New Voith MegaDrive rubber wire drive roll improves traction and extends runtimes

Voith launches MegaDrive, a next-generation rubber wire drive roll cover designed to improve traction, reduce wear and minimize maintenance effort in the forming section of paper and board machines.

Wire drive rolls transfer drive power to the fabric at the wet end of the paper production line. They operate at high, variable speeds under harsh, abrasive conditions. Their role is to ensure that the wire can keep moving at the correct speed and tension as the paper is formed. Stable contact and reliable traction between the roll cover and forming fabric are essential to prevent slippage, maintain consistent sheet formation and ensure machine runability.

Wire drive roll covers are exposed to abrasive conditions and constant high mechanical loads. Over time, standard covers lose their properties. As they become hardened and develop surface cracks, the risk of traction loss, sheet defects, unplanned downtimes and premature roll changes increases.

Hardwearing, customizable rubber drive roll cover
MegaDrive wire drive roll cover is made from a hardwearing yet flexible rubber compound that allows the surface profile to be tailored to individual operating conditions. The result is a durable cover for paper mills that is resistant to hardening, surface cracking and loss of properties even during extended runtimes in harsh forming section conditions.

As MegaDrive is engineered to withstand high mechanical loads. Even in harsh, wet conditions and at variable speeds and under fluctuating temperatures, the new cover design maintains consistent grip and traction on the forming fabric for longer.

Individual solutions for longer runtimes and less maintenance effort
MegaDrive brings together the key performance features that make a measurable difference to papermakers and board manufacturers: reliable traction, high wear resistance and stable performance over extended runtimes.

As part of a full-service package, Voith engineers can tailor a coordinated solution for the forming section that combines MegaDrive with the most appropriate Voith forming fabric for the type of machine, operating speeds, furnish properties and production goals.

"MegaDrive gives papermakers and board producers a more durable roll cover for the demanding wet end. This next-generation rubber wire drive roll cover provides stable traction for longer, which helps mills extend runtimes and reduce maintenance effort significantly. When we combine MegaDrive with our forming fabrics, we can improve runnability in the forming section – which means the production line always gets off to a great start." (Ralf Moser, Global Product Manager Roll Covers at Voith Paper)