Semi-Free End Roll: Keeping Plan Printing Paper Roll Firm & Protecting the Printer

Printing with a plan printing paper (or some call it a plotter paper)* can present several challenges. These challenges arise due to how the paper is attached to the core. Many users encounter difficulties when the paper is tightly glued to the core or loosely held with tape. These problems can lead to paper jams, misalignment, and even damage to the printer, resulting in wasted materials and additional repair costs.

When paper is glued across the entire width of the core, it becomes excessively tight. During the feeding process, the strong adhesion between the paper and the core makes it difficult for the printer to pull the paper smoothly. This excessive resistance can cause strain on the printer, which could lead to damage.

On the other hand, using tape to secure the paper to the core is unreliable. Tape may not hold the paper firmly for long, and as the roll gets thinner, it can loosen. The loose roll can lead to an uneven feeding process and create problems for you.

*There are many names used to call this paper roll, some include wide format, large format, PPC, A0 or A1. Regardless of which terminology you used, they refer to the same paper.

What Happens When the Roll is Loose?

Using tape to attach the paper to the core will result in a loose roll as the paper is being fed during printing. This can cause several problems, such as paper misalignment, wrinkling, paper jams, and interruptions in the printing process.

Loose rolls lead to uneven feeding, which can cause print misalignment. In worst cases, this misalignment results in paper jams that require fixing, costing time and money.
Additionally, a loose roll can wrinkle as it feeds through the printer, distorting printed images and leading to wasted prints and materials. Bunched-up paper from a loose roll can cause jams, disrupting the printing process and requiring you to dislodge it manually. When paper movement is not smooth, users must stop printing, unjam the printer, reroll the paper, and reload it.

Using tapes to hold the paper will lead to these issues, mainly due to the firmness of the roll. When the paper is fed through, the pull will gradually loosen the tape. The loose roll will lead to many problems which might make the leftover paper worthless. In addition to this, if the printer is damaged, there will be extra cost and time to get it fixed.
Some common issues that arise when using a plan printing paper printer can be read here.

What Happens When the Roll is Too Tight?

Just like a loose roll, an overly tight roll that is glued across the width of the core can also lead to problems. A tightly glued roll will make the paper feeding more difficult when the paper is near the end roll. The feeding process and the glue sticking to the end roll will create tension. The printer will struggle to pull the paper. The excessive tension will also cause a strain on the machine part which could lead to machine part failure.

Semi-Free End Roll: Keeping the Roll Firm & Protecting the Printer

To solve the problem of loose rolls or the paper glued too tightly to the core, we developed a semi-free end roll. Instead of glueing the entire width, our rolls are only glued at the centre of the core width using hot melt glue. This strategic glueing prevents the roll from becoming loose as it gets thinner, ensuring smooth feeding throughout its use. The glue is strong enough to keep the roll firm but not so strong that it creates excessive tension. Our solution prevents common issues such as paper misalignment, wrinkling, jams, and printer damage. As the paper roll nears the end, the glue allows the paper to detach effortlessly, preventing printer strain and ensuring uninterrupted printing.

Feedback From Our Customers

Most of our customers in the past used free-end roll. A free-end roll does not mean the paper is entirely free from the core. The core and the paper remain intact until the paper is nearly used up.

Some of our customers have requested the paper to be glued to the core. Knowing that the tension will occur from tightly glued paper during the printing process, we needed a solution that would keep the roll firm and without excessive tension that would damage the printers. So we came up with a semi-free end roll.

Testing and feedback from our customers has been positive. The rolls remain firm throughout the printing process. At the end roll, the paper is also detached easily from the core. This eliminates the common problem found with loose rolls or when the paper is too tightly glued. Since this has been accepted and well-preferred by our customers, we have incorporated semi-free end roll into all our plan printing paper.

Visit Our Plan Printing Paper / Plotter Roll Product Page

We are a manufacturer of standard and premium-grade plan printing paper rolls (also known as plotter paper rolls). With over 30 years of experience in manufacturing and exporting globally, we have supplied papers to a lot of businesses and end users around the world. As a subsidiary of Oji Group Japan, we have access to various types of paper materials, ensuring that our products facilitate smooth printing operations and deliver excellent print results. Our manufacturing capabilities and technical expertise allow us to produce plan printing paper that meets diverse printing needs. The printout image on our paper looks professionally done, it will impress you and other who views it. With our Semi-Free End Roll paper, you can ensure a stable, smooth, and professional printing experience while avoiding common printing issues and costly repairs. To learn more about our products, visit our product page or click here.

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