Modern papermaking machines are based on the principles of the Fourdrinier Machine, which uses a specially woven plastic fabric mesh conveyor belt in the forming section, where a slurry of fibre is drained to create a continuous paper web. Paper machines have four distinct operational sections: 1) forming section (wet end); slurry of fibres filters out fluid a continuous fabric loop to form a wet web of fibre, 2) press section; fibre passes between large rolls loaded under high pressure to squeeze out as much water as possible, 3) drying section; pressed sheet passes through a series of steam heated drying cylinders, and 4) calender section; dried paper is smoothened under high loading and pressure. Only one nip (where the sheet is pressed between two rolls) is necessary in order to hold the sheet, which shrinks through the drying section and is held in tension between the press section and the calender. Extra nips give more smoothing but at some
The paper supply chain turmoil has come for Local Culture. Once the order of paper arrives, the magazines will be printed and mailed to subscribers. They are hoping a new shipment arrives next week, but apparently lots of large printers are now stockpiling paper, which means there is less for the little guy. That would include us.
Update: Our intrepid printer was able to find a different source, and copies are flying off the printer now as I type. They should begin going in the mail tomorrow. Apologies for the false alarm.
