01 / The whole finishing process
A felt is part of a system.
The padded roll holds linen against the chest as heat and pressure help form the finish. On suction-equipped machines, the vacuum system carries moisture through the textile covering into the roll.
Temperature, incoming moisture, contact pressure and time all interact. Changing the felt weight or spring arrangement without checking the machine requirements can alter how the ironer performs.
Start with the original machine specification. Ask your technician to assess the whole process when drying or finish quality changes.
Understand the spring support ↗
02 / Protect the working conditions
Keep the pathway clear.
- Maintain the chest surface. Use the cleaning materials and routine approved for your ironer. Deposits can affect glide, transfer to linen and interfere with contact.
- Wax to the machine’s requirements. Too little lubrication can cause drag; excess wax can load the felt and obstruct moisture removal. The correct amount and frequency depend on your operating conditions.
- Check the vacuum system. Keep the suction pathway clear and use the specified settings. More suction is not automatically better: excessive airflow can cool the roll covering.
- Inspect the spring layer. Damaged or missing springs can leave unsupported areas and uneven contact. Have the support assessed before fitting replacement felt.
- Review washing and rinsing. Residual chemicals and inconsistent moisture can undermine the finishing process. Investigate the upstream process when felt deterioration or finish problems recur.
- Use the working width evenly. Concentrated feeding in the same lanes can create uneven wear. Follow the machine’s feeding and shutdown procedures.
03 / Start with the symptom
What is the linen telling you?
Damp linen at the exit
Review incoming moisture, chest temperature, processing speed and vacuum performance. Check whether deposits or excess wax are restricting airflow through the felt.
Wrinkles, drag or sticking
Inspect chest cleanliness and lubrication, then review feeding, alignment and pressure against the machine requirements. Avoid treating every wrinkle as a padding defect.
Marks or an uneven finish
Ask a technician to check roll contact, spring condition, felt wear, guide tapes and joints. Guide tape thickness or knots can also leave impressions.
Early wear or damaged fibres
Check for missing spring heads, deposits, unsuitable operating conditions and chemical carryover. An archived Fanafel case in the RONS reference library describes several of these factors acting together.
These are inspection prompts, not diagnoses. Confirm the cause with your technician before changing settings or purchasing a replacement.
04 / Order the right replacement
Match the felt.
Then confirm the fit.
There is no single replacement interval for every laundry. Operating conditions, maintenance and machine design all matter. Have scorched, torn, heavily worn or poorly resilient padding assessed.
- Record the machine brand, model, heating method and working temperature.
- Photograph the existing felt reference or label and note the wrap arrangement.
- Provide the specified dimensions, material and weight where available.
- Include the number of rolls, quantity required and delivery destination.
- Have the spring system and required finished roll size checked before installation.
One-turn and two-turn constructions serve different machine arrangements. Select against the ironer’s requirements and the current Valmet product specification.
Valmet quality / Supplied by RONS
Ready for a fresh start?
Send your machine details to RONS. We’ll confirm a suitable Valmet specification and quote our best price for your requirement.
Prepare a padding enquiry ↗