Why your rolls may not be as balanced as you thought they were.

 

What exactly is the difference between the two balancing techniques? And how do you know what method is right for your rolls? Continue reading to find out! Not sure if your rolls even need to be balanced in the first place? Take a look at part 1, that we posted last week, to learn why roll balancing is vital and signs to look out for that mean your roll(s) may be unbalanced.

View Part 1 here: Why Roll Balancing Maintenance is Vital

Two vs Three Plane Balancing

Surprisingly, not many understand the difference between choosing two plane over three plane balancing and vice versa. American Roller also encounters many new customers who were under the impression that their roll was balanced when in reality their previous supplier was only performing two-plane balancing (on a roll that should receive three plane balancing) due to not having the capabilities to perform the required three plane balancing.

If you remember from part 1, we explained that when a roll becomes unbalanced, it creates a non-uniform centrifugal force that is detrimental to the life of your machine and its many operating parts. The rotor (core), bearings, and the supporting structure are all vulnerable to excessive stress when your production line is running with even just one imbalanced roll.

Now that you know how to determine if balancing is required and why it is an important maintenance service, let’s understand how to choose between two or three plane balancing.

Two Plane Balancing

Two Plane Balancing is a common method for balancing a roll. Yet, for many rolls – particularly lighter weight, high-speed rollers – two plane balancing may not be enough. When a roller is balanced on two planes, we are looking for the vibration response vectors at both bearings.  This allows us to calculate the initial unbalance weight at each plane and make any necessary corrections. Yet if the ratio of weight to length of a roll is significant enough, two plane balancing has missed correcting a vital concern called whipping.

Three Plane Balancing

When whipping is seen, the core of the roller is actually bending because of the imbalance towards the center of the core, this cylindrical force creates a jump rope effect most known as whipping. This imbalance is fixable; however, it requires three plane balancing which not many roll service providers are capable of providing. The process of three plane balancing is actually adding weight to the center of the core to counterbalance the jump rope effect caused by the cylindrical force within the roll.

Servicing Your Rollers

Next time you send your rollers into American Roller for service, ask your account manager if balancing should be considered and whether your roll is fine with two plane, or if it requires that the third plane be balanced as well. Our account managers and engineers have seen many different types of rollers across various industries, making them your go-to expert for any questions you may have before servicing and/or repairing a roller.

Contact us today if you have any questions about our balancing options and other repair services at 262.878.2445 or by email info@americanroller.com