Thermal Paper Cartridge Curl Issue – Looking for Root Cause & Solutions

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Hello everyone,


I’m looking for advice regarding a curl issue on thermal paper cartridges.


Our company manufactures thermal paper cartridges (roll type), and recently we’ve been experiencing consistent curl after slitting and converting. The rolls appear acceptable immediately after production, but curl becomes noticeable after cutting or during customer use.


Current observations:

• Curl direction tends to follow the coated/printing side
• The issue is more severe on certain core sizes
• Curl becomes worse after storage, especially in dry conditions
• Rewinding tension may be a contributing factor, but adjustments so far have not fully resolved the issue

What we are considering as possible causes:

• Moisture imbalance between coated and uncoated sides
• Core rigidity or core diameter differences
• Excessive or uneven winding / slitting tension
• Insufficient aging or conditioning time after production
• Storage humidity conditions

We are currently reviewing:

• Tension reduction during rewinding
• Longer aging time before packaging
• Humidity control during storage

However, the issue has not been completely eliminated.


For those with experience in thermal paper, roll converting, or cartridge production,
what have you found to be the most effective root causes and countermeasures for curl issues like this?


Any insights, best practices, or testing methods would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you in advance.