In the new energy industry, particularly on production lines for lithium batteries, photovoltaics, and other related sectors, the use of nylon sleeves on conveyor rollers (or nylon-coated rollers) is a very common and critical design.
The primary reasons can be summarized as follows, all closely aligned with the extremely high requirements of the new energy industry regarding production environment, product quality, and operational efficiency.
This is the most central and crucial point.
Background: The production environment for lithium batteries (e.g., coating, calendering, slitting, winding processes) requires an extremely high degree of cleanliness. Any tiny metal particles (such as iron or copper) that mix into the battery materials can pierce the separator, leading to internal short circuits, which may cause self-discharge, heating, or even fire and explosion – serious safety hazards.
Role: Metal rollers (typically carbon steel or stainless steel) inevitably generate tiny metal wear particles through long-term friction with battery electrodes (copper foil, aluminum foil). By sleeving them with nylon, the material in direct contact with the product becomes nylon. Nylon is relatively soft and has stable friction characteristics, significantly reducing or even completely avoiding the generation of metal particles, thus eliminating this source of metal contamination at the root.
The electrode sheets for new energy batteries (especially those coated with active materials) and photovoltaic silicon wafers are very fragile.
Background: If the coating on the electrode surface is scratched, it affects the battery's capacity and consistency; any dent or pit can become a weak point impacting battery performance.
Role: Nylon material possesses a degree of elasticity and flexibility (softer than metal). When the electrode sheet or silicon wafer passes over the roller, the nylon sleeve acts as a buffer, absorbing localized pressure and preventing the hard metal roller from directly leaving scratches or dents on the product surface. This ensures the product's surface integrity and internal quality.
Production lines require stable, slip-free material conveyance.
Background: In processes like winding and traction, if slipping occurs between the roller and the material, it leads to unstable tension, affecting winding tightness, and can even cause material misalignment, resulting in scrap.
Role: Nylon material generally has a higher coefficient of friction than metal. After being sleeved with nylon, the roller can "grip" the material more securely, providing stable and reliable traction. This ensures constant tension and precise positioning of the material during transport, thereby improving production yield and efficiency.
Background: Battery manufacturing processes may involve exposure to certain chemicals, such as electrolytes (potential slight volatilization before/after the filling process) or NMP (N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone, a solvent used in electrode slurries).
Role: Nylon (especially specific grades like PA6, PA66) offers good resistance to chemical corrosion and solvents, enabling it to withstand the erosion from these substances. This extends the roller's service life and prevents product contamination due to corrosion.
Background: Production lines often operate 24/7, making noise control an important aspect of improving the working environment.
Role:
Noise Reduction: Nylon is a polymer material that effectively absorbs vibrations. Compared to metal-to-metal (or metal-to-product) impact and friction, the noise generated is significantly lower.
Lightweighting: Nylon's density is much lower than that of steel. Using nylon sleeves reduces the overall weight of the roller. For high-speed equipment, this helps lower rotational inertia and saves drive energy consumption.
Background: Battery electrode sheets themselves are conductors (copper foil, aluminum foil). If unintended static accumulation or current conduction occurs during transport, it could potentially affect sensitive circuits or the product.
Role: Nylon is an excellent electrical insulator. It prevents the roller from becoming a conductive path, avoiding static buildup and accidental electrical conduction, thereby enhancing the safety of the production process.
| No. | Sizes | Roller Diameter (mm) |
| 1 | 50-70*100mm | 50mm |
| 2 | 50-70*120mm | 50mm |
| 3 | 50-80*60mm | 50mm |
| 4 | 50-80*80mm | 50mm |
| 5 | 50-80*120mm | 50mm |
| 6 | 60-80*100mm | 60mm |
| 7 | 60-80*110mm | 60mm |
| 8 | 60-80*120mm | 60mm |
| 9 | 60-90*120mm | 60mm |
| 10 | 76-96*160mm | 76mm |
| 11 | 50-60*100mm Integrate Type | 50mm |
| 12 | 60-70*100mm Integrate Type | 60mm |
| Characteristic | Bare Metal Roller | Nylon-Sleeved Roller | Benefit for the New Energy Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contamination Prevention | May generate metal particles | Significantly reduces metal contamination | Enhances battery safety & consistency; eliminates internal short-circuit risk |
| Scratch Prevention | High hardness, can easily scratch electrodes/wafers | Softer material, effective buffering | Protects product surface, improves yield rate |
| Friction | Relatively low, prone to slipping | High and stable | Ensures stable tension, precise transport |
| Corrosion Resistance | Stainless steel fair, carbon steel poor | Good | Longer service life, adapts to chemical environments |
| Noise | High | Low | Improves working environment |
| Weight | Heavy | Light | Energy saving, suitable for high-speed operation |
| Insulation | Conductive | Insulating | Prevents static electricity & accidental conduction, safer |
Therefore, in the new energy industry, where requirements for "cleanliness," "consistency," and "safety" are exceptionally stringent, sleeving conveyor rollers with nylon is a key measure that, at a relatively low cost, achieves significant improvements in product quality, production efficiency, and safety.
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