Rubber rollers are used for variety of purposes and are found in many manufacturing processes. The basic uses for rubber rollers are found in the manufacturing processes of textiles, film, sheet, paper and coiled metal. Rubber covered rollers are used in all sorts of container and packaging fabricating equipment as well as machinery used for the sanding and grinding of wood, steel and aluminum.

Industrial rubber rollers or rolls are used in applications which require a high degree of contact and holding friction, and also in material processing applications requiring a soft touch. Rollers are usually in the shape of cylindrical or spherical shape and are devices that roll or rotate, like for example, a small spoke less wheel or like a roller skate or caster. Rollers are also used in printing. For printing purpose, it is hard rubber roller which is used to ink the type before the paper is impressed. Rubber rollers are also the ideal choice for peripheral decorating of cylindrical shapes and roll-on decorating of large flat or curved surfaces. Covered rolls are used extensively in the graphic arts industry.

Types of rubber used in rollers
Rubber compounds for rollers are:

• Silicone Rubber (SiR)
• Neoprene
• Hypalon
• Polyurethane
• Buna Nitrile
• Natural Rubber
• Viton
• Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPM, EPDM)

Properties of industrial rubber rollers

• Excellent rubber to metal bond
• Thermal conductivity
• Various rubber formulations
• Flat, stepped and contoured
• Heat resistance
• Rubber Rollers have different hardness (durometers) depending on applications.
• Rubber is chosen to make rollers because it does not adhere to adhesive.
• Resistance to compression stress.
• The choice of covering material is determined by the roller's environment and function.
• The hardness of the rubber roller may be as soft as a foam bed pillow or as hard as a bowling ball.

Applications
Rubber rollers are used extensively on applications such as:

• Embossing machines
• Graphic Art Industry
• Laminating machines
• Offset printing
• The paper industry
• Plastic industry
• Textile mill rollers
• Wood industry

Other examples include:

• Laminator rolls
• Spreader rolls
• Coating rolls
• Feed rolls
• Knurl rolls
• Squeegee rolls
• Metering/ductor rolls
• Nip rolls
• Dual durometer rolls

Uses of rubber rolls

• Banding
• Laminating
• Printing
• Decorating
• Heat Transfer & Hot Stamping
• Edge Banding
• Used in design of:
  • Copier machine paper drives
  • Card feeders
  • Collators
  • Sorters
  • Ticket and label dispensers
  • Virtually any machine that moves paper, tape