Wrinkling is one of the most frustrating issues in paper converting.
At low speed, everything looks fine.
But once speed increases:
wrinkles begin to appear
edges become uneven
product quality drops
Why Wrinkles Show Up at Higher Speeds
At higher speeds, the system becomes more sensitive to instability:
tension fluctuations increase
system response delays become visible
small force imbalances grow quickly
Paper is not rigid-it reacts to force immediately.
👉 Uneven tension = deformation = wrinkles
The Real Cause: Unstable Force Distribution
Wrinkles are rarely caused by one single issue.
Most of the time, they come from:
inconsistent tension
poor synchronization between systems
material sensitivity (thin or flexible paper)
A Common Factory Situation
A coated paper line running above 250 m/min experienced frequent wrinkling after 30 minutes of operation.
The cause was not the material.
It was:
heat buildup changing friction conditions
tension drift over time
delayed correction response
Why Slowing Down Is Not a Solution
Many factories reduce speed to control wrinkles.
This works temporarily-but:
production capacity drops
cost per ton increases
root cause remains
What Actually Solves Wrinkling
To eliminate wrinkles, the system must ensure:
stable and consistent tension
real-time system response
proper parameter matching for each material
CTA
If wrinkles are limiting your production speed, SMH can help optimize your system for stable high-speed operation.
Get a production stability assessment
Contact CHM to reduce wrinkles and increase output
