How to Choose Forming Fabric for Different Paper Grades

Paper Grade Changes the Selection Priority

Two paper machines running at the same speed can need different forming fabrics. A tissue machine may prioritize fast, even drainage and low drag; a fine-paper machine may place more weight on fiber support and a clean sheet surface. A packaging machine often has to tolerate abrasive recycled furnish without losing stability.

That is why layer count should be the result of the selection process, not its starting point. First define the sheet requirement, furnish and operating problem. Then compare fabric structures. For a broader explanation of construction and machine variables, use our forming fabric selection guide.

Tissue and Towel Grades

Tissue and towel production combines low basis weight with demanding formation and high water-removal requirements. The sheet-side surface needs enough support to retain fine fibers, while the fabric must release water uniformly across the machine width. Local drainage differences can show up quickly as formation variation or moisture streaks.

Selection priorities usually include:

• uniform drainage rather than maximum drainage at one point;
• strong fine-fiber support and low marking potential;
• good cleanliness under showers and continuous running;
• stable operation at the target speed and tension;
• a machine side that can withstand the actual wear environment.

An SSB construction is often evaluated for fast tissue machines because its sheet side and machine side can be designed for different duties. That does not make it an automatic answer: furnish, forming geometry, vacuum profile and cleaning still determine the final design. Review the SSB triple-layer forming fabric as one available construction, not as a substitute for machine data.

Printing and Writing Paper

For printing, writing and many coated-base grades, sheet appearance is usually the first filter. The fabric should support fibers and fillers evenly, limit two-sidedness and avoid a weave pattern that can remain visible after pressing or coating.

Focus on:

• a fine, uniform sheet-side support surface;
• controlled drainage that does not disturb early sheet formation;
• retention of fines and mineral fillers;
• cross-machine stability for a consistent basis-weight profile;
• contamination control when deposits are a known source of defects.

A 2.5-layer or SSB design may be considered when surface demands and speed justify separating sheet support from machine-side wear. On less demanding machines, a simpler structure can still be the better commercial choice if it delivers stable formation and acceptable fabric life. The 2.5-layer forming fabric is a useful reference point for that middle ground.

Packaging Paper and Recycled-Fiber Grades

Liner, fluting and other packaging grades commonly use recycled furnish with variable fiber length, stickies and abrasive contaminants. Here, drainage capacity matters, but durability, cleaning and dimensional stability often decide whether a fabric delivers a reliable campaign.

Important questions are:

• Does the furnish plug the sheet side or internal voids?
• Is wear concentrated at edges, foils or vacuum elements?
• Does the current fabric stretch, curl or wrinkle before it is worn out?
• Is insufficient drainage limiting speed, or is poor retention creating a load elsewhere?
• How often can the machine stop for cleaning or a fabric change?

Single- and 1.5-layer fabrics can remain practical for moderate-speed, cost-sensitive positions with suitable furnish and cleaning. A 2.5-layer or SSB design becomes more relevant when stability, retention or campaign life is the stronger constraint. Compare the single-layer and 1.5-layer forming fabric before assuming that a more complex weave will always produce the lowest cost per ton.

Specialty and Technical Papers

“Specialty paper” is not one operating condition. Filter media, release base, decorative paper and other technical grades can place very different demands on formation, porosity and surface uniformity. Small defects may also carry a higher commercial penalty than they do in commodity grades.

For these machines, start with the property that cannot be compromised. It may be pore uniformity, low marking, very high retention, controlled orientation or reliable release. Trial history is especially valuable: record the fabric specification, furnish, vacuum profile, chemical program, quality result and wear pattern together. A specification copied from another specialty grade is only a starting hypothesis.

A Practical Shortlist by Paper Grade

Use the following as an engineering shortlist, not a fixed prescription:

• Tissue and towel: prioritize uniform high-rate drainage, fine-fiber support, cleanliness and low drag; evaluate SSB designs for demanding speed and formation targets.
• Printing and writing: prioritize sheet-side support, low marking, filler retention and profile stability; compare 2.5-layer and SSB structures where quality requirements justify them.
• Packaging and recycled grades: prioritize wear resistance, cleaning, stability and dependable drainage; compare simple and multilayer designs on total running cost.
• Specialty papers: define the non-negotiable sheet property first, then select and validate the fabric through machine-specific data and trials.

Data to Send Before Requesting a Recommendation

A useful recommendation requires more than machine width and fabric length. Send the following information:

1. paper grade and basis-weight range;
2. furnish composition, recycled-fiber share and filler content;
3. machine type, forming configuration and normal/maximum speed;
4. current fabric construction and, if available, mesh, count, caliper and permeability;
5. normal tension, vacuum settings and shower arrangement;
6. retention, drainage or drive-load observations;
7. the current problem, supported by photos and operating records;
8. expected service target and planned shutdown window.

These details help separate a fabric problem from a furnish, vacuum, cleaning or alignment problem. They also make supplier comparisons more meaningful.

Final Selection Should Be Machine-Specific

Paper grade defines the priority, but the machine decides the specification. The most reliable choice balances sheet quality, drainage, retention, cleanliness, stability and wear under actual mill conditions.

Browse the full forming fabric range, then send your operating data through the contact page. Our technical team can use the information to prepare a focused shortlist instead of recommending a fabric from paper grade alone.