CARBON FIBER AXLE SHAFTS

Carbon fibers are manufactured of two types of material: PAN (polyacrylonitrate) fibers and pitchbased fibers. Each type has its own advantages. The PAN carbon fiber has about 50% higher ultimate strength than the pitch-based fiber roll, but the pitch-based fiber roller has a Modulus of Elasticity approaching that of steel, resulting in less roll deflection. The carbon fiber axle shafts can have as little as 35% of the deflection of an aluminum roller.

Carbon fiber axle shafts can reduce operating costs.

The reduced weight of the carbon fiber axle shafts also results in higher resonant frequencies. The pitch-based carbon fiber roll has a resonant frequency twice as high as a steel roll, resulting in the potential of twice the processing line speed. The reduced weight also results in a reduced mass moment of inertia. The carbon fiber axle shafts have about a fifth of the mass inertia of a steel roll. This means it will take one-fifth of the torque to accelerate the roll to line speed and one-fifth the energy, resulting in reduced operating costs.

Advantages of Carbon Fiber Axle Shafts:

• High strength and rigidity means less deflection across the roller face.
• Less deflection will result in faster web speeds and better web alignment.
• Lower weight means smaller drives, less startup inertia and less wear on bearings

Standard textile machine axle shaft spec: