Case Study #05: Roller Deformation After Six Months of Operation
A customer operating a high-temperature roller kiln observed gradual roller sagging after approximately six months of continuous operation.
No visible cracks were found, but product quality began to deteriorate.
Operators reported:
- Increased roller runout
- Uneven material transport
- Reduced dimensional consistency
Measurements confirmed measurable deformation.
The kiln operated continuously at elevated temperatures.
The roller span was relatively long, and the load remained constant over time.
Analysis suggested the presence of creep deformation.
Unlike sudden fracture, creep develops gradually.
At high temperature, the roller experienced:
- Constant bending load
- Long-term thermal exposure
- Progressive microstructural strain
Over time, these effects produced permanent deformation.
Recommendations included:
- Reducing unsupported span length
- Optimizing load distribution
- Upgrading to higher-performance SSiC rollers
Not all failures involve cracking.
In many continuous kilns, deformation is the first sign of long-term structural degradation.
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