Xerox

Xerox’s Issues and Solutions

Background

Within Xerox photocopiers, in common with most other photocopier manufacturers, there are numerous fluoroplastic components, including fuser cans coated with PTFE and PFA and pressure rollers made of high performance flexible elastomers and covered with PFA to provide a non-stick surface.

Problem

Because of the very high operating temperature of the pressure rollers, PFA has to be the only choice as a covering for the elastomer but the PFA cover has to be very securely adhered to the rubber whilst the surface has to be as smooth as glass. This has always been very difficult to achieve using heat shrinkable PFA.

Solution

Avon Technical Products in Melksham, UK developed a way to fit the PFA sleeve without using heat shrinkable sleeving. However, it still relied on perfect PFA extrusions. Holscot worked closely with Avon to perfect a PFA sleeve which had to comply to exacting tolerances.

The PFA sleeves have to be etched on the ID using the sodium ammonia technique. This process can often have a splashy appearance but this would not be desirable on the finished roller so Holscot developed an in house process which ultimately provided an even shade of etch within the roller.

Holscot now supplies a wide diversity of PFA and FEP sleeves of varying thicknesses to the same exacting tolerances to a number of rubber roller manufacturers servicing the photocopier and printing industries.