METHOD TO REDUCE FORMING FABRIC EDGE CURL ESPECIALLY ON A PAPERMAKERS FORMING FABRIC

摘要

A method for reducing or eliminating forming fabric edge curl includes slitting or scoring the knuckles formed by cross-machine direction yarns on the long-shute knuckle side of a papermaker's forming fabric. The knuckles are scored or slit to a depth no greater than half the diameter of the cross-machine direction yarns. At least one such slit or score is provided per knuckle. The scoring or slitting has the effect of bringing the ratio between the shrink forces acting on the two sides of the forming fabric in the cross-machine direction closer to unity, and, in turn, reduces or eliminates the edge curl resulting from shrinkage in the cross-machine direction.