TESLIN® substrate should be stored in an area away from contact with combustion exhaust fumes or other sources of indoor pollution that can cause discoloration of the product. Teslin substrate should be covered at all times to prevent damage or discoloration of the material.
The shelf life of Teslin substrate rolls and sheets is at least one year from shipment date as long as it is protected from ultraviolet (UV) light, stored at a maximum temperature of 104 °F/40 °C and stored according to the following recommendations.
Roll Handling
Teslin substrate is produced in rolls and packaged by suspending the roll on end plates that support the core ends. Since Teslin substrate is compressible, a roll that lies on a pallet or other surface for more than several minutes can suffer damage to the outer wraps of the roll where it has been in contact with the hard surface. This can lead to waste of material. Mechanical clamps should be avoided because pressure generated by them will damage the outer wraps of the roll. A harness or wide web (4-6”/10-15cm) slings should be used to move or position the roll into the web-handling equipment. Slit rolls with flush cut cores are shipped in stacks on a cut edge on top of — or separated by — cardboard to protect the cut edge from damage. To rotate these rolls for mounting on web process machinery, mechanical roll handling is recommended. Tilt-Lock Inc. (www.tiltlock.com) provides equipment that can rotate rolls without damage to the outer wraps.
Roll Storage
The original PPG Industries master roll packaging is designed to permit stacks up to four high. Do not stack rolls of Teslin substrate more than four high under any conditions! Rolls should be stored as shipped from the mill to minimize damage to the material. The exterior of the roll is covered with stretch wrap to reduce dust build-up on the surface. If a partial roll is returned to storage, it should be rewrapped for protection. Storage of rolls in direct contact with uncoated Kraft paper should be avoided. Chemicals in the paper might migrate, leading to discoloration of Teslin substrate. Wax-coated cardboard is recommended for all packaging of Teslin substrate.
Sheet Handling and Storage
The compressible nature of Teslin substrate requires that the product be handled and packaged with proper protection to prevent damage to the sheets. Store all cut sheets flat on a solid surface.
Skid Packaging - Sheets should be stacked on a solid deck skid with a liner, edge or corner protectors on all exposed edges, stretch wrap, and a solid cap of plywood or fiberboard. The stack should be banded to the skid with care. If the banding is too tight, damage will occur. Sheets should not be stacked higher than 40 inches/1 meter. Do not double stack or place other loads on top of cut sheets of Teslin substrate!
Box Packaging - Sheets should be stacked on a solid bottom box or insert. Wax-coated Kraft paper should be used on the inside of the box to prevent discoloration of Teslin sheet. Stack height of boxes should not exceed 40 inches/1 meter. Stretch wrapping is preferred over banding to stabilize cartons on a pallet and to avoid damage to Teslin substrate from the bands cutting into the cartons. Do not double stack or place other loads on top of boxes of Teslin substrate cut sheets!
Shrink Wrapping - Care must be taken when shrink wrapping small lifts of Teslin substrate cut sheets. Excessive heat or an initial wrapper that is too small can lead to severe buckling of the package and damage to the sheets.
