Cutting · ROLL Lab
Recutting and reusing used cores
In shortA core that comes back intact can be cut down to a shorter length and reused. It pays off if the inside diameter, roundness and moisture are still within specification and the leftover material has been removed.
On this page · calculators
When you can
- Inside diameter within ISO 13542 tolerance and ovality within 1.5 mm (Ø 70 mm and up).
- No crushing of the inside diameter, no delamination of the plies.
- Moisture back to normal values (6–8%), measured in an oven if the core has been in the damp.
- Leftover material and adhesive removed: a core with film on it does not recut well.
How it is done
Remove the wound material and check diameter and roundness. Then cut the core to its new length with a knife or saw, discarding ends that are damaged or marked by chucks and mandrels.
Joining short lengths
Besides recutting, some supply chains join short lengths: the damaged ends are cut off, male and female cones are milled, the pieces are glued and cut to size. One operator in the sector states that tissue mills cut their purchases of new cores by 70–80% this way.
Limits
A reused core has already been through radial pressure and moisture cycles: it must be requalified with the same tests as a new core before it goes back under heavy reels or high-pressure film.
Sources
- ISO 11093-9
- ISO 13542
- ROLL Lab calculation
Is your core already specified on paper? Find it in 5 steps with the game, or ask the people who make it.
Find your core → Request a core
Find your core → Request a core