Industrial anilox rollers are a key equipment widely used in printing, coating, packaging and other industries. Their main function is to evenly coat liquid on different substrate surfaces. The mesh structure on the surface of the anilox roller plays a role in controlling the thickness and uniformity of the coating, ensuring the accuracy and product quality in the production process. According to different application requirements and material properties, industrial anilox rollers can be divided into many types.

This article will introduce in detail several main types of industrial anilox rollers, their characteristics and application scenarios.

What types of industrial anilox rollers are there?

5 common types of industrial anilox rollers:

1. Ceramic Anilox Roller

2. Metal Anilox Roller

3. Laser Engraved Anilox Roller

4. Nickel Anilox Roller

5. Chrome Plated Anilox Roller

Ceramic Anilox Roller

What is a ceramic anilox roller?

A ceramic anilox roller is a roller that is coated with ceramic material on the surface of the roller and forms a tiny mesh structure on its surface through laser engraving technology. The ceramic coating not only has extremely high wear resistance, but also effectively resists chemical corrosion. Therefore, ceramic anilox rollers are usually used in applications that require high precision for a long time, such as high-precision coating, printing and gluing.

Features:

    ● High wear resistance: The ceramic material itself has excellent hardness, which enables it to maintain stable performance in a high-wear environment.

    ● High precision: The mesh structure of the ceramic anilox roller can be precisely engraved by laser technology to ensure that the size of each mesh is consistent and the coating is uniform.

    ● Chemical corrosion resistance: The ceramic surface can resist the erosion of most chemical solvents and is suitable for chemicals containing strong acids or alkalis in printing inks and coating materials.

Application scenarios:

Ceramic anilox rollers are widely used in high-demand printing and coating processes, especially in packaging printing, label printing and precision coating industries. The use of ceramic anilox rollers can ensure the uniform distribution of inks or coatings.

Metal Anilox Roller

What is a metal anilox roller?

A metal anilox roller refers to an anilox roller made of metal materials. Common metal materials include steel, stainless steel, nickel, etc. Unlike ceramic anilox rollers, metal anilox rollers usually use electroplating or machining to form a mesh structure on the roller surface. Metal anilox rollers have good thermal conductivity and certain wear resistance, and are suitable for processes with lower precision requirements.

Features:

    ● Good thermal conductivity: Metal anilox rollers have good thermal conductivity and are suitable for the processing and coating of heat-sensitive materials.

    ● Low manufacturing cost: Compared with ceramic anilox rollers, the manufacturing process of metal anilox rollers is relatively simple and the cost is low.

    ● Low wear resistance: Due to the limited hardness of the metal material itself, the wear resistance of metal anilox rollers is usually not as good as that of ceramic anilox rollers, and the service life is relatively short.

Application scenarios:

Metal anilox rollers are often used in ordinary printing and coating processes, and are suitable for scenes with low precision requirements such as packaging printing and textile printing. In addition, due to its good thermal conductivity, metal anilox rollers are also suitable for the processing of heat-sensitive materials.

Laser Engraved Anilox Roller

What is a laser engraved anilox roller?

A laser engraved anilox roller is a roller that uses laser technology to engrave fine mesh holes on the roller surface. This engraving process is usually performed on the surface of ceramic or metal materials to ensure that the depth and diameter of each mesh hole are precisely consistent. The introduction of laser engraving technology has greatly improved the accuracy and service life of the anilox roller.

Features:

    ● Extremely high accuracy: Laser engraving technology can achieve precise control of the mesh holes and ensure uniform distribution of the coating.

    ● Wide applicability: Laser engraved anilox rollers can be applied to a variety of material surfaces, such as ceramics and metals, giving them a wide range of applications.

    ● Stable performance: Since the size and depth of each mesh hole are precisely controlled, laser engraved anilox rollers can maintain stable performance in long-term use.

Application scenarios:

Laser engraved anilox rollers are mainly used in high-demand printing and coating processes, such as flexographic printing, high-precision coating and other scenarios. Its precision makes it the preferred equipment for high-quality product manufacturing.

Nickel Anilox Roller

What is a nickel anilox roller?

A nickel anilox roller is an anilox roller made of nickel as the main material. A mesh structure is usually formed on the roller surface by electroplating or chemical plating. Nickel anilox rollers have good corrosion resistance and conductivity, and are suitable for certain special coating processes and material processing.

Features:

    ● Corrosion resistance: Nickel material has good anti-oxidation and corrosion resistance, and is suitable for production environments containing acidic or alkaline chemicals.

    ● Good conductivity: Nickel has excellent electrical conductivity, which makes it used in some processes that require electrical conductivity.

    ● Poor wear resistance: Compared with ceramic anilox rollers, nickel anilox rollers have poor wear resistance and relatively short service life.

Application scenarios:

Nickel anilox rollers are mainly used in some coating processes that require corrosion resistance or conductivity, such as coating of electronic materials, coating applications in chemical treatment, etc.

Chrome Plated Anilox Roller

What is a chrome-plated anilox roller?

A chrome-plated anilox roller is a roller with a layer of chrome plated on the metal surface through an electroplating process to improve its hardness and wear resistance. The chromium layer can protect the roller substrate from corrosion and extend the service life of the anilox roller. Chrome-plated anilox rollers are often used in some processes that have high requirements for wear resistance.

Features:

    ● High hardness: The chrome layer can significantly improve the hardness of the roller and enhance its wear resistance.

    ● Strong corrosion resistance: The chrome layer has strong resistance to most acidic and alkaline substances and is suitable for a variety of chemical environments.

    ● Smooth surface: The chrome layer can form a relatively smooth surface, reducing friction with the material during use.

Application scenarios:

Chrome-plated anilox rollers are mainly used in scenarios that require high wear resistance and high hardness, such as heavy industrial coating, packaging printing, and certain chemical coating processes.

Conclusion

Industrial anilox rollers can be divided into many types according to their materials and manufacturing processes, such as ceramic anilox rollers, metal anilox rollers, laser engraved anilox rollers, nickel anilox rollers, and chrome-plated anilox rollers. Each type of anilox roller has unique advantages and disadvantages in its application scenario. Ceramic anilox rollers are the first choice for high-precision processes due to their high wear resistance and precision, while metal anilox rollers are widely used in ordinary processes due to their lower manufacturing costs. Laser engraved anilox rollers play an important role in high-demand printing and coating processes due to their extremely high precision and stable performance. Nickel anilox rollers and chrome-plated anilox rollers are widely used in some special application scenarios.