[Reduce Electricity Costs] Are Drive Motors Necessary? Switching to Low-Torque Expander Rolls

Expander rolls are essential for preventing wrinkles in films and paper on manufacturing lines. In many cases, these rolls are "driven" by attached motors to ensure stable rotation. While this is a common approach to maintain quality, let's change our perspective and consider the "costs associated with driving" these rolls.

The Accumulation of "Hidden Costs"

For instance, imagine driving a rubber expander roll (outer diameter φ100 × face length 1500W) with a 0.10kW motor.

• Estimated electricity cost: Approx. 15,000 JPY per year per roll (calculated based on 24 hours/day, 250 days/year operation at 25 JPY/kWh).

While this might seem like a small amount at first glance, the costs add up significantly if there are multiple expander rolls in the factory.

Furthermore, a more substantial burden on the site than electricity is the "hidden labor cost" required for regular replacement and daily inspection of motors and peripheral parts. Although essential for maintaining the production line, these are running costs you ideally want to eliminate.

No Drive Motor Required! The New Choice: Low-Torque Expander Rolls

As a solution to these challenges, we propose switching to Osaka Senshoku Machinery's "Low-Torque Expander Rolls." By simply replacing the roll itself without drastically changing the existing equipment environment, you can generate the following benefits:

• Overwhelmingly Low-Torque Design: Because it rotates smoothly solely on the sheet's tension, "driving" via a motor becomes unnecessary.

• Reduction of Running Costs: By eliminating the motor, the electricity cost for that specific part becomes zero. At the same time, it contributes to reducing the entire factory's CO2 emissions.

• Maintenance-Free: Since there are no motors or peripheral drive parts, the on-site labor previously required for inspections and periodic replacements is reduced to zero.

Custom-Made Proposals Tailored to Your Environment

For sites that have traditionally used driven systems, there might be concerns such as, "Will it really rotate just with tension?" or "Can we introduce it with our current line settings?"

At our company, we provide fully custom-made proposals tailored to your environment, ranging from technical verifications ("Can we switch to a non-driven roll with our current line settings?") to actual cost reduction simulations and estimates.

If you are in charge of advancing overall factory energy savings and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) reduction, in addition to improving wrinkle and shrinkage quality, please feel free to contact us.