A sheet break stops production while the crew clears paper and threads a tail back through the dryers and calender. Breaks come from holes, weak spots, wet streaks, draws set too tight or debris in the sheet. Each one costs production and floods the broke system, which then shifts shade and fluorescence on the reels that follow.
Three breaks in the dryers tonight, all on the tending side, so check for a wet streak there.
Also heard as
- sheet break
- web break
Related terms
Tail
Narrow strip cut from the edge of the sheet and threaded through the machine first after a break.
Broke
Paper made on the machine that will not be sold as is, and is repulped and fed back into the stock.
Turn-up
Transfer of the running sheet from a full reel spool onto a new empty one at the paper machine reel.
Back tender
Paper machine crew member who runs the dry end, handling reels, samples and threading the sheet.