This high-speed plastic film slitting and rewinding machine converts wide master rolls of LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, PP, and biodegradable blown film into narrower finished rolls — cutting the master web into multiple parallel strips and rewinding each strip onto individual cores at production speed. Converters producing bag-making rolls, printing-press feed rolls, retail display rolls, and customer-specified width rolls from wide blown film output run this machine to add slitting value to their film production. The machine handles film from 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm thickness at master roll widths up to 1600 mm, with slitting width adjustable via razor blade or rotary knife positioning.
Bag-making feed rolls: Wide blown film master rolls (800-1600 mm) slit into bag-machine-width rolls (200-600 mm) — supplying multiple bag making lines from one blown film output roll.
Printing-press feed rolls: Master rolls slit to match flexographic or rotogravure press width requirements — each slit roll feeds one print station lane.
Retail and consumer rolls: Narrow film rolls for produce bags, food wrap, and household use — slit to consumer packaging dimensions with clean, straight edges.
Lamination feed rolls: Master rolls slit to laminator width — ensuring consistent web width for adhesive application and bonding.
Multi-width order fulfillment: One wide master roll slit into multiple customer-specified widths in one pass — reducing inventory of pre-slit widths.
Application vs. Recommended Configuration
Application | Master Roll Width | Film Material | Slit Width Range |
|---|---|---|---|
Bag-machine feed rolls | 800-1600 mm | HDPE / LDPE | 200-600 mm |
Printing-press feed rolls | 800-1200 mm | LDPE / PP / Biodegradable | 300-800 mm |
Retail consumer rolls | 600-1200 mm | LDPE / HDPE | 100-400 mm |
Multi-width order fulfillment | 1000-1600 mm | Mixed PE / PP | Multiple widths per master roll |
Blown film converters who want to capture the slitting margin rather than selling wide master rolls at commodity pricing and letting the customer or a third-party slitter capture the width-adding value. In-house slitting converts a single master roll SKU into multiple customer-order SKUs at higher per-kg pricing — the slitter pays for itself through the width premium.
Bag manufacturers running multiple bag machine widths from one blown film line. A single 1400 mm master roll slits into three 450 mm bag-machine feed rolls in one pass — eliminating the need to produce three separate narrow blown film rolls.
Converters supplying printing and lamination customers who order film at specific widths for their press or laminator. The slitting machine enables just-in-time width fulfillment from master roll inventory — no need to stock every width variant.
Export-oriented film producers whose customers in different markets require different roll widths for the same film product. One master roll size serves all markets — slitting to customer width happens at the last production step before packing.
Producers who sell only one film width to one customer type and have no need to slit master rolls into narrower widths. If your blown film line produces film at the exact width your customer orders, a slitting machine adds equipment cost without adding revenue. The slitter earns its premium only when width conversion creates pricing value.
Shops producing exclusively narrow film (under 400 mm) directly from the blown film line. If your die is sized for narrow film and your customer only buys that width, slitting provides no benefit. The machine is for wide-web producers who need width reduction.
Converters running film above 0.15 mm thickness. The slitting blades and tension control are optimized for thin-gauge blown film. For heavy-gauge sheet (above 0.15 mm) or rigid film, a heavy-duty slitter with higher blade pressure and different tension control is required.
Startups producing under 300 tons of film per year. Below this volume, the slitting premium may not justify the capital cost. For low-volume width conversion, manual slitting or outsourcing to a toll slitter is more cost-effective.
Not sure if in-house slitting pays back for your production? Send us three data points and we'll calculate your slitting margin within one business day:
Your typical master roll width and current selling price per kg
Customer-requested slit widths and the price premium for slit rolls in your market
Monthly film output in tons
Send your production data here.
The slitting station uses either razor blades (for film under 0.05 mm) or rotary shear knives (for film 0.05-0.15 mm) — producing clean, burr-free slit edges without the film dust that contaminates downstream printing and bag-making processes. Razor slitting cuts the film web by penetrating the surface — low cost, quick blade change, ideal for thin PE film. Rotary knife slitting shears the film between two overlapping hardened steel discs — cleaner edge on thicker film, longer blade life between sharpenings. The blade holders are individually adjustable across the web width — slitting positions are set by sliding blade assemblies to the required spacing, locked in place, and verified with a positioning scale.
Two rewind shafts operate alternately — while one shaft winds finished slit rolls, the other shaft is unloaded and prepared for the next cycle. Taper tension control gradually reduces winding tension as roll diameter builds — preventing the tight-core/loose-surface problem where outer layers slip due to excessive inner tension. Each slit roll has independent tension via friction rings on the rewind shaft — a slightly thicker film strip gets slightly more tension to compensate, maintaining consistent roll density across all slit positions. Finished rolls are tight at the core, firm at the surface, and unwind smoothly at the customer's machine.
A load cell at the unwind station measures actual web tension and the PLC adjusts the unwind brake in real time — maintaining constant tension as the master roll diameter decreases from full roll to core. Without closed-loop tension control, unwind tension increases as roll diameter shrinks — the film stretches progressively during the slitting run, producing slit rolls that are slightly narrower at the end than at the start. Load cell feedback eliminates this drift — web tension stays within ±2% of setpoint from full roll to core, and all slit rolls maintain consistent width throughout.
Free slitting trial — send us a sample master roll, receive slit finished rolls for evaluation. We'll slit your film on our demo machine and provide:
Slit roll samples at your target widths showing edge quality and roll formation
Slitting speed measurement and edge-quality assessment at production speed
Recommended blade type and tension settings for your film material and gauge
No cost. You ship a master roll; we return slit samples with process data. Arrange your slitting trial here.
Customer rejects slit rolls for inconsistent width across the roll. Without load cell tension control, film stretch during slitting produces rolls that measure 452 mm at the start and 448 mm at the end — the customer's bag machine jams on the undersized section. Closed-loop tension control maintains web width within ±1 mm from the first meter slit to the last.
Film dust from slitting contaminating downstream printing surfaces. Dull razor blades tear rather than cut — producing microscopic film particles that adhere to the slit roll surface via static charge. When the customer unwinds for printing, these particles transfer to the impression roller and produce print voids. Sharp blades replaced on schedule (every 50,000-80,000 linear meters for razor, every 200,000+ meters for rotary knives) eliminate dust-producing tear cutting.
Inner layers of slit rolls telescoping during transport. Rolls wound with constant tension (no taper) build excessive radial pressure at the core — the inner layers compress and telescope sideways during shipping vibration. Taper tension control reduces winding tension by 30-40% from core to surface — the roll maintains cylindrical shape through transport and the customer receives flat-sided, stable rolls.
Operator error in blade positioning causing off-spec slit widths. Manual blade measurement with a tape measure introduces ±2-3 mm positioning error per blade — across 6 slit positions on a 1200 mm master roll, cumulative error can put the last slit width 5-10 mm off spec. The laser-positioned digital scale with blade-locking detents positions each blade to ±0.5 mm — all slit rolls measure within specification.
Production Scenarios and Recommended Setups
Scenario | Master Width | Slit Configuration | Key Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
Bag machine feed rolls (3-wide slit) | 1400 mm | 3 × 450 mm + trim | Razor blades; medium tension for HDPE |
Printing press rolls (2-wide slit) | 1200 mm | 2 × 580 mm + trim | Rotary knives for clean edge; low tension for thin LDPE |
Consumer retail rolls (multi-narrow) | 1000 mm | 5 × 200 mm | Razor blades; taper tension for retail-shelf-ready rolls |
Mixed-width customer orders (one-pass) | 1500 mm | 2 × 400 mm + 2 × 300 mm + trim | Individual tension rings per position; digital blade scale |
Master roll loading & unwinding: The wide master film roll mounts on the motorized unwind shaft. Load cell measures web tension; PLC-controlled pneumatic brake adjusts unwind resistance to maintain constant tension.
Web guiding & edge alignment: An edge position sensor detects the film edge and the web guide adjusts alignment — ensuring the film enters the slitting station straight and centered.
Slitting: Razor blades or rotary knives positioned at the required widths cut the wide web into multiple parallel strips. Blade positions are set on a digital scale and locked in place.
Edge trim removal: The narrow edge trim strips (typically 5-10 mm per side) are pneumatically conveyed to a waste collection bin — keeping the production area clean.
Rewinding: Slit strips wind onto individual cores on dual rewind shafts. Taper tension gradually reduces winding force as roll diameter builds. When one shaft completes, the operator unloads finished rolls while the second shaft continues winding.
Available Options and When They Add Value
Option | What It Does | Suited For |
|---|---|---|
Rotary shear knife system | Hardened steel disc pairs shear film for cleaner edge and longer blade life | Film above 0.05 mm; high-volume production requiring minimum blade changes |
Laser-line blade positioning | Laser guide projects blade position onto web for ±0.5 mm accuracy | Multi-width slitting where every mm of width accuracy matters to customer spec |
Automatic edge trim removal | Pneumatic suction conveys trim strips to waste bin — no manual collection | High-speed production where manual trim handling slows the operator |
Static elimination bar | Ionizing bar neutralizes static charge on film surface before winding | Thin-gauge LDPE and PP where static causes dust attraction and roll sticking |
Shaftless unwind with hydraulic lift | Hydraulic arms lift and clamp master rolls — no shaft threading needed | Heavy master rolls above 200 kg where manual shaft loading is impractical |
Length counter with auto-stop | Measures linear meters wound per roll and stops at preset length | Customer orders specifying exact roll length for downstream process planning |
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia — blown film and bag converter
Machine: High-Speed Slitting Rewinding Machine, rotary knives, dual-shaft, load cell tension
Product: HDPE bag-film master rolls (1400 mm) slit to 3 × 450 mm bag-machine feed rolls
Before: Sold 1400 mm master rolls at $1,180/ton to bag makers. Bag makers did their own slitting. Annual output: 1,200 tons. Revenue: ~$1.42M.
After: Slit in-house to 450 mm rolls and sold at $1,320/ton (slit-width premium). Same 1,200 tons. Revenue: ~$1.58M. Added slitting cost (labor, blades, electricity): ~$28/ton. Net margin gain: ~$112/ton — approximately $134,000 annually.
Payback: 7 months from captured slitting margin.
15+ years manufacturing film processing equipment in Jiangyin, Jiangsu — machines running in 30+ countries.
CE-certified electrical and safety systems on all export machines. Each ships with wiring diagrams and spare parts catalog.
Pre-delivery FAT on every machine: We slit your film sample at production speed before crating. Slit roll samples and video provided.
2-year warranty on main drives, 1 year on electrical. Critical spares (blades, bearings, load cells, tension brakes) stocked — shipped within 48 hours.
Remote video-guided commissioning as standard; on-site engineer available. Training covers blade setup and positioning, tension tuning per material, and preventive maintenance.
LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, PP, and biodegradable film from 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm thickness. Razor blades for film under 0.05 mm; rotary shear knives for film 0.05-0.15 mm. Not suitable for rigid film above 0.15 mm, metallized film (abrasive to blades), or laminated multi-layer film with adhesive layers (adhesive gums blades).
Up to 300 m/min for thin LDPE/HDPE film (0.01-0.03 mm). Thicker film and multi-width slitting runs at 150-250 m/min. Speed is limited by the number of slit positions — more blades means more friction and more tension zones to control. Actual speed depends on film material, gauge, and slit configuration.
Minimum 40 mm per slit strip. Below 40 mm, the narrow strip lacks lateral stiffness for stable rewinding — the strip wanders on the rewind core and produces messy edge alignment. For widths under 40 mm, a specialized narrow-web slitter is recommended.
Standard: 35-50 working days. Custom width or knife configuration: 50-65 working days. Sea freight: Southeast Asia 7-10 days, Middle East 15-20 days, Africa 20-30 days, South America 25-35 days.
Master roll width (max-min), film material and typical gauge range, typical slit width configuration (how many strips at what widths), and target monthly slitting volume. Share your most common slit setup — we'll configure blade positioning and tension parameters for that configuration.
Razor blades: every 50,000-80,000 linear meters for clean-edged HDPE/LDPE film; more frequently on filled or recycled-content film. Rotary shear knives: re-sharpening every 200,000-300,000 meters; blade replacement every 3-5 re-sharpenings. Blade life is primarily determined by film material — filled compounds and recycled content reduce life by 30-50%.
Training covers: blade positioning and setup, tension tuning per film material and gauge, taper tension programming, roll unloading and core loading, and daily blade inspection. Written SOPs in English. Free refresher within warranty.
Manual trim collection is standard — edge strips fall into collection bins beside the machine. The automatic pneumatic trim removal system (optional) conveys trim strips to a central waste bin — recommended for high-speed production where manual collection would require frequent operator intervention.
Tell us your slitting requirements — we'll configure and quote within 2 working days.
Master roll width (max and min in mm)
Film material and typical gauge range
Typical slit configuration: number of strips and target widths
Target monthly slitting volume (tons)
Factory electrical supply and floor dimensions
