The invention describes contact rolls for pressing at least one web of material, preferably a web of plastic film, against at least one rotating winding device, the contact roll comprising a surface layer. At least two segments are provided which are spaced axially apart and which extend around, in which segments the quality of the surface layer differs from the quality of the other areas of the surface layer, at least some portions of said segments being in contact with the edges of the at least one web of material.

A plastic film roll includes: a convolute cardboard tube including a tubular body having a tubular body wall formed by a plurality of layers of a straight rolled cardboard sheet having a weight equal to or less than 300 gsm; a plastic film wound about the convolute cardboard tube to form a plurality of plastic film windings around the convolute cardboard tube, the plastic film windings creating a radial compression force equal to or greater than 10 bar on the tubular body wall, wherein the cardboard sheet includes a plurality of fibers, at least a majority of the fibers being substantially aligned in a tangential direction relative to the tubular body to allow the convolute cardboard tube to resist the radial compression force.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for dispensing material from a roll. The method monitors the weight of a first material roll using a load cell attached to a frame holding the first material roll. The method dispenses material from the first material roll. The method determines, based on at least the weight of the first material roll, when to remove a second material roll from a refrigerator or freezer to reduce the amount of time between the thawing of the second roll and replacing the first roll with the second roll. Also disclosed is an apparatus for dispensing the material from the roll.

A multi-bladder, expandable winding shaft with discontinuous expanding elements is provided including a shaft body made with carbon fiber composites. The shaft comprises an inner and outer tube and two types of profiles, cavity and ledge profiles. The cavity and ledge profiles can be adhesively mounted around the outer surface of the inner tube in an alternating fashion. Ledge profiles hold the expandable bladders and lug assembly. The outer tube can be created by applying layers of carbon fibers, woven or unwoven fabrics or prepregs by filament winding, roll wrapping or any other suitable method. Elongated discrete slots through the outer tube are provided along the ledge profiles. When the bladders are inflated with air, the lugs are pushed outward to engage the inner wall of the core. When deflated, an installed spring system pushes the lugs inward.