In for a Treat

If a covered roll system most closely matches substrate requirements, printers must choose among the cost and performance implications of several coating materials. According to Seaman, a ceramic coating is the longest lasting, but is typically three to five times more expensive than epoxy or silicone rolls. Silicone's drawbacks emerge with heavy paperboard, which can dig into this coating and cause grooves. Meanwhile, epoxy can come up short in space efficiency. He explains that in a typical 5 kilowatt application, ceramic rolls will require 250 sq. in. per kilowatt, while epoxy rolls will require 500 sq. in. per kilowatt, doubling the diameter of the roll required.