Production of Granitic Press Rollers in Finland

The use of granite as material for press rolls in paper machines started in the late 19th century. In Kuru, Finland granitic press rolls were produced from the 1930s until 2008. The suitability of the Kuru grey granite as material for press rolls was defined by its durability, mineral composition, homogeneity, and grain size as well as by the good extractability of the granite. The production of granitic press rolls in Finland developed into a highly specialized industrial process in many phases including: 1) quarrying of the stone block, 2. sawing of the roll, 3. preparation of the ends of the roll, 4. installation of the axis into the roll, 5. pre-compression of the roll, and finally 6. balancing, grinding and polishing of the roll.