An apparatus and method for flexing a web (330) is disclosed. The web passes over two co-rotating members, such as rollers or belts (331, 312, 321, 322), which are separated by a small adjustable gap. The web travels around the first rotating member, is peeled off in the vicinity of the gap, bent back on itself in a small radius and reattached on the second co-rotating member. The location of the small radius is fixed with a closed loop control system sensing the radius location and controlling the relative velocity of the two members. Strain in the web is adjusted with the size of the small radius, which is controlled by the adjustable gap and radius location.