GetaGrip! Optimize Your Roll Cases
in 1992 a revolution began to roll across the Lumber Manufacturing Industry
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It started in Prince George, BC, Canada, the heartland of Canada's Softwood Lumber Industry. Mills began to realize that transfer and ending rolls spend more time handling the lumber than the saws spend cutting it. In fact, ineffective transfer and ending rolls often cause the saws to sit idle! |
In 1992, lumber manufacturers in Western Canada began systematically optimizing roll cases throughout their mills. Over a decade later, lumber manufacturers across North America are discovering the competitive edge gained when they GetaGrip! on their ending and transfer rolls. |
The keys are ultra-tough GetaGrip! Coatings and proper roll RPM
The result is a cost-effective method of controlling the lumber. say lumber producers such as International, Siera Pacific, Canfor, Weldwood, Slocan, and Weyerhaeuser. Payback is often calculated in shifts instead of months or years.
Good control is critical when lumber has to be moved quickly using roll cases
Poor traction on the rolls means higher roll speeds to move the lumber. This causes lumber to bounce out of position. Production and the bottom-line are affected. A sometimes often sight of missed trims, crossovers, jam-ups and stopped lines, costs time and wood recovery.
The long sought after solution for A good roll surface, has taken many turns
In the past, solutions used many man-hours, involved outside contractors and required changing out the roll with a spare one. High costs and a limited period of improvement were the results.
Optimizing roll cases is possible with the key ultra-tough GetaGrip! Coating.
S.A. Maintenance Solutions Ltd., a company based in B.C. Canada, has been providing the key to optimizing roll cases since 1992. GetaGrip!, a tough long lasting coating that comes in a kit for application by mill personnel.
With GetaGrip!, a modified epoxy that sets like ceramic is spread on the rolls and sharp aluminum oxide shards of a specified size are imbedded. Aluminum oxide is the substance used in grinding and sanding disks. It stays sharp and mills report that it lasts many years on their rolls.
The key to traction is the number and size of sharp points per square inch
1296 points/in2 at 1/36 in size spreads the load without marking finished lumber, even cedar! It is also proving to be the best belt-drive-pulley lagging. 0 slip = longer belt life. GetaGrip! F36GS
576 points/in2 at 1/24 in size is ideal for smooth lumber not being planed. GetaGrip! F24GS
256 points/in2 at 1/16 in size is optimal for rough lumber. GetaGrip! F16GS
Periodic cleaning is accomplished with environmentally friendly citrus-based pitch solvents.
A free spreadsheet program makes the key roll RPM calculation easy
We provide the spreadsheet but mills are quick to use the GetaGrip! and slow to adjust roll RPM to fully optimize their roll case. says Steve Boyley, the driving force behind S.A. Maintenance Solutions Ltd.
You only need the speed you need. Anything more will actually interfere with the processes.
For ending rolls, the ratio of lugs/min to roll RPM stays the same when the lugs/min changes. Mill designs need to tie the 2 together. If the lumber line stops, slows or speeds up, so do the rolls. The resulting gain in invaluable production time is certainly improving profits.
GetaGrip! Works
Specify GetaGrip!
Other Traction Methods Fail
When it's just the weight of the lumber on the rolls, you need something sharp... GetaGrip!.
Welded bumps don't do much except cause the boards to chatter and bounce. No contact, no traction.
Knurling often has too few points that are too dull. Knurling only works well if another roll presses the lumber against it.
Sand or walnut shell filled coatings are too dull and wear out prematurely.
Rubber coatings soon get rubbed off unevenly, rendering them ineffective.
How Can You Improve Production?
Take a closer look at your roll cases.
Look for roll cases where lumber is hitting its destination too hard, missed trims, crossovers, jam-ups and stopped lines.
Look for roll cases where speed has not been increased due to insufficient traction.
Apply a GetaGrip! coating to improve the link between your machinery and your lumber. Set the roll RPM to just above the theoretical ideal.
Enjoy the following benefits: good control, improved throughput, better recovery, more uptime, less repairs and more time for mill maintenance personnel to maintain your mill.
