a winning combination for new and replacement rollers” concludes Kroschner.
