Method and apparatus for guiding a nonwoven web

A method of guiding a nonwoven web made of continuous plastic fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a nonwoven web having a web thickness less than 2 mm and a grammage less than 30 g/m2;
• conveying the web in a travel direction;
• physically contacting the conveyed nonwoven web with a guide or treatment roller;
• providing a stabilization plate extending in and transversely to the travel direction of the nonwoven web upstream or downstream of the roller in the travel direction, the stabilization plate having a substantially planar face turned toward and spaced wholly from the web to form an empty clearance gap between the web and the plate such that a cushion of air is created between the stabilization plate and the web to keep the web flat, the plate being of a length measured in the travel direction of the nonwoven web that is greater than a radius of the roller;
• and
• guiding the nonwoven web in the travel direction past the stabilization plate such that a spacing between a face of the stabilization plate turned toward the nonwoven web and the nonwoven web face is at most 20 mm.