in 1992 a revolution began to roll
across the Lumber Manufacturing Industry
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.
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.