Carbon fibre rollers (CFRP) are a popular choice for new applications in printing, packaging, converting and other applications. They are valued for their high performance, low weight and high strength.

CFRP rollers are often seen as expensive compared to steel and other metal rollers, because of their higher initial unit price. At Pronexos we believe that the other benefits of CFRP far outweigh the price difference and that the savings that CFRP offers, make good financial sense over the lifetime of the roller.

Here are 10 reasons why you should choose carbon fibre (CFRP) for your roller application:

1. Weight: CFRP is much lighter than metal rollers and this means each roller contributes much less to the overall weight of a machine
2. Speed: CFRP rollers can usually operate at higher speeds than their metal rivals. This allows higher throughput and drives greater efficiency of the whole machine
3. Strength-to-weight: Carbon fibre is a high-strength material and it has a superior strength-to-weight ratio. That means lighter, safer rollers can be made for hard-working applications where high strength is needed
4. Adjustable properties: Carbon fibre rollers can be manufactured at a range of stiffnesses and strengths to fit the needs of an application. This minimizes wastage and optimizes efficiency
5. Robustness: CFRP rollers are usually more robust than cheaper metal rollers, which means less potential downtime of the machine and greater return on investment over the lifecycle of the machine
6. Reliability: with greater strength, less weight and lesser inclination to fatigue, CFRP rollers can be counted on as more reliable and need replacing much less than metal rollers
7. Flexibility: or rather, lack of it. CFRP offers higher levels of stiffness to ensure reduced deflection and ‘bounce’ for rollers in operation
8. Running cost: using CFRP can mean using lighter and longer rollers. The lighter rollers can contribute to lower electricity usage by a machine, and thereby make a significant contribution to cost savings over the lifecycle of the machine
9. Safety: with lower weight and higher strength, coupled with greater inherent reliability, CFRP rollers offer a safer alternative to metal rollers, especially in applications where rollers are often moved by hand
10. TCO (total cost of ownership): over the lifecycle of a machine the use of CFRP rollers provides reduced TCO through lower operational cost, reduced downtime, increased productivity and greater performance.