A slitter rewinder from a Chinese manufacturer is often considerably cheaper than a comparable European machine, and many converters now run Chinese lines alongside Western ones. The buyers who have a good experience are usually the ones who fixed the details early: what exactly is being supplied, how the machine is tested before it leaves the factory, and who does what at installation. This guide follows the order in which those decisions come up.
Put the scope in the contract
Everything you discussed by email should be written into the quotation or contract. At minimum, check that it states:
- The manufacturer and the exact model.
- Technical specification: widths, diameters, thickness range, speed, tension range and the materials the machine is configured for.
- Scope of supply: every option, the number of shafts and knife sets, the control system, static eliminators and any automation modules.
- Electrical specification for your site (see below).
- Acceptance criteria: what will be tested before shipment, on which material, and what counts as a pass.
- Payment terms. A deposit with the order and the balance before shipment is common. Link the balance to a passed factory acceptance test.
- Delivery term and date, packing standard and who insures the machine in transit.
- Installation, training and warranty: who provides them, what is included, and what you pay for separately, such as travel and accommodation for engineers.
- Documents: manuals, electrical drawings and spare parts list, and the language they are supplied in.
Electrical supply and compliance
China's industrial supply is 380 V, 50 Hz, and machines are built for it unless you specify otherwise. Many export markets use something else, for example 400 V 50 Hz in much of Europe or 480 V 60 Hz in parts of North America. Give your voltage, frequency and number of phases at the enquiry stage so the machine is built for your supply rather than adapted with a transformer afterwards.
Confirm which safety and conformity requirements apply in your country, such as CE marking for machinery placed on the EU market, and ask the manufacturer to state in the contract which of them the machine will meet and which documents you will receive. If a requirement is not written into the contract, do not assume it is included.
The factory acceptance test
The factory acceptance test (FAT) is your last chance to find problems while the machine is still at the factory, where fixing them is fast and cheap. A useful FAT:
- Runs your material. Send sample rolls of your hardest grade. A machine that runs the manufacturer's test film well has not yet proved it can run yours.
- Checks the contract figures. Speed on your material, slit width accuracy, tension control, finished roll quality and changeover time.
- Checks every quoted option. Knife positioning, unloading, static eliminators and safety guards should be present and working, not "to be fitted before shipment".
- Produces a record. Photos, videos, measured values and the test rolls themselves, sent to you before you release the balance.
Ask whether you can attend in person or follow by live video, and agree the test plan in writing in advance.
Packing, Incoterms and shipping
The Incoterm in your contract decides where the manufacturer's responsibility ends. The most common for machinery:
| Term | The seller delivers | You arrange |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | At the factory | Loading, export clearance, sea freight, insurance, import |
| FOB | Loaded on the ship at the Chinese port | Sea freight, insurance, import clearance, inland delivery |
| CIF | To your destination port, with freight and minimum insurance paid | Import clearance, duties, unloading and inland delivery |
| DAP | To a named place, usually your site | Import clearance, duties and unloading |
Slitter rewinders usually travel in containers; very wide machines may need open-top or flat-rack containers. Ask how the machine will be split for transport, and how it will be protected from moisture and corrosion on a long sea voyage. Check container dimensions against your factory door and crane capacity before shipment, not on arrival.
Ask your customs broker for the correct tariff code and import duty for your country early; it affects your landed cost.
Installation and start-up
Agree in advance what you prepare and what the manufacturer does:
- You usually prepare the foundation or floor, power to the machine, compressed air, lifting equipment and labour to position the machine.
- The manufacturer usually supervises installation, commissions the machine on your material and trains operators and maintenance staff, either on site or remotely.
Plan visa time if engineers travel. Have your own material ready so commissioning ends with real production, and keep the FAT settings as the starting point.
Spare parts and wear parts
Knives, blades, bearings, belts and sensors are the parts you will need first. Order a recommended spare parts kit with the machine so it can travel in the same shipment. Ask for the part numbers and the brands of standard components such as motors, drives, PLCs and bearings, so you can source locally in an emergency.
How SlitForge fits in
SlitForge Industrial is the export brand of Slite (Dalian) Intelligent Industrial Technology Co., Ltd. We do not manufacture machines. When you buy through us:
- Your contract is signed directly with KINYUN, the manufacturer in Hangzhou, so installation support and warranty come from the manufacturer.
- We confirm the model, configuration and scope with KINYUN's engineers and make sure they are in the written quotation.
- We inspect every machine at the factory before it ships, before you pay the balance.
- We are paid a commission by the manufacturer; you pay no separate service fee.
Read more about how we work, or send your project details and YunFei will reply within 1 working day.
Figures quoted for KINYUN machines come from the manufacturer's published specification. Everything else is general guidance; the configuration for your material is confirmed in writing in the formal quotation.
