How to Extend the Service Life of Press Felt in Paper Machines

Press felt is a key dewatering consumable in papermaking production. Its service life directly affects production efficiency, paper quality, and operating costs. Many factors can shorten felt life, such as improper selection, insufficient cleaning, high vacuum, panel friction, or poor installation.

In this article, we share practical tips to help you extend the service life of press felt.

1. Improve Equipment & Installation

• Use detection tools to monitor felt thickness and performance. Replace felt in time before it reaches the critical worn point.

• Select high-quality felts with proper needle punching density and shaping to avoid early abrasion.

• Use vacuum boxes with suitable panel materials and low friction coefficient.

• Ensure sufficient lubricating water between felt and vacuum panel to reduce friction damage.

• Adopt single-shoe press structure, which helps reduce felt loss and extend service life.

2. Strengthen Felt Cleaning System

Blocked pores are the main cause of shortened felt life. Contaminants like fibers, resins, adhesives, sludge, and coating residues easily clog the felt structure.

• Use high-pressure water spraying regularly to clean blocked pores.

• Perform chemical cleaning at medium operation stage (usually 7–10 days).

• Shorten cleaning intervals as the felt enters later running stage.

• Use 60°C hot water for washing to improve cleaning effect.

• Strengthen edge cleaning to avoid pulp sticking and embossing.

3. Optimize Process Parameters

• Control reasonable vacuum level to avoid over-vacuum that damages the felt.

• Match felt type with paper grade, machine speed, press position, and pulp characteristics.

• Reduce abrasion caused by unreasonable pressure, speed, or nip conditions.

4. Daily Operation & Maintenance

• Establish a felt performance tracking system to predict the best time for felt change.

• Avoid sharp abrasion from panels, rolls, or foreign objects.

• Use high-quality press felts with stable structure and good wear resistance.

• Keep operating environment clean to reduce impurities and deposits.

Extending the service life of press felt requires comprehensive control over equipment, cleaning, process, and daily maintenance. Scientific management can greatly reduce unplanned downtime, lower consumption, and improve economic benefits for paper mills.

As a professional paper machine clothing manufacturer, we provide high-performance press felt, forming fabric, dryer fabric and other products to support stable and efficient paper production.

Welcome to contact us for more details and customized solutions.