Star Roller

Extruding a verge (gable) tile presents a unique challenge: How do you force dry-mix concrete into a deep, narrow vertical pocket that gravity alone cannot fill? At WELSCH, we answer this with our high-performance star rollers. This four-armed kicker wheel is the essential component for producers who demand zero-defect quality in their most specialized tile profiles.

Standard extrusion rollers excel at surface compaction, but they cannot reach into the steep side fenders of a verge pallet. Our star roller acts as a rotary pump for concrete, utilizing its proprietary four-arm geometry to mechanically kick and compress the material into the vertical recesses. By ensuring the side fenders are as dense and structurally sound as the main body, we eliminate the structural weak points and air pockets that plague standard verge production. The four-arm geometry physically grabs the concrete and kicks it into the side chamber before it reaches the slipper, eliminating honeycombing in the tile leg.

Because the star roller punches into the concrete mix at high speed, it faces extreme impact-abrasion. The hub and arms are crafted from high-torque alloy steel to withstand the stress of a stone jam without snapping. We offer two levels of premium protection for the arm ends: precision-fitted hard metal plates for maximum profile longevity, or chrome-carbide hard-facing and heavy-duty welding deposit to maintain the reach of the arms. Our arm profiles are designed to shed sticky concrete and prevent back-milling, with optimized clearance against the side-wall liners to ensure maximum pressure in the compaction zone.