Cutting to length and bevelling
Antares cuts and finishes its paint roller refills in-house on four automatic machines. Each machine takes long fabric-covered tube blanks, cuts them into rollers of exact length and finishes the surface and both edges in one automatic cycle.
How the machine works
The blanks are fed automatically from a magazine. The leading end of each blank is trimmed first, so every roller is cut from a clean, defined edge. Each roller then passes through eight stages:
- Cutting to the exact set length
- Surface cleaning with rotary brush 1, with adjustable speed and penetration depth
- Surface cleaning with rotary brush 2, with adjustable speed and penetration depth
- Bevelling of the left roller edge, at the angle and trim depth set by the machine setter
- Bevelling of the right roller edge, at the angle and trim depth set by the machine setter
- Shearing with a spiral blade to remove unevenness from the working surface
- Vacuum extraction of loose fibres from the working surface
- Automatic ejection of the finished roller for further processing
Technical data
- Number of machines: 4
- Roller lengths: 120 to 500 mm
- Finishing: 8 stages per roller in one automatic cycle
- Bevel angle and trim depth: set separately for each edge
- Output: 720 to 960 rollers per hour per machine
Process control
Brush speed and penetration depth are computer-controlled, so brushing can be matched to the fabric being processed. Because each edge is set independently, the bevel geometry stays the same across the whole run. The settings for each roller type are stored in the machine as a recipe, so a repeat order is made with the same parameters as the first.
What this means for you
Each roller is cut to its stated length and matches the product size from one roller to the next. Bevelled edges and multi-stage surface cleaning reduce fibre shedding when a new roller is first used, so fewer loose fibres end up in the paint film. Because trimming is part of the automatic cycle, trimmed rollers are also available for private label orders without changing the minimum order quantity.
Frequently asked questions
How does Antares reduce fibre shedding on new paint rollers?
Antares paint rollers are finished in an automatic eight-stage cycle: two rotary brushes, bevelling of both edges, spiral-blade shearing and vacuum extraction of loose fibres. This reduces fibre shedding when the roller is first used.
Can Antares paint rollers be trimmed?
Yes. Rollers can be trimmed automatically on our finishing machines: the working surface is sheared with a spiral blade, and both edges are bevelled, with the angle and trim depth set separately for each edge. Trimming is also available for private label orders, with no change to the minimum quantity.
Which roller lengths can Antares cut?
The finishing machines cut paint rollers from 120 to 500 mm in length, including non-standard lengths on request.
See how the roller tubes are extruded, browse our paint rollers or learn about private label production.