Menges Roller, a manufacturer of precision industrial rollers for the steel, plastics, and paper industries in Wauconda, Ill., has received the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters & Laminators (AIMCAL) Technology of the Year Award for using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to design improved heat-transfer rollers.
The technology involves the use of high-tech computer models to simulate a roller’s temperature and performance characteristics, allowing engineers to test different designs virtually. According to the manufacturer, rollers designed using the technology are guaranteed to achieve the temperatures modeled in their computer simulations, helping to ensure roller performance for end users.
Heat-transfer rollers are used to heat laminated substrates, cool recently extruded plastics, and assist in the heating and cooling of various materials undergoing temperature-critical processes.
