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Estimation of the profile of cross-machine

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Article in Measurement Science and Technology January 2008
DOI: 10.1088/0957-0233/19/1/015701

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IOP PUBLISHING

MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701 (11pp)

doi:10.1088/0957-0233/19/1/015701

Estimation of the profile of cross-machine

shrinkage of paper
S J IAnson1,4 , R P A Constantino2, S M Hoole3
and W W Sampson1
1

School of Materials, University of Manchester, Sackville Street, Manchester M60 1QD, UK

Sappi Alfeld GmbH, Muhlenmasch 1, 31061 Alfeld/Leine, Germany
3
Voith Paper Fabrics, Cartmell Road, Blackburn BB2 2SZ, UK
2

E-mail: steve.ianson@manchester.ac.uk, raimundo.constantino@sappi.com,

w.sampson@manchester.ac.uk and sharon.hoole@voith.com

Received 2 October 2007, in final form 9 October 2007

Published 30 November 2007
Online at stacks.iop.org/MST/19/015701
Abstract
In common with many other materials, paper tends to shrink as it dries. Although every
attempt is made to restrain paper, some shrinkage occurs on all paper machines in the direction
perpendicular to that of manufacture and this shrinkage is always much higher at the edges of
the machine than in the centre. Measurement of the profile of this cross-machine shrinkage is
possible using the fast Fourier transform to locate and measure periodic elements imprinted by
the filtration fabrics used during the formation of the paper web. This paper describes a new
method which allows the geometrical relationships within the fabric to be used along with
dimensional changes to estimate shrinkage. The method has the advantages over previous
methods of more tolerant sampling protocols, operator independent analysis and improved
accuracy.
Keywords: shrinkage, paper machine, cross-machine profile, forming fabric, FFT

although total shrinkage is low. It is also well known that the

mechanical properties of paper and board can vary by large
percentages between middle and edge, with MD (machine
direction) and CD Youngs modulus typically 10% and 30%
higher, respectively, in the centre of the machine [1]. It
has been suggested [25] that the extreme values of paper
properties which can occur at the edges of the machine can
lead to problems of dimensional stability and runnability on
high speed, high quality, multi-colour offset printing presses,
but this is certainly not always the case. It is true, however, that
maximizing the reeled-up sheet width (even where gains are
measured in millimetres) can lead to additional customer reels
or sheets being available and substantial economic benefits.
It is clear that there is much to be gained from a better
understanding of the details of sheet shrinkage profiles for
both of the above reasons.
Brecht and Wanka [6] obtained estimates of CD shrinkage
profile in 1967 by measuring hydroexpansion at a range of
positions across paper made from mechanical and chemical
pulps on a pilot paper machine. This early work used
the principle, discussed comprehensively by Gallay [7], that

1. Introduction
Paper is manufactured from a dilute suspension of cellulosic
fibres and minerals in water by a sequence of continuous
filtration, pressing and drying operations. Although the
basis of this process has remained the same for hundreds of
years, modern papermaking is far from being a craft process,
and is accomplished on machines of length in excess of a
hundred metres, in a continuous strip of width up to 10 m, at
speeds up to 33 m s1 and total production rates as high as
300 000 tonnes per year.
Paper experiences dimensional changes as it is
transformed, on the paper machine, from a dilute suspension
of fibres and minerals into the end product. The degree
of dimensional change can be very different at the edges
compared to the middle, with the degree of width reduction
(cross-machine direction or CD shrinkage) being particularly
strongly affected. No current machine is immune to this
effect and the most modern, highest speed paper machines
tend to demonstrate the greatest middle-to-edge differences,
4

Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.

0957-0233/08/015701+11$30.00

2008 IOP Publishing Ltd

Printed in the UK

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

the degree of expansion when paper is exposed to water

vapour or liquid is closely correlated with the amount that
it shrank during drying. Wadhams et al [2] later made more
direct estimates of the CD shrinkage profile by measuring
the dimensional change during drying of marks left in the
paper by forming fabrics and this was quickly improved by
Viitaharju and Niskanen [3], who used the two-dimensional
FFT (fast Fourier transform) and made their measurements in
the frequency domain. Praast [4] developed these ideas by
using a method which corrected such measurements for the
inevitable distortion of forming fabrics on the paper machine.
This robust and accurate measurement method allowed Hoole
et al [5] to measure CD shrinkage profiles on a commercial
newsprint machine for a series of experimental conditions,
demonstrating that the profile was not caused in the press
section and was already established at a dryness identified as
being close to the fibre collapse point where the previously
tubular fibres collapse into flat ribbons. When paper machine
dryer section restraint was reduced by turning off the blowboxes5 , the CD shrinkage profile was shown to be significantly
changed.
Meanwhile, Wahlstrom et al [8] created a numerical
model of dimensional change during drying, identifying and
separating mechanical and hygroscopic driving forces. This
model, for the first time, suggested the over-riding importance
of shrinkage in the free draws6 between dryer section
components and their ratio of width to length. More recently,
Wahlstrom and Lif [9] made laboratory measurements of
shrinkage along the centre line between two jaws holding
paper samples (length, L; width, W) during drying. Their
results confirmed the importance of the shape of the free
draw, demonstrating that values of W/L (whether obtained
by varying W, L or both) controlled the resulting shrinkage
profile. Constantino et al [10] demonstrated that the profiles
of shrinkage obtained by Wahlstrom and Lif could be
quantitatively predicted from the geometry of these draws and
went on to show that a similar model could be applied to paper
machines. They also presented further strong evidence that it
is shrinkage which causes the profile rather than the necking
effect of the strains involved, which was found to have a minor
influence. For the first time, this paper demonstrated how
paper machine design and running conditions could be used
to affect the CD shrinkage profile. Villforth and Schabel [11]
used fuzzy clustering methods to accurately locate the peaks
in the FFT spectrum without operator intervention. Whilst this
is a useful development, the paper does not address correction
for distortion of the fabrics, which is the part of the analysis
requiring most skill and experience.
The on-machine, real-time measurement of CD shrinkage
profile has been discussed by a number of authors. Guesalaga
et al [12] used a two-dimensional FFT method, making
measurements on pilot and commercial paper machines.
Kaestner and Nilsson [13] used a FFT method with a onedimensional fluorescence sensor which detected the variations

in lignin content in the forming fabric mark, although they do

not appear to have taken account of forming fabric distortion
in their calculations. IAnson and Sampson [14] presented a
technique which used the settings of the actuators positioned
across the machine to ensure constant cross-machine sheet
weight, along with measured CD mass profile, to estimate
real-time CD shrinkage after calibration with a laboratory
measurement of the profile.
This paper describes a new method for the laboratory
estimation of CD shrinkage profiles which requires less
precautions to be taken during paper sampling and removes the
interactive component of the existing method which requires
some expertise and experience, if the most accurate and
reliable results are to be obtained. Both of these issues have
resulted in the existing method being considered routine in
only a few specialist laboratories and considered with little
relish in others.
In order to obtain the best results, each of the images used
in estimating the profile must be aligned with a datum line
which is perpendicular to the direction of manufacture.
Instruments are available which are designed to cut a strip
from a jumbo reel7 at the end of the paper machine before
it is transported to be slit into customer reels or sheets.
There are also laboratory units which will cut a strip from
a roughly cut or torn sample. Most of the tests performed
on these cut strips are less demanding of alignment than
the CD shrinkage profile estimation and they must be
used with greater care than usual to obtain samples with
edges sufficiently straight, undamaged and square with
the direction of manufacture over the full width to be used
as a datum for image capture. The alternative is to take a
less well cut sample and draw on it a straight datum line
perpendicular to both edges along its full length using a
straight edge or laser line generator. This is a challenging
procedure, for lighter papers in particular, requiring an
extensive flat laboratory surface. The method presented
here requires the subtraction of two angles which are both
affected in the same sense by any deviation from a datum
line, so that a self-correction occurs.
There are two reasons why the marks caused in the
paper sheet by the paper machine manufacturing direction
yarns of a forming fabric may become closer together,
the first is because the paper has shrunk since contact
with the fabric and the second is because the fabric
was distorted on the machine. The second of these
always occurs and inspection of any paper machine shows
that the datum lines or seams visible on each fabric
always take on an arched or dog-leg appearance, the
shape being characteristic of the machine rather than the
individual fabric. In the method devised by Praast [4]
and still used extensively now, the two influences are
separated by noting that the distortion causes an effect
on yarn separation which increases with the degree
of distortion and using the assumption that this can be
treated as linear and removed from the data. Although

5 The fans which remove excess air from converging nips between sheet and
dryer cylinder, improving contact.
6 Draw is the word used in the study of paper for the inevitable unsupported
gaps between paper machine components where there is usually also a small
speed difference.

The reel of paper weighing of the order of 20 tonnes on which paper is

collected at the end of the paper machine.

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

MD Yarn
MD Yarn

Detected
Lines

Detected
Lines

d'

MD Yarn

Detected
Lines

d''

l
"CD" Yarn

'

a=l
CD Yarn

l
a''
"CD" Yarn

(a) Distorted ACW

by angle

(c) Distorted CW

(b) Undistorted

by angle

Figure 1. The geometry of the distortion caused in the mark of a textile structure on paper being formed on a paper machine by movement
of the fabric on the rollers. (b) shows the geometry of a mark where the fabric causing it was undistorted, i.e. a yarn which was
perpendicular to the MD yarns at manufacture (a CD yarn) is still in the CD. (a) shows a mark where the fabric causing it was distorted so
as to produce an anticlockwise rotation of a CD yarn and (c) shows the geometry of a clockwise rotation of a CD yarn.

this approach is successful, it must be applied slightly

differently for each profile. For example, the linear plots
used to establish the relationships involved must exclude
the rapidly varying edges of the machine, since these
distort the results. Unfortunately, where there is little or
no distortion of the fabric in the middle but it is rather
distorted at the edges, it can be difficult to establish a
reliable relationship. In practice, it is usually possible to
obtain two estimates of CD shrinkage profile from each
paper sample because there were usually two forming
fabrics involved in its manufacture and the operator has to
establish appropriate constants to correct for distortion to
cause the two estimates to agree. This is usually possible
but does require some skill and experience. The method
presented here uses geometrical considerations derived
from the nature of the distortion and its constraints to
estimate its effect on the measured dimensional change,
making the method more objective, less interactive and
less demanding of the operator skill.

be perceived in their pattern, formed by alignments of yarn

crossings often across several unit cells (rectangles with sides
defined by the repeat pattern in the MD and CD) and we can
choose the one which suits us best.
Referring to figure 1(b), it can be seen that the chosen
diagonal lines close to the MD are separated by a distance d and
are at an angle to the machine direction. If a cross-machine
direction line is drawn across the sample, then a characteristic
CD separation of these features can be estimated as
d
,
(1)
cos
where d and can be estimated from an image of the paper.
This simple case rarely occurs and, typically, both the distance
d and MD yarn separation projected onto the CD, a, are
affected by the distortion of the forming fabric (and forming
fabric mark) as well as by paper shrinkage. This is illustrated
for anticlockwise (ACW) and clockwise (CW) distortions,
both by the same angle , in figure 1. It is important to
emphasize that the endless fabric is in constant motion (at up
to 2000 m min1) around a series of rollers. Both and are
usually less than about 10 , the former because it is chosen
to be small and the latter because it is constrained to be small
due to the limits of in-plane flexibility of the fabric. Assuming
that all points along the length of the fabric around the loop
are equivalent, the fabric can change width during distortion
but the yarns which started off in the MD must remain so.
It is this constraint which allows the following geometrical
considerations.
In the undistorted state a = l, where l is some multiple
of the spacing of the MD yarns in the mark. l is fixed (in
the fabric and in mark in the paper before shrinkage) because
it is related to the ligament length of the CD yarns between
MD yarn crossings. Where there is distortion, l will remain
constant (in the absence of shrinkage) but will no longer be
orientated along the true CD, since the CD yarns have been
skewed, although the MD yarns remain in the MD. In figure 1,
the two possible directions of distortion are illustrated to the
left and right of the undistorted case. In the left-hand example,
a=

2. Theoretical background
2.1. Geometrical consideration of distortion
It is possible to detect, in any paper sample, the periodic
patterns caused by the woven structure of the various fabrics
used on the paper machine using FFT image analysis and
these have been discussed extensively elsewhere [15, 16].
To determine the change of dimensions of the sheet during
drying, it is most convenient to use the marks from one or more
forming section fabrics and, in particular, the components of
those marks which are closest to the machine direction (MD)
and cross-machine direction. Exactly which aspect of the
fabric causes these detected lines will vary with its design but,
although the CD yarns usually appear in the surface, the MD
yarns are less superficially located and it is necessary to use
a diagonal in the pattern which is close to the MD. It should
be noted that modern forming fabrics are complex structures
woven in two or three layers and that many diagonals can
3

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

the distortion is ACW. Similarly, the right-hand example shows

CW distortion. In the ACW case
d
l=
(2)
cos( )
and in the CW case
d 
.
(3)
l=
cos( + )
When the paper has shrunk, these expressions tell us how the
distance l is affected by a change of d, d or d in the presence
(or lack) of distortion. What is measured using the FFT method
is the distance d (or d or d ) and the angles and , according
to the following sign convention: is measured relative to the
MD so that it is positive when the movement from the MD is
ACW; is measured relative to the CD and is positive where
the distortion causes a CW rotation of the CD yarns. In the
two cases, this means that
y
x
= arctan
and
= arctan
(4)
x
y
where coordinates y and x are measured in the usual way
using the centre of the FFT spectrum as the origin. The
typical positions of the peaks caused in the FFT spectrum
are illustrated in figure 11.
In most circumstances, there will be both CW and ACW
distortions of the fabric at different points across the machine,
meaning that (2) and (3) will both be required. This means
that we must carefully consider the signs of these angles as
calculated from the FFT spectrum to ensure that the correct
calculation will be done for each point. Using the above sign
convention, it turns out that
d
d 
l=
=
(5)
cos( + )
cos( + )
replaces (2) and (3) for all cases.
However, what we really want to know, in the two
distorted cases, is how a and a have changed, since this
will give us the CD shrinkage. For the CW and ACW cases,
after shrinkage
as = as = as = ls cos s ,
(6)
and before shrinkage


aus = aus
= aus
= lus cos us ,
(7)
where the subscripts us and s refer to dimensions
before (unshrunk) and after shrinkage (shrunk), respectively.
Shrinkage, S, is therefore given by
ls cos s
.
(8)
1S =
lus cos us
At this stage, we know the post-shrinkage dimensions but,
in general, we have no opportunity to measure those before
shrinkage. Figure 2 shows the elements which allow the
effect on of shrinkage to be calculated trigonometrically by
allowing the unit cell width W to shrink, using the assumption
that shrinkage is solely in the CD. This is expressed in (9)
us = arctan[(1 S) tan s ].
(9)
This allows us to plot the effect of shrinkage on for a range of
values of shrinkage and this is shown in figure 3. Taking into
account that shrinkage is usually below 10% and is usually
less than 10 and that these limits will never be exceeded by
much, it is possible to get a good estimate of shrinkage by
approximating that cos s / cos us = 1, so that equation (8)

W
N = 3 unit cells

Figure 2. A simple representation of the geometry of the effect of

shrinkage on a line which has been distorted by an angle from the
CD. This figure has been drawn with the distorted CD yarn taking
three unit cell widths, W, across the machine to be displaced by a
unit cell length, L, but this is just for illustration. After shrinkage W
becomes (1 S)W and simple trigonometry yields equation (9).
1

cos s/cos us

0.99

0.98

unshrunk = 6
unshrunk = 9
unshrunk = 14
unshrunk = 27

0.97

0.96

0.95
0

10

12

14

CD Shrinkage, S (%)

Figure 3. This graph demonstrates the effect of shrinkage on cos

for a range of unshrunk values of . In practice, shrinkage is usually
below 10% and is usually less than 10 .

becomes
ls
.
(10)
lus
Consider now the practical situation where a value of ls has
been obtained from each of N images taken across the paper
machine. The average shrinkage across the paper machine is
given by (11), where the subscript i has been used to denote
values averaged from the ith image.

N
lsi
(11)
1 S i=1 .
N lus
Total shrinkage is easily measured from the width of the paper
before drying and width of the paper machine reel, which are
always known by the paper mill, allowing us to estimate lus
from (11) and therefore local values of S from (10). Since
we now have a fairly good estimate of shrinkage at all points
across the machine, we can now use (9) to calculate cos us and
we have everything that is needed to apply the more accurate
equation (8) and calculate an accurate value of S. Although
this is an iterative procedure, it is easily implemented in, for
example, a spreadsheet program and no operator intervention
is required.
This gives us a method for calculating the CD shrinkage
profile without performing the elaborate, interactive correction
1S

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

top

Angle (degrees)

-2

top
0

bottom
2

10

-7

bottom
-12
CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 4. Example of a newsprint sample for which remains more or less constant for both top and bottom forming fabric marks despite
large changes in CD shrinkage and . Results obtained from the marks of the top and bottom forming fabrics are shown.
W
W

W'

L
L

L
'

Gap of
several
unit cells

Gap of
several
unit cells

'

Figure 5. Diagram illustrating the geometry of a diagonal line in the woven pattern which is at a small angle to the MD and has to pass
through a number of unit cells in the vertical direction before passing through an equivalent point. (b) and (c) are drawn with several unit
cells omitted so that detail can be clearly seen.

procedure necessary for achieving good results with the

existing established method.

not removed) when the new, geometrical method of analysis

is used, simplifying experimental requirements.
Observation from carefully and successfully completed
shrinkage profiles suggests that does not change significantly
across the web, despite the changes in and shrinkage. The
minor deviations from a constant value are perhaps more likely
to be due to the errors associated with aligning the paper sample
on the scanner than with systematic variation. Figure 4 shows
an example.
If this is the case, then it is only necessary to determine
a single average value for . The deviations from this value
can be taken to be errors and potentially this allows a more
accurate assessment of . For this to be the case, must be
independent of the angle of distortion, , and of CD shrinkage.

2.2. Effect of distortion on angle

The existing and well-used method for estimating CD
shrinkage profile assumes that can be affected by both
distortion of the forming fabric mark and by shrinkage, with
the influence of the two variables being separated by the
interactive correction procedure. It is suggested here that
is approximately independent of distortion and would be
measured as constant across the width of the paper machine
in the absence of sampling errors. It is also demonstrated that
the effect of such sampling errors is intrinsically reduced (if
5

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

12
= 11

' (degrees)

10
8

= 6
6
4

= 3

2
0
0

10

12

14

16

18

20

(degrees)

Figure 6. Graph showing how  varies with the degree of fabric distortion, . In each case, the dashed line illustrates the case where  = .

Comparison of (12) and (15) shows that the relationship

between tan and tan  is a factor given by

 2

1 L
tan
W
=
.
(16)
L
tan
1 N
L

Figure 5 shows schematic images of a forming fabric mark

and illustrates how the angle is affected by the distortion of
the CD yarns by an angle . The vertical lines represent the
MD edges of a unit cell and the horizontal lines are the CD
edges, several being visible in this diagram. Each cell contains
the repeating pattern of the fabric, i.e. the pattern of the fabric
is identical when one progresses across the fabric by one unit
cell dimension in either direction. The size of the unit cell is
an integer multiple of the yarn separation in the two directions
and the vertical and horizontal lines shown here coincide with
arbitrarily chosen yarns. The diagonal line at an angle to the
MD is a line in the pattern of the fabric which is formed by rows
of features caused by the crossing of the MD and CD lines.
This line is equivalent to the one considered in section 2.1
and used to estimate the shrinkage profile. The line crosses an
equivalent point in the unit cell after N unit cells such that

The numerator in (16) is just less than 1 by a small amount

(where is small) and the denominator is also just less
than 1 by a small amount (if and are small), implying
that we can expect to remain approximately constant with
fabric distortion providing that the angles and are both
small.
Figure 6 shows that varies very little with fabric
distortion for the range of values of and likely to be
found in practice, where both are likely to be less than about
10 . As a further illustration, when is determined from the
FFT spectrum as arctan (y-coordinate/x-coordinate) using the
position of a peak close to the x-axis, the x-coordinate is set
to be as large as possible, perhaps around 400 when using
1024 1024 source images. This means, for = 12 , that
the y-coordinate is approximately 85, so that steps between
possible values are >1%, and for 84, 85 and 86 the values of
are 11.86 , 12.00 and 12.13 , respectively. These differences
are of the same order of magnitude as the maximum change
of due to distortion (for the 11 result) of 0.22 .
The above observations would allow some improvement
to the existing shrinkage profile method by providing better
estimates for and at each point, but we are now, for the
new method, interested in + (for our sign convention).
Figure 1, along with (2) and (3), suggests that any problem
with alignment will change and such that + will be
unaffected. In other words, we might expect that any minor
deviations from perfect alignment (inevitable in practice) will
be self-correcting.
Figures 7 and 8, which include positive and negative
values for both and , have been created using the same
data as for figure 4. It is clear that there is some smoothing
of + , compared to and separately. Note, for example,

W
(12)
NL
where W and L are the width and length of the unit cell,
respectively. In figure 5(c), the forming fabric is distorted with
the constraints that the MD yarns continue to point in the MD
and the MD and CD ligament lengths are unchanged, although
the yarns which were previously in the CD are now displaced
by an angle . The MD yarns become closer together, as
do the corresponding points of the unit cells, N, repeat apart
which are crossed by the diagonal mark. The angle of this
mark to the MD,  , is now
tan =

tan  =
where
W =

W
N L L

(13)

W 2 L2

(14)

and

W 2 L2
W
=

tan  =
N L L
NL

1
1

 L 2
W
L
NL

(15)
6

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

12
9

top

Angle (degrees)

6
3

(+ ) top

0
0

-3
-6

top

-9
-12

CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 7. Top forming fabric angles for measurements from a newsprint machine.

Angle (degrees)

bottom
( + ) bottom

-2

10

-7

bottom
-12
CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 8. Bottom forming fabric angles for measurements from a newsprint machine.

Figure 9. Typical transmitted light image used in estimating the CD

shrinkage profile of a paper machine.

Figure 10. FFT spectrum obtained from the image shown in

figure 9 after zero padding to 1024 1024 pixels.
7

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

3. Experimental results
A strip of paper was taken from paper machine 6 at M-real New
Thames, Sittingbourne, UK, a mill manufacturing high quality
office papers containing recycled fibre. The sample, which
contained 65% recycled fibre in this case, was cut carefully
from the reel so that its edges were, as nearly as possible,
parallel and in the CD of the paper machine. 52 images
were obtained using a desktop scanner in a transparency mode
at positions across the width of the machine, with the two
edges aligned with the MD and CD. The scanned images were
72 mm 72 mm and contained 512 512 pixels but were
zero padded to 1024 1024 for further processing, primarily
to improve the precision of the wavelength measurements
[10].
Figure 9 shows a typical image and figure 10 shows
the amplitude spectrum which results from performing the
fast Fourier transform. Many image analysis packages can
perform this task, including the Matlab image processing
toolbox, which can conveniently be used to track the positions
of the key peaks (seen highlighted in figure 11) through the
series of images. These peaks are identified by locating the
geometrical patterns of the peaks caused by each source of
periodic marking, a process which becomes straightforward
with experience. Identification of the patterns from different
marking sources is discussed in some detail in, for example,
[15, 16].
Microsoft Excel, or a similar spreadsheet
program, allows implementation of the algorithm described in
section 2.1 and production of output graphs.
Figure 12 demonstrates that, if the effect of the distortion
of the forming fabrics is ignored, the estimates independently
obtained from the top and bottom forming fabric marks are
clearly different. To get this result, we have used (1) to obtain
an estimate of ls ( = a) and (10 and 11) to calculate shrinkage,
S. Either of these estimates gives the approximate shape of
the CD shrinkage profile and the difference between values at
the middle and edge but neither is adequate for more detailed

Figure 11. The FFT spectrum shown in figure 10 with the key peaks
highlighted. 1 indicates the peak used to estimate d and , 2 is used
to estimate from the mark caused by the bottom forming fabric.
3 and 4 are the corresponding peaks for the top forming fabric mark.

that there appears to have been a slight alignment error at the

5 m point, this being visible in and for both wires but that
this appears to have been smoothed out in + .
What this means is that, using the new calculation method,
it is no longer necessary to take so much care in alignment of
the scanned images to the true CD. This means that it should
be possible for CD shrinkage profiles to be performed by less
well-trained personnel, or even automated systems, without
undue errors.
These considerations confirm the self-correcting nature of
the new algorithm and the lessened requirement for accurate
alignment during scanning, providing that and are both
small.
9
8

CD Shrinkage (%)

7
Top Wire
Bottom Wire

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 12. Estimates of CD shrinkage profile from the top and bottom forming fabrics using the assumption that forming fabric distortion is
unimportant. Clearly there is a poor agreement between the two estimates.
8

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

9
8
Top Wire
Bottom Wire

CD Shrinkage (%)

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 13. Estimates of CD shrinkage profile for the two forming fabrics obtained using (8). The agreement between the two estimates is
now much improved.
9
8
New Algorithm
Old Algorithm

CD Shrinkage (%)

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

3
4
CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 14. The two estimates of CD shrinkage profile illustrated in figure 13 have been averaged and the result compared with that obtained
using the previous, more interactive method of analysis [4, 5, 10] for the same raw data. Clearly the agreement is excellent, although the
new method required much less skill and operator interaction.

analysis of the performance of the paper machine. Figure 13

demonstrates that use of the method described for the first time
in this paper brings the two estimates of CD shrinkage profile
into close agreement. Figure 14 demonstrates that the result
of averaging these two profiles is in close agreement with the
profile obtained using the previous, more interactive method
of analysis, demonstrating that for this result the new method
is equivalent despite requiring no skilled operator input.
To demonstrate that this is not an isolated success for this
method, figure 15 shows a similar comparison between the
new and old methods for a high-speed newsprint machine.
Horizontal grid lines have been included in figure 15 to
facilitate comparison of the flat central areas of the two profiles.
The new method has resulted in a more symmetrical (and more
likely) profile in this area. When the older method of analysis
was being used, it is possible that further operator input could

have improved the profile but it was not apparent that this
was necessary. This clearly illustrates the benefit of a noninteractive method. Note also that the front edge shows a
rather lower shrinkage than the back edge, a feature of all
profiles over several years from this machine. The nature of
the new method makes it much easier to conclude that this is
a real difference and that something unusual occurs in the last
few centimetres at this edge, whereas a lack of symmetry might
be construed as poor performance of the correcting algorithm
in the old method.
The final comparison shown in figure 16 demonstrates
good agreement between the new and old methods for a
second high-speed newsprint machine. The result using the old
algorithm was obtained by a different operative (in a different
laboratory) from that which obtained the comparisons shown
in figures 14 and 15. This second laboratory did not zero pad
9

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

10
9
New Algorithm
Old Algorithm

CD Shrinkage (%)

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

10

CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 15. Comparison of the new and old analysis methods for a high-speed newsprint machine.

9
8
Old Algorithm
New Algorithm

CD Shrinkage (%)

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

CD Position (m from back edge)

Figure 16. Comparison of the new and old methods for a second high-speed newsprint machine. These data were obtained using the values
of and shown in figures 4, 7 and 8.

the data to 1024 1024 pixels but performed the FFT analysis
on 512 512 pixel images, using an otherwise identical
method.

involving the analyst in interactively choosing which data

to include and in deciding when the estimate is sufficiently
accurate. A major advantage of this new approach is that lack
of symmetry in the profile can easily be differentiated from a
deficiency in the analysis method.
Obtaining samples which are accurately orientated in the
CD and which have straight enough edges to allow them to be
used for alignment on the scanner is difficult in an industrial
environment. A major advantage of this new analysis method
is that small deviations will be self-corrected by the algorithm.
This will speed up the sample acquisition time, as well as
yielding more accurate profiles.
Since the new method requires less skill in both sampling
and analysis, it is now more feasible for CD shrinkage profiles
to be produced by a less skilled operative or even for the
majority of the procedure to be automated.

4. Conclusions
This paper describes a major development in the method for
estimation of the profile of cross-machine direction shrinkage
on paper machines from the dimensional change of periodic
patterns imprinted on the paper by the forming fabrics of the
machine. The method shares, with the established method,
the use of the FFT to detect the dimensions and orientation
of the fabric marks but uses a geometrical method to produce
the profile. The established method separates dimensional
changes into those caused by the distortion of the forming
fabric and those caused by shrinkage by a graphical method
10

Meas. Sci. Technol. 19 (2008) 015701

S J IAnson et al

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of M-real
New Thames Ltd, Aylesford Newsprint Ltd and Voith Paper
Fabrics Blackburn Ltd during this work.

[9]

[10]

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