Tips

When considering dancer roll design, whether it's to upgrade an existing dancer system or trouble shooting a problem or specifying new, keep in mind certain guidelines important to the operation of all dancer assemblies. Dancers have certain "enemies" they must always combat during their operation. You can help your dancers perform by considering best design practices.

Dancer enemies:

• Gravity is always fighting dancer movement and must always be considered in addition to whatever loading amount you are applying to the dancer. Use the lightest weight components available that maintains structural integrity for any dancer assembly. Rotational type dancers utilize rollers that are counterbalanced with each other, so that design of dancer eliminates concerns with gravity. Linear dancers that move parallel to the floor can also remove gravity from the equation.
• Momentum and inertia is always a concern for any dancer design. A body in motion wants to stay in motion and dancers are always moving. Again, try to keep components as light weight as possible to lessen tension fluctuations due to momentum and inertia. Stay away from weight loaded dancer designs they are very susceptible tension inaccuracies caused by momentum and inertia. Rotational type dancer design greatly reduces momentum and inertia of the dancer as well.
• Frictional losses in cylinders and bearings fight any dancer design. Use free spinning bearings where you can. Load dancers with glass lined cylinders (no seals or o-rings) or rolling diaphragm cylinders to cut friction down to a minimum.

Dancer rolls can be an excellent method to controlling your web tension. Ultimately, their success or failure in your application depends on how they are designed.