Compliant anvil

An apparatus comprising:

• a tooling roll;
• and
• an anvil roll operably engaged with the tooling roll at a nip,
• wherein the tooling roll and the anvil roll are rotatable about respective axes of rotation, the axes of rotation and the nip being perpendicular to a machine direction (MD) and parallel with a cross direction (CD),
• wherein the anvil roll comprises:
• an outer circumferential surface comprising a plurality of displaceable engaging portions disposed thereabout, wherein the engaging portions are configured to engage one or more features of the tooling roll;
• a rigid portion;
• and
• a plurality of discrete spring elements, each of said plurality of discrete spring elements being in mechanical in communication with one of said plurality of displaceable engaging portions and with the rigid portion, wherein the plurality of discrete spring elements are configured to provide for elastic radial displacement of the plurality of displacement engaging portions relative the rigid portion, and thereby provide a primary compliance;
• wherein the plurality of spring elements comprise one or more first spring elements and one or more second spring elements, wherein the one or more first spring elements provide a first compliant region and the one or more second spring elements provide a second compliant region;
• and wherein the first compliant region differs in magnitude from the second compliant region by at least 5%.