A Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Felt Slitting

Introduction

Industrial felt is available in a wide range of materials, grades, thicknesses and roll formats.
However, the width supplied by the material manufacturer is not always the width required on the production line.
This is where industrial felt slitting can help.
Slitting converts wider rolls of felt into narrower continuous rolls or coils, allowing manufacturers to receive material in a format better suited to their production process or end application.
At British Felt, slitting forms part of our wider industrial felt conversion capability.
Depending on the requirement, materials can also be adhesive laminated, die cut, kiss cut or CNC knife cut to produce anything from narrow continuous coils to individual finished components.
If you are still deciding which type of felt is suitable for your application, our Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Felt  provides an introduction to industrial felt materials, properties, grades

In This Article

 

• What is Industrial Felt Slitting ?
• Why Slit Industrial Felt Into Narrower Rolls ?
• What Materials Can British Felt Slit?
• What Widths Can British Felt Slit ?
• Plain Felt or Adhesive-Backed Felt ?
• Felt Strips, Coils and Tapes : What Is the Difference ?
• Where are Slit Felt Rolls Used ?
• Slitting as Part of a Wider Felt Conversion Process 
• When Should You Consider Outsourced Felt Slitting ?
• What Information Is Needed for a Felt Slitting Quotation ?
• Can Customer-Supplied Materials be Converted ?
• Frequently Asked Questions About Industrial Felt Slitting

What is Industrial Felt Slitting?

Industrial felt slitting is the process of converting a wider roll of felt into one or more narrower continuous rolls.

Rather than cutting across the material to produce individual sheets or components, the material is cut along the length of the roll.

The resulting narrow rolls are commonly referred to as coils, strips or tapes, depending on their width, construction and intended application.

For example, a wide roll of industrial felt could be converted into a series of narrow coils for use as:

• protective strips;
• cushioning material;
• anti-rattle strips;
• sealing strips;
• packing material;
• wiping strips;
• adhesive-backed felt tapes;
• production-line materials.

The important consideration is not simply the width of the felt, but how the converted material needs to be presented and used within the customer’s manufacturing process.

Why slit industrial felt into narrower rolls?

A manufacturer may be able to purchase industrial felt in a standard roll width, but that does not necessarily mean the material is ready to use.

If only a narrow strip is required, somebody still needs to convert the wider material into the required format.

For manufacturers without dedicated slitting equipment, this can mean additional handling and processing before the felt reaches the production line.

Having the material professionally slit can provide a more practical alternative.

Material supplied closer to the required width

One of the most obvious reasons for slitting felt is to obtain a specific finished width.

Instead of receiving a wide roll and cutting strips internally, the material can be converted into narrower coils before delivery.

This can be particularly useful where the same width of material is used repeatedly.

Easier handling on the production line

Narrow coils can be easier to store, unwind, feed and apply than full-width rolls.

This is especially relevant where felt is being applied progressively along a component or assembly rather than being cut into individual parts.

Reduced in-house conversion

Not every manufacturer wants to invest in specialist equipment for converting flexible materials.

Outsourcing the slitting operation allows the material to arrive closer to the format required for production.

Integration with other conversion processes

Slitting can also form one stage of a wider conversion process.

For example, felt can potentially be laminated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive before being slit, producing narrow rolls of adhesive-backed material.

This ability to combine processes can be particularly useful when the finished requirement is more specialised than a simple strip of plain felt.

What materials can British Felt slit?

Although industrial felt is an important part of our slitting capability, the process is not limited to felt alone.

Depending on the material and specification, British Felt Co.’s coil and tape slitting capability can be used with materials including:

• industrial felt;
• non-woven materials;
• foams;
• sponge rubbers;
• adhesive tapes;
• technical textiles.

This can be useful for manufacturers that use several flexible materials within the same product or assembly.

For industrial felt applications, however, selecting the correct material should come before deciding how it will be converted.

Factors such as the felt type, grade, thickness and physical properties can all influence whether a material is suitable for a particular application.

For more information, see our guide to industrial felt materials, grades and applications.

What widths can British Felt slit?

British Felt Co.’s Cevenini coil-slitting capability can convert suitable materials into widths from approximately 5 mm to 1000 mm, with material wound onto 76 mm internal-diameter cores.

The appropriate finished format will depend on the individual requirement.

Factors to consider can include:

• material type;
• material thickness;
• finished width;
• quantity;
• roll diameter;
• adhesive construction, where applicable;
• liner requirements;
• winding and presentation;
• end application.

This is why it is useful to discuss more than simply the required width when requesting a quotation.

Understanding how the material will ultimately be used can help determine the most appropriate conversion route.

Need felt supplied in a specific coil width?

Send British Felt Co. details of your material, thickness, required width, quantity and application.

Discuss Your Slitting Requirement →

Plain Felt or Adhesive-Backed Felt?

Industrial felt can be supplied as a plain material, but many manufacturing applications require the felt to be fixed to another surface.

In these situations, adhesive-backed felt may provide a more application-ready solution.

A suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive can be laminated to the felt before the material undergoes further conversion.

The laminated material can then potentially be slit into narrower coils.

This creates a useful conversion sequence:

Industrial felt → adhesive lamination → slitting → finished adhesive-backed coil

The resulting material may be suitable for applications such as:

• surface protection;
• cushioning;
• anti-rattle strips;
• spacing;
• sealing;
• protective edging;
• assembly aids.

However, the adhesive should not be treated as an afterthought.

The appropriate adhesive construction will depend on factors such as:

• the surface the felt will be bonded to;
• operating conditions;
• temperature;
• environmental exposure;
• whether the bond needs to be permanent or temporary;
• the required release liner;
• how the material will be applied.

For this reason, specifying “self-adhesive felt” alone may not provide enough information to determine the most appropriate construction.

Read our guide to Adhesive-Backed Industrial Felt for more information about combining industrial felt with pressure-sensitive adhesive systems.

 

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Felt strips, coils and tapes: what is the difference?

Terms such as felt strip, felt coil and felt tape are sometimes used interchangeably.

In practice, the required presentation is more important than the terminology.

Felt strips

A felt strip is simply a narrow width of felt.

Depending on the application, strips may be supplied as individual lengths or as continuous material.

Felt coils

A felt coil is a continuous narrow width of material wound around a core.

This format can be useful where longer lengths of material need to be stored, unwound or applied progressively.

Adhesive-backed felt tape

When felt is laminated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and supplied as a narrow roll, it may be described as felt tape or adhesive-backed felt tape.

For an industrial converter, the more useful specification is therefore:

Material + thickness + width + adhesive + liner + roll presentation + quantity + application

Providing this information gives a much clearer picture of what actually needs to be manufactured.

Where are slit felt rolls used?

Slit industrial felt can be used wherever a continuous narrow width of material is more practical than a full sheet or wide roll.

Applications vary considerably according to the felt grade and construction.

Typical examples can include the following.

Surface protection

Felt can provide a soft interface between components or surfaces.

Narrow strips may be used where protection is required along an edge, rail, frame or other defined area.

Where appropriate, an adhesive backing can make the strip easier to position during assembly.

Anti-rattle applications

Felt is often considered where components come into contact and unwanted movement or vibration needs to be managed.

A narrow felt strip can provide a cushioning layer between surfaces.

Sealing and packing

Depending on the material and application, felt strips can be used as packing or sealing elements.

The required felt grade, density, thickness and width should be selected according to the operating conditions.

Wiping applications

Industrial felt is also used in wiping and cleaning applications.

Where a continuous narrow format is required, slitting can provide material in a more convenient production format.

Manufacturing and assembly

Sometimes the main benefit of slitting is simply presentation.

A manufacturer may already know which felt is required but need it supplied in a width that can be incorporated more easily into an existing assembly process.

 

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Slitting as part of a wider felt conversion process

Slitting is only one method of converting industrial felt.

The correct process depends primarily on the finished format required.

A customer asking for “cut felt”, for example, may actually require slitting, die cutting, kiss cutting, CNC knife cutting or another conversion method.

Understanding the difference can help avoid specifying the wrong process.

Finished requirement	Conversion method to consider
Narrow continuous rolls or coils	Slitting
Self-adhesive felt	Adhesive lamination
Gaskets, washers, pads and individual shapes	Die cutting
Adhesive components retained on a release liner	Kiss cutting
Prototypes or certain complex shapes without conventional tooling	CNC knife cutting
Rectangular sheets or blanks	Sheeting or guillotining, where appropriate

This is one of the advantages of working with a converter that offers several processes.

Rather than trying to make one cutting method suit every requirement, the conversion route can be selected according to the material, geometry, quantity and required presentation.

For a more detailed comparison, see Choosing the Right Industrial Felt Cutting Method.

Slitting vs die cutting: which process do you need?

Slitting and die cutting both convert industrial felt, but they produce very different finished formats.

Choose slitting when you need:

• continuous narrow rolls;
• coils;
• long strips;
• felt tape;
• adhesive-backed material in roll form.

Consider die cutting when you need:

• individual pads;
• washers;
• gaskets;
• discs;
• rectangles;
• repeated custom shapes.

A simple way to think about the difference is:

Slitting produces continuous widths. Die cutting produces individual components.

There are, however, applications where several processes can be combined.

For example, felt could be adhesive laminated before being converted into individual components.

The most appropriate method therefore depends on the complete finished requirement rather than the cutting process alone.

 

Slitting vs kiss cutting

Kiss cutting is particularly relevant when working with adhesive-backed materials.

Instead of cutting completely through every layer of the material construction, the process can cut the required component while leaving the release liner intact.

This allows multiple adhesive-backed components to remain positioned on a common liner until they are required for assembly.

The distinction is therefore largely one of presentation.

Slitting

Produces a continuous narrow roll.

Kiss cutting

Produces individual shapes or components that remain supported on a liner.

For example, a manufacturer requiring a continuous 20 mm-wide adhesive-backed felt strip may need lamination followed by slitting.

A manufacturer requiring thousands of individual adhesive-backed felt pads presented on a liner may instead require lamination followed by kiss cutting.

Learn more about Kiss-Cut Felt Components.

Slitting vs CNC knife cutting

CNC knife cutting provides another option where individual components rather than continuous coils are required.

British Felt Co.’s documented CNC knife-cutting capability can convert suitable felt, foam and rubber from information such as a drawing, CAD file or sample.

This can be particularly useful where the requirement involves prototypes, changing designs or certain component geometries where conventional tooling may not be the preferred route.

Again, the finished format provides the clearest distinction:

• continuous narrow material: consider slitting;
• individual digitally defined components: consider CNC knife cutting.

Read more about CNC Knife Cutting for Felt, Foam and Rubber.

When should you consider outsourced felt slitting?

Outsourced slitting may be worth considering if:

• your felt is currently purchased in rolls wider than your production process requires;
• operators are manually cutting strips from wider material;
• you require repeatable narrow coils;
• you need several widths of the same material;
• you require adhesive-backed felt in roll form;
• you do not have dedicated flexible-material slitting equipment;
• you want material supplied closer to its final production format;
• slitting needs to be combined with another conversion process.

The objective should not simply be to make a roll narrower.

A better question is:

What material format will work most effectively within the manufacturing process?

That may lead to a straightforward slit coil, an adhesive-backed roll or a more extensively converted component.

What information is needed for a felt slitting quotation?

Providing a clear specification can make it easier to assess a slitting requirement.

Where possible, include the following information.

1. Material

Tell us which material you require.

If you already know the exact industrial felt grade, include it in your enquiry.

If you are unsure, explain the application and the properties you need from the material.

2. Material thickness

Specify the required thickness.

Thickness can be an important consideration when assessing both the material and the conversion requirement.

3. Finished width

State the required width of each finished coil.

If several widths are required, list each one separately.

For example:

• 10 mm;
• 20 mm;
• 25 mm;
• 50 mm.

4. Plain or adhesive-backed

Tell us whether the felt is required plain or with an adhesive backing.

If adhesive is required, it is useful to explain:

• what surface the felt will bond to;
• the operating environment;
• whether the application is permanent or temporary;
• any relevant temperature considerations;
• whether a particular liner or presentation is required.

This information can be more useful than simply requesting “self-adhesive felt”.

5. Quantity

Provide the expected order quantity.

Where relevant, it can also be useful to explain whether the requirement is:

• a one-off project;
• prototype or development work;
• regular production;
• repeat scheduled demand.

6. Roll requirements

If the way the finished material is wound or presented is important to your production process, include those requirements.

Relevant information may include:

• core requirement;
• roll diameter;
• roll length;
• winding;
• packaging;
• labelling.

7. End application

Finally, tell us what the felt is actually being used for.

This is often one of the most useful pieces of information.

A felt strip intended for surface protection may have different requirements from one intended for wiping, cushioning, sealing or anti-rattle use.

Understanding the application can help ensure that the discussion considers both the material and the conversion method.

Have a felt slitting requirement?

To help British Felt Co. assess your application, send us:

Material:
Thickness:
Required finished width:
Plain or adhesive-backed:
Core or roll requirement:
Quantity:
End application:

Discuss Your Requirement →

Can adhesive be applied before the felt is slit?

Yes. Where the material and application are suitable, adhesive lamination and slitting can form part of the same overall conversion route.

The process can broadly be considered as:

Felt selection

↓

Adhesive lamination

↓

Slitting

↓

Narrow adhesive-backed coils

For manufacturers requiring individual self-adhesive components rather than continuous rolls, further conversion such as kiss cutting may be more appropriate.

This is why it is useful to consider the finished component or material format first, rather than specifying an individual conversion process in isolation.

Find out more about Industrial Felt Adhesive Lamination.

Can customer-supplied materials be converted?

British Felt Co.’s documented conversion capability includes contract conversion of suitable free-issue materials.

This can be useful where a manufacturer already has an approved material but requires specialist conversion before it can be used in production.

The suitability of the material and the required conversion should be discussed before processing.

If you have an existing material that needs to be slit, provide as much information as possible about:

• material type;
• manufacturer or grade;
• thickness;
• master-roll dimensions;
• required finished width;
• quantity;
• adhesive construction, if applicable;
• required finished presentation.

Contact British Felt Co. About Contract Conversion →

Why use British Felt Co. for industrial felt slitting?

Industrial felt conversion is rarely just about operating a cutting machine.

The finished result depends on understanding both the material and the format required by the customer.

British Felt Co.’s wider converting capability includes:

• industrial felt supply;
• adhesive lamination;
• coil and tape slitting;
• flat-bed cutting;
• kiss cutting;
• rotary conversion;
• CNC knife cutting.

This means a requirement can be considered as a complete conversion problem.

A customer may initially ask for a felt strip, for example, but the final requirement could involve:

felt selection → adhesive lamination → slitting → finished coil

Another application may require:

felt selection → adhesive lamination → kiss cutting → individual components on a liner

And another may simply require:

industrial felt → slitting → narrow continuous coils

The appropriate route depends on the application.

 

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Frequently asked questions about industrial felt slitting

What is industrial felt slitting?

Industrial felt slitting is the process of converting a wider roll of felt into narrower continuous rolls or coils.

It is useful where manufacturers require felt in specific widths for production, protection, cushioning, sealing, wiping or other industrial applications.

What is the difference between slit felt and felt strips?

Slit felt is normally produced as a continuous narrow roll or coil.

The term “felt strip” can describe either continuous narrow material or an individual length of felt.

If the presentation is important, specify whether you require a continuous coil or individual cut lengths.

Can adhesive-backed felt be slit?

Suitable felt can be laminated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and subsequently slit into narrower coils.

The adhesive construction should be selected according to the substrate, operating environment and application.

What widths can British Felt Co. slit?

British Felt Co.’s published Cevenini capability covers suitable materials from approximately 5 mm to 1000 mm wide, with material wound onto 76 mm internal-diameter cores.

Individual requirements should always be confirmed before ordering.

Can materials other than felt be slit?

British Felt Co.’s documented capability includes industrial felt, non-wovens, foams, sponge rubbers, adhesive tapes and technical textiles, subject to the suitability of the individual material and specification.

Can you slit customer-supplied material?

British Felt Co.’s documented conversion capability includes contract conversion of suitable free-issue materials.

The material and required finished specification should be reviewed before processing.

Should I use slitting or die cutting?

Use slitting when the required finished format is a continuous narrow roll or coil.

Die cutting is generally more appropriate when individual components such as pads, washers, gaskets or custom shapes are required.

Other processes, including kiss cutting and CNC knife cutting, may be more appropriate for different component requirements.

Can felt be laminated and slit?

Yes. Where suitable, felt can be adhesive laminated before being slit into narrower coils.

This can produce adhesive-backed felt strips or tapes in a format suitable for subsequent manufacturing or assembly.

What information should I provide for a slitting enquiry?

Ideally provide:

• material;
• thickness;
• finished width;
• quantity;
• plain or adhesive-backed requirement;
• roll or core requirements;
• end application.

If you do not know the exact felt grade, explaining the application can help start the discussion.

Industrial felt slitting from British Felt Co.

Industrial felt slitting provides manufacturers with a way to convert wider rolls of material into narrower coils better suited to their production requirements.

But slitting should not necessarily be considered in isolation.

The finished requirement may involve material selection, adhesive lamination, slitting and further conversion, depending on how the felt will ultimately be used.

British Felt Co. combines industrial felt supply with a range of conversion processes, allowing requirements to be considered from the starting material through to the finished format.

Whether you require:

• plain felt coils;
• narrow felt strips;
• adhesive-backed felt tape;
• converted technical materials;
• or a more extensively converted felt component,

the best starting point is to define the material, dimensions, quantity, presentation and end application.

Need industrial felt slit to a specific width?

Send us your:

material | thickness | finished width | quantity | adhesive requirement | roll format | application

Request a Slitting Quote →

Or, if you are still deciding which material is right for your application, read our Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Felt →

 

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