Role of Bearings in the Paper Printing and Converting Industry
Despite the fact that many printed items are now being digitalized, the paper industry is still a huge business worldwide. The paper printing and converting industry is responsible for creating various printed materials, including newspapers, magazines, books, packaging, labels, and more.
This industry relies heavily on several different machines and processes to get the job done, and bearings play a vital role in many of them. Bearing and bushing suppliers like hi-bond are essential partners in keeping the paper printing and converting industry running smoothly.
In this post, we’ll look at how bearings are used in this industry and how they help keep things moving.
What Is Paper Converting?
Paper conversion refers to post-press systems that turn a flat sheet of paper into a specific size and shape a multi-dimensional product. Such products can include books, magazines, labels, envelopes, greeting cards, boxes, etc.
The paper conversion generally consists of the following stages:
- Extracting fibers from raw material
- Melting raw material to create a pulp
- Forming the pulp into a sheet
- Drying the sheet
- Shaping and cutting the sheet into the desired product
- Adding any finishing touches, such as laminating, coating, or die-cutting
The most usual cutting technique in the conversion process is the slitter or rewinder. Many blades reduce big unwound paper rolls into smaller paper sizes to fit a specific printing press. Finally, the paper rewinds onto rolls of the desired size.
What Are the Most Common Bearing Solutions in Paper Manufacturing and Conversion?
Bearings and bushes play a vital role in the paper-making process, as they are used in numerous machines and components. The most typical uses for bearings in this sector are that they aid in cutting, rolling, and unrolling paper materials. Several types of bearings are available to fit a wide range of applications.
Slitters and rewinders need high-speed ball bearings and high-accuracy linear motion bearings for better running precision. Free-running pillow blocks and insert bearings have modified slings and gaskets on each side. This design offers a low starting torque and efficient sealing that can endure in high-temperature situations. These bearings are essential for high-precision applications since they provide extreme precision. Also, in the last stage of paper production, print rollers require high-precision and long-lasting bearing supports. These are important for ensuring that the impression cylinder is operational and that low-clearance supports and solid execution are used to minimize errors such as runout.
Today’s printing processes frequently utilize an NAO-style needle bearing with offset cage packets. Roller drives, presses, and gripper shaft controls often include cam followers, yoke, and needle rollers. Hi-bond Company offers a wide range of bearing options for paper conversion and printing. These include:
- Needle roller bearings
- Cylindrical roller bearings
- Spherical roller bearings
- Ball and roller bearings for printing machinery
- Free-running pillow block and insert bearings
Read here to know the difference between journal bearings vs. a ball bearings.
Why Should You Choose hi-bond for Your Bearing Needs?
Bearing provides linear movement solutions for a wide variety of paper-converting machines. For example, they are used in rollers, grippers, and cam followers. As a leading bearing and bushing supplier, we offer a wide range of bearing options to meet the specific needs of your application.
In addition to our extensive product offering, we also provide expert engineering support to help you select the best bearing for your application. Our team of engineers has vast experience in the paper converting industry. It can provide you with the knowledge and expertise you need to make the best decision for your application.
For more information about hi-bond or our products, contact us today. We would be happy to answer any questions you have or provide you with a quote for your project.
