1

Dear Customer, Dear Reader,
You will realize in this issue of our twogether magazine that the Finishing Division is
not as well represented as in previous issues. The reason for this is that in Septemberof this year you will receive a special edition, dedicated to our “New Finishing Division”
resulting from the merger of Jagenberg and Voith Paper.
Our order intake continues at a satisfactory level despite the prevailing unfavorable
conditions in the USA, slowing project activities in South America, and the continuingslump in Southeast Asia. China continues to invest aggressively in new productionlines, which is reflected in our present backlog of 5 new paper machines, including
sizeable orders for stock preparation lines, for this country alone.
Since our last issue, we have successfully started up the new SC paper production
line for SCA Graphic Paper in Laakirchen, Austria. Using the words of our customer“This is the best start-up we have ever experienced, and it is probably the best everin the industry”.
Soporcel, Portugal, with its No 2 machine from Voith, has developed into one of thefastest and most efficient production lines in the world for wood-free graphic papers
made from eucalyptus pulp.

Hans Müller

In summary, Voith Paper is now in the forefront of paper machine productivity (quality
tons on the reel) in the newsprint, coated and uncoated wood-free paper segments aswell as with online and offline calendering SC machines. The same productivity performance also applies to virtually all fields of board and packaging grades, in particular to
the new production line in Saica, the fastest liner board machine in the world, which
will exceed the rated output of 350,000 tons/year by the second year of operation.
I’d like to draw your attention also to the article of the recent and very successful
start-up of Kehl’s production line which produces thermo paper. This machine’s
performance, as well as that of many others, reflects on the well-established Voith
partnering concept with its customers.
Our acceptance in Finland continues to grow successfully and has been elevated by
the exeptional performance of the rebuild we did for the Kaukas mill of the UPMKymmene Group as well as the new order we received for the rebuild of the 9.5 m wide
Rauma PM 2.
Voith Fabrics and Voith Paper’s joint product and process development show the firstsuccessful results with our latest start-ups. To further strengthen the Voith Paper andVoith Fabrics process supplier approach (and to recognize regional customer requirements even faster and better), we are presently implementing a new organizational
structure at Voith Fabrics, which will combine the two organizations of Voith Paper
and Voith Fabrics more effectively.
Voith Paper Technology (Voith Paper and Voith Fabrics) is looking forward to continuing to serve you as a valued partner and customer, and we trust that this issue of
our twogether magazine will prove to be as interesting as all the previous ones.

Hans Müller,
on behalf of the Voith Paper Technology team

NS

S

FR

S

W

IO

NE

2

OM

IV
THE D

I

Voith Paper in China
65 Years of Success!
In 1936, over 65 years ago, Voith
supplied the first complete paper machine to
China. This was a machine for the production offolding boxboard for Shanghai Zhong Ban Paper.
It was also the beginning of what has since beena continuous market presence of Voith in China,
which has been increasingly intensified andexpanded over the years.
The author:
Harry J. Hackl,
Paper Machines
Graphic

3

Voith Paper’s current position in the
Chinese marketplace strongly confirms
the decision to attach greater importanceto what, at that time, was an insignificant
market. However, it has since shown anenormous potential for growth.
In the years that followed, increased successes were recorded, especially in thefield of rebuilds and the supply of key
components (headbox, former, calender,
coating machines). There were also a few
orders for complete, small paper machines.
In the early 1990s, Voith began to commit itself with investments for the construction of local manufacturing facilities.
In 1995, a joint venture was formed with
the Liaoyang Paper Machinery Ltd. Co.
for the manufacture of dryers, dryer section framing and machine components.
In 1994, a representative office was set
up in Beijing to ensure better service tothe market and proximity to the customer. This resulted in a greater market
presence for China and project processing was greatly strengthened.
With the increasing growth of the Chinese market, the demand for imported
paper machines was given a substantial
boost. At the same time, demands madeon machine standards, wire widths, production capacities and product qualities,
etc., rose considerably.
Dagang PM 1 and 2: the world’s largest fine paper machine for Gold East Paper.

4

Loyalty to the market and the long-term
commitment bore abundant fruit since
1995.
From 1995 to 1999, Voith received orders
for a total of 19 paper machines for theHigh Tech for Minfeng Special Paper Co. Ltd.: PM 18 (above)

entire range of paper and board grades,

Headquarters (below)

in addition to continuous orders for rebuilds and key components.

Of these 19 machines, 2 are noteworthy,
because of their significance as a tech-

These were:

nology indicator not only for China, but

Ten machines for packaging papers or

also for the entire global marketplace.

board (partially in cooperation withthe joint venture partner, Liaoyang Paper

The 2 machines for Gold East Paper/

Machinery Ltd. Co.)

Dagang, for the production of woodfree

Three Machines for graphic papers

coated papers, were put into operation in

Six Machines for graphic specialty

early 1999. These are the world’s largest

papers.

and most efficient fine paper machineswith a wire width of 10,500 mm, a design

In addition, Voith’s licensee, Andritz AG,

speed of 1,700 m/min and an annual pro-

received orders for 3 complete tissue ma-

duction per machine of over 500,000

chines in this period.

metric tons. Just 2 1/2 months after
start-up, PM 2 set a world record at
1,458 m/min and 1,875 t/24 h.

Signing of contract in the impressive “Great Hall of People”

Gold East Paper, impressive dimensions on the Jangtsekiang

5

SpeedFlow Minfeng PM 18

However, in 1999, a new wave of successbegan with orders for complete production lines. The PM 9, which previously
was delivered to Haindl in Schongau,
Germany was purchased by Shandong
Huatai Paper Group Co. Ltd. in 1999. Thismachine was partially overhauled byVoith and assembled under Voith’s supervision. This machine, with the following characteristic dataSigning of contract with Shandong Huatai Paper Group Co. Ltd.

Product Standard newsprint
Production capacity 180,000 t/year
Wire width 6,900 mm
Design speed 1,300 m/min
was started up very successfully in summer 2001. Since then, it has been producing newsprint paper for the Chinese
market with an excellent quality and an
efficiency of more than 90%.
In quick succession, Voith booked orders
for high-efficiency machines from the following customers:
Rizhao Wood Pulp Co. Ltd./Shandong
1 machine for the production of 150,000
tons/year of liquid packaging board
Wire width 4,100 mm
Design speed 600 m/min
Start-up March 2002
Minfeng Special Paper Co. Ltd.
Jiaxing/Zhejiang
1 production line for the manufacture of
top quality cigarette paper
Wire width 3,800 mm
Design speed 500 m/min
Start-up March 2001

6

The staff of the Beijing Representative Office with the Voith Paper Board of Management

Shandong Chenming Paper Holdings

Shandong Bohui Ind.

most sophisticated level of technology

Shouguang/Shandong

Bohui/Shandong

and product quality.

1 finishing line for WFC grades with a

1 production line for the manufacture ofbasis weight of 70 - 210 g/m 2

300,000 tons/year of coated white board

In most cases, these are orders for com-consisting of:Wire width 6,230 mm

plete production lines from the fiber to1 offline coater

Design speed 600 m/min

the end product. Therefore, all productWeb width 4,635 mm

Start-up End 2003

divisions of Voith, i. e. Fiber Systems,
Stock Preparation, Approach Flow, Paper

Design speed 1,500 m/min
2 offline 10 W-Janus MK 2 calenders

Jinfeng Spike Paper Co. Ltd.

Machine, Coating, Calendering, Finishing,

Design speed 1,100 m/min

Chengdu/Sichuan

Slitting and Winding, Roll Wrapping,Start-up December 2002

1 production line for the manufacture ofAutomation, and Voith Fabrics, havehighly porous cigarette filter wrapper inequally contributed to these successes.

Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing

inclined-wire quality

Co. Ltd., Donguang

Wire width 2,120 mm

As of March 2002, the total production

1 production line for 300,000 tons/year

Design speed 260 m/min

capacity of all Voith paper machines, in-of linerboard

Start-up End 2003

cluding those on order, in China is morethan 3.0 million tons/year.

Wire width 6,000 mm
Design speed 1,250 m/min

Mundanjiang Hengfeng Paper Group

Start-up December 2002

Mundanjiang/Heilongjiang

So much for the unique wave of success1 production line for the manufacture ofin this, the world’s most significant andIn this period, Andritz AG received orders

10,000 tons/year of cigarette paper

active growth market today and in thefor 3 additional tissue machines.

Wire width 3,800 mm

years to come.

Design speed 600 m/min
Start-up End 2003

The consumption of paper in China is
expected to grow within only 8 years

Yet, this was not all ...
Within just 3 months, i. e. from Decem-

Minfeng Speciality Paper Co. Ltd.

from the current approximate 34 million

ber 2001 to February 2002, orders fol-

Jiaxing/Zhejiang

tons/year to over 60 million tons/year. A

lowed for 5 new, complete production

1 production line for the manufacture oflarge part of this growth rate is expectedlines from the following customers:

45,000 tons/year of inkjet paper

to be generated in new own production

Wire width 4,000 mm

systems. This is an extremely ambitious

Shandong Huatai Paper Group. Co. Ltd.

Design speed 700 m/min

program where Voith will again make a

Dongying/Shandong

Start-up End 2003

significant contribution.

1 production line for the manufacture of
To meet the increase in paper demand,

280,000 tons/year of standard newsprint
Wire width 7,100 mm

The important factor is that these new

the Chinese government has set up a pro-

Design speed 1,800 m/min

machines are designed according to thegram for the financial support of invest-

Start-up October 2003

latest state-of-the-art and feature thements for new machines. A total budget

7of EUR 2 billion has been approved for ancomplete dryer sections for paper ma-

will be able to produce ceramic coat-extremely attractive, low-interest loan.

chines in conformity with international

ings at this new facility. The service

quality standards.

center in Kunshan will be able to manufacture rolls and roll covers to theThis leads us to expect that Voith willcontinue to be able to report on further

 In Kunshan, a suburb of Shanghai,

highest quality standards. This Voith

important orders from China in the fu-

Voith built a greenfield mill in 1996,

facility will start operations at the be-

ture.

which produces the entire line of cloth-

ginning of 2003.

ing for paper machines. Clothing, up to
Governmental regulations require thata paper machine width of 12 m, can be Also in 2003, another service center

Voith create the prerequisites for a steady

manufactured there according to thefor general service tasks and mechani-

increase in the local share of manufac-

latest criteria and production methods.

cal roll service will be opened in Shan-ture and in Chinese value creation. Voith

Today, Kunshan is one of the majordong province.

geared itself to such a development at anproduction locations for Voith Fabrics,

early stage and is about to massively in-

and manufactures wires and felts for This year, along with the aforemen-crease its commitment by considerable

worldwide use. The capacities of thistioned activities, Voith Paper will begin

further investments.

factory will be further expanded withinwith setting up an sales, engineering

the next few years.

and technology center in Shanghai.

 Voith’s representative office has been
continuously expanded over the years.

 In addition to the already establishedWith these additions to the range of ser-

Voith Paper, in Beijing, currently em-

facility for Voith Fabrics, Voith will

vices, Voith Paper will be in a position toploys about 20 people who advise oursoon begin the construction of a ser-cover even better the entire service andChinese customers and continuously

vice center for roll covers in Kunshan.

support of paper mills in China.

support them. The joint venture with

Besides rubber and polyurethane, Voith

Liaoyang Paper Machinery Ltd. Co.,

Customer proximity, fast availability and,

which goes under the name of VPLY, istherefore, service concepts for the whole

equipped with extensive, highly mod-production line are the basis of Voith’s

ern machinery and now manufactures

Voith Paper Liaoyang

BeijingVoith Paper Representative Office
Voith Paper Service Shandong

success in Asia.
The experience gained over a period of
more than 65 years, the knowledge of theneeds of our customers, continuity, know-

Voith Paper Service Kunshan
Voith Fabrics Kunshan

C hinaShanghaiVoith Paper Technology
Shanghai

how and efficiency are the reasons for
Voith Paper’s success in China. We aresure that, with our strategic alignment,
we will continue to be able to report on
Voith Paper’s successes in China andAsia in the future.

8Kehl PM 2, SM 2 –a dual start-up par excellence
In October 2001 the new offline coating machine
SM 2 went into service at August Koehler AG, Oberkirch,
Germany. This was followed two months later by the start-upof the new paper machine No. 2 in December 2001. These two
on-time start-ups in rapid succession went exactly according
to plan and to the customer’s complete satisfaction.

The author:
Manfred Rieth,
Paper Machines
Graphic

9Fig. 1: Kehl PM 2.
Fig. 2: DuoFormer.
Fig. 3: Layout of Kehl PM 2.

1

2

The new coating and paper machinesderway when the company management

siderably earlier than planned. Further-more than double production capacity at

decided to go ahead with another big

more, machine availability and operating

August Koehler AG for non-impact andinvestment – for thermo papers, the sec-

speed exceeded expectations right away.

thermopapers. August Koehler is a lead-

ond main product of this leader in special

ing producer of these special grades,graphic grades.
One-platform concept

now in ever-increasing demand due toongoing developments in thermoprinting

Based on our excellent working relations

and copying technology for business

and well-proven technology, Voith Paper

In addition to the innovative technicalapplications.

also received the orders for PM 2 andconcept as a whole, two key reasons forSM 2. Only 16 months after contract

this success were cited by the customer

With such outstanding know-how, August

signing, the correctness of that decision

as well:

Koehler AG will clearly exploit this market

has now been confirmed: the new PM 2

opportunity to the full. Installation of theand the SM 2 coating machine are

1. Voith Paper not only took over the pro-new PM 6 for decor papers was still un-

already producing first class paper con-

ject planning and engineering, but also3

10

Fig. 4: Kehl PM 2 dry end.
Fig. 5: Kehl SM 2.
Fig. 6: Layout of Kehl SM 2.

5

4

manufactured and supplied all main

Technical data and scope of supply

Main components of PM 2
 MasterJet G headbox with Duoformer

components – from stock preparation
to paper roll transport. With today’s

Stock preparation

increasingly complex production and Voith Paper supplied all main line

handling, this maximal integration ofequipment such as pulper feed andoutstanding runnability, high dry

all interactive process technologies un-

pulping system, refining, rejects

content and maximum availability

der the same responsibility is proving

handling and approach flow section.

more and more successful.

TQv for optimal uniformity
 DuoCentri-NipcoFlex press for TopDuoRun dryer section for fastdrying and optimal availability EcoSoft calender for precalendering

2. From concept planning to machine op-

Paper machine PM 2

and good CD thickness profile

erator training, the well-versed project Wire width 4,750 mm,

 Speed Coater for good contour

teams ensured smooth ongoing part-

width on reel 4,200 mm

coverage or insulation coatingnership between customer and suppli-

 Design speed 1,500 m/min

er at all times – another key ingredient Annual production output

for success.

120,000 t.p.a.
 Products:
thermopapers in grammages
from 40 to 80 g/m 2

 Afterdryer section and reel.
Offline coating machine SM 2
 Max. design speed 1,500 m/min This is the first application of a curtain
coater for thermopaper production,

11a result of the close cooperation be-roll conveyor system, and Twister

the best address for optimally cus-

tween Voith Paper and Voith IHI Tokyo,

packaging machine.

tomized solutions. Thanks to a strategy

market leader in curtain coatingof intensive partnership, comprehensive

technology. Kehl SM 2 is the mostknow-how and overall mastery of alladvanced curtain coating installation

Customer satisfaction –process technologies, maximum returnworldwide, with the widest web width

the ultimate benchmark

on investment is practically a foregone
conclusion. Against today’s backgroundand the highest operating speed.
Specialty-grade paper lines are certainlyof tougher global competition in the Additional components of the SM 2

no run-of-the-mill products. As proven by

paper industry, this partnership is clearlycoating machine include a re-reeler

the outstanding customer satisfaction

the right way to go for sustainable market

and a winder (Voith Paper Jagenberg),

with Kehl PM2 and SM 2, Voith Paper isleadership.

6

12

1

Advanced Wet End Process –Proven performance on Kehl PM 2
For ensuring optimal product quality
whilst also accommodating today’s increasing
demands for cost economy, an optimized approachflow is essential for modern paper machines.
The Advanced Wet End Process concept continues
Voith Paper’s high standards in paper machinetechnology.

The author:
Axel Gommel,
Fiber Systems

This new wet end process concept (Fig. 1)
was presented in twogether 10 in mid
2000. The first full concept was put into
operation on PM 2 at August Koehler AG,
Kehl, Germany. The machine produces
thermo paper. Previously, a number ofindividual Advanced Wet End Processcomponents had been installed on PM 6
which produces laminating base papers.
The object of the Advanced Wet End
Process is to ensure optimal conditions
on entry into the ModuleJet headbox. Op-

timal conditions are defined as best possible hydraulic stability, completely homogeneous mixing of all components inthe whitewater and full compliance withspecified cleanliness requirements. Stabilization times following grade changes
need to be significantly shortened andthe approach flow control system characteristics improved. These objectives werereached with the Advanced Wet End
Process engineering concept on PM 2 in
Kehl by using new components (Fig. 1)
and by reducing process volumes by 50%(Fig. 2).

Engineering
Approach flow engineering has to meet
special demands. Smooth operating control loops, together with optimal pipe dimensioning and layout, are the basis forstability in the approach flow. Here, Voith
can draw on many decades of experience.
Apart from the VoithVac, the Advanced
Wet End Process engineering concept

Fiber Systems

13

Fig. 1: Components of the Advanced Wet End
Process.
Fig. 2: Design guideline for high speed paper
machines.
Fig. 3: Fluctuations between the fan pump andMSA screens.
Fig. 4: Fluctuations between the MSA screens andheadbox.

1

ComMix,medium consistency mixer

also incorporates the ComMix, HydroMix
and CyclonAir components. These are
specifically dimensioned and locally integrated to meet individual system requirements.
Hydraulic stability
The PM 2 approach flow is a two-pumpsystem, the two loops being separated byfull-flow deaeration in the VoithVac. The
dilution water for the ModuleJet headbox
is deaerated in a second VoithVac. The
VoithVac is a cylindrical vacuum tank into
which the fiber suspension or the whitewater is sprayed and finely distributed.
The fibre suspension or whitewater isthen brought to boiling point by increasing the vacuum, thus removing all free air

3

V HC screen [mbar]

VoithVac,
full-flow deaeration

HydroMix,
replaces whitewater tower

and most of the dissolved air. VoithVac’s
special design and overflow arrangement
avoid hydraulic instabilities. Downstream
flow pulses after the fan pump are therefore very low (Fig. 3). Visual inspection
through the observation ports in Kehl
shows a very stable flow towards theVoithVac outlet. The MSA screens in themain and dilution water flows after deaeration reduce these very low pulses evenfurther. Dampening is achieved overpractically the entire frequency spectrum(Fig. 4).

CyclonAir,
pre-deaeration Whitewater I

Advanced WEP 2
Objective
Hydraulic stability
Periodic pulsations
Fan pump 2
a eff<2.0 mbar a eff<1.6 mbar
Screening 1 st stagea eff<1.0 mbar a eff<0.5 mbar
Stochastic
pulsations
<0.3%
0.17%
Volume reduction,
loop
>50%
Variation coefficient,stock consistency <1.0%Free air content
<0.1%

50%
0.8%
<0.1%

MixingMixing of stock components in the medium consistency range is undertaken in[Hz]

HC VR in [mbar]

[Hz]

4

14

Basis weight [g/m 2]

60

50

40
300

325

5

the ComMix. This unit combines the advantages of rapid hydraulic mixing andequalization in a specially designed chest,smoothing out time-based fluctuations
that can often occur as a result of control
system intervention or disturbances.
The homogeneous medium consistency
stock is mixed with Whitewater I in the
HydroMix. In the Advanced Wet End
Process this replaces the conventional
whitewater tower and, together with the
ComMix, it helps to reduce process volumes. First, the various return flows are
mixed into the whitewater in the HydroMix, and then the medium consistency
stock is piped in concentrically from the
ComMix. Hydraulic conditions in the
HydroMix are adjusted to ensure homogeneous mixing for all production conditions.
For stable operation of the HydroMix,
adequate prior deaeration is essential. In

350

375
400
Sample length [m]

425

450

Kehl this is ensured by the combinedfunction of the CyclonAir and whitewater
trays. In the CyclonAir, whitewater coming from the forming unit is split into alarge number of partial flows to enable
rapid venting out of free air.

Fig. 5: MD basis weight variations on Kehl PM 2
compared with a conventional approach flow
(Boyle Profiler).
Variation: conventional +/- 1.5 g/m 2 (orange graph)
Advanced Wet End Process: +/- 1.0 g/m 2 (blue graph)

On PM 2 in Kehl, a 3-stage screening
system with 0.3 mm slots is installed.
The overflows from the MSA first stage
screens are treated together in the second and third screening stages, using
MultiSorters.
Proof of performance capability

Cleanliness
The stock mixed in the HydroMix iscleaned in the EcoMizer cleaner. The
EcoMizer incorporates a special backflushing device enabling only 4-stages ofcleaning, which significantly reduces investment costs. The EcoMizer is also particularly economic thanks to the low fibre
content in its rejects. As proven on PM 2
in Kehl, the EcoMizer not only removes
contaminants, but also significantly improves hydraulic stability and ultrafine
mixing. The EcoMizer has already demonstrated its capability in numerous otherinstallations.

With today’s measuring technology one
can now simultaneously assess a complete approach flow for hydraulic stability
and constancy of paper quality. Standardized in-line paper analyses and stock
consistency measurements, backed up by
a comprehensive database from morethan 100 plants, provide well-substantiated assessments. A comparison of theresults attained in Kehl with other wellrunning paper machines of similar configuration, such as a modern SC machinewith conventional approach flow (Fig. 5),
clearly shows that the Advanced Wet End
Process has set new standards.

Fiber Systems

15

Systematic expansion of a recovered paper
stock preparation line for tissue and market
DIP production

WEPA first embarked on tissue production from recovered paper stock, a relatively new technology at that time, in
1983, when PM 6 was installed. Recovered paper usage rates of 50 - 60 % often
meant serious runnability problems inthose days, when continual shutdowns
for cleaning of the machine clothing werequite normal. Over the next few years thestock preparation line was optimized,
additional stock preparation machines
installed, and know-how in dealing with

PM 7 in Giershagen was installed in 1989
together with a complete recovered paper
stock preparation line and associated biological effluent treatment system (Fig. 1:
status until 1997). This line produced
120 t/24 h of finished stock with a raw

Storage

Reductive bleaching

Disperger I

Washing

HC thickening

PM Loop
Lightweight cleaning

LC screening // 0.15

Heavyweight cleaning

Flotation I

MC screening // 0.2

MC screening ø 1.2

High density cleaning

HC pulping

Loop I

PM 4/7

1

recovered paper built up. As a result, tissue could be produced from 100% recovered paper without continually shutting
down the tissue machine for cleaning
purposes.

Approach flow

Fresh
water

DAF 2
DAF 1
Rejects
treatment

LandfillPM
showerwater

Sludgetreatment

Incineration

Biological treatment

55.8

44

42
40 %

35.6
32.2
28.4

20 % 18.3

0

30.2

97
1st. 6 mths. 2000

The author:
Helmut Berger,
Wepa Papierfabrik
P. Krengel GmbH& Co. KG, Germany

56.4

94

WEPA Papierfabrik Paul Krengel GmbH& Co. KG, Germany was founded in 1948 by Paul
Krengel Sr., originally as a wholesale trading
company. Today, WEPA produces 165,000 tons/
year of hygiene papers at the Müschede andGiershagen mills and at Kriepa GmbH, a WEPA
subsidiary located in Kriebstein, Saxony. Products
range from multi-ply toilet paper, kitchen rolls,
paper handkerchiefs and cosmetic tissues, tosingle-ply products such as paper towels andcreped toilet paper. The family-owned company ismanaged today by Paul Krengel’s four sons.

Handkerchiefs

2
Kitchenrolls

Toiletpapermaterial input of about 190 t/24 h. The
stock preparation included a high consistency pulper, hole screening, flotation,
heavyweightcontaminantcleaning,
screening, lightweight cleaning, andwashing. At the end of the line the stock
was disperged and bleached with a reductive bleaching agent.
The market share of own brand productsof the large chain stores (i.e not including those of the paper manufacturers
themselves) rose between 1994 and1997 from 30.2 % to 44 % for toilet paper(Fig. 2). At the same time the percentage
of chemical pulp used for tissue grades
rose, and recovered paper became lessimportant as a raw material. In the firstsix months of 2000, the market share ofkitchen rolls and paper handkerchiefs
made from recovered paper was only
9.4 % and 3.3 % respectively. As early as
1995, WEPA took account of this trend
by considering using the Giershagenstock preparation line to additionally produce market DIP. The main consideration
was to optimally utilize free capacities,

16

Plant warranty data

Fig. 1: Giershagen stock preparation line up to
1997: 120 t/24 h.

 Dirt specks < 30 mm 2/m 2(inlet flotation I: max. 1260 mm 2 /m 2)
 Stickies < 200 mm 2/kg
(inlet MC hole screening 11,400 mm 2 /kg)
 Brightness > 80 % ISO (inlet 60 % ISO)
 Flotation I 0.8 % soap
 Flotation II 0.5 % soap
 Oxid. bleaching < 1.75% peroxide: 0.9% hydrosulfite (dithionite); 2.25% sodium silicate
 Red. bleaching < 0.9% hydrosulfite (dithionite)

Fig. 2: Tissue market changes:
own brand development among WEPA customers(chain stores).
Fig. 3: Giershagen warranty data
(expansion phase I).
Fig. 4: Giershagen stock preparation line after therebuild in 1998: 120 t/24 h.
4

Wet Lap

DAF 2

Approach flow

Reductive bleaching

Disperger II

HC thickening

PM Loop

PM 4/7

Storage

Large-scale tests were then carried out
with various equipment suppliers to clarify the following key design aspects:

WEPA and Voith Paper attached great importance to the water loop layout andtechnology. As a result, the stock preparation line today has three water loops
with systematic use of the countercurrent
principle and with appropriate cleaning
capacity.

Disc filter

PM
shower
water

Fresh
water

DAF 3
DAF 1

Rejects
treatment

Sludgetreatment
DAF 4

Landfill

Incineration

use the existing line as basis for an
extension and also make better use of
acquired know-how in processing recovered paper.

Phase 1 expansion
The components for the Giershagen stock
preparation line expansion were selectedwith various objectives in mind:
Apart from using fewer and less expensive grades of recovered papers, therunnability of the tissue machines PM 4
and PM 7 had to be improved, with thenew plant needing to meet the following
stock quality criteria:
Dirt specks < 30 mm 2/m 2
Stickies < 200 mm 2/kg
Brightness increase > 20% ISO

The warranty data for this stock preparation line were established as shown in
Fig. 3. It is important to mention here thatWEPA had dispensed with the use of
flotation chemicals since 1987.
The main aim of the first expansion
phase in 1998 (Fig. 4) was a higher quality stock preparation. In the second
phase, production capacity needed to be
increased. For this reason, the new system components in the first phase werealready designed for a finished stock production of 220 t/24 h oven-dry, except
for the wet-lap system with a capacity of
160 t/24 h oven-dry.

Flotation II

Oxidative bleaching

Disperger I

HC thickening

Washing

Loop II
LC screening // 0.15

H’weight cleaning extens.

Flotation I

MC screening // 0.2

MC screening ø 1.2

High density cleaning

HC pulping

Loop I

3

Biologicaltreatment

New/extension

 Location of the bleaching stages,
oxidative and reductive
 Disc or kneading disperger
 Flotation
 Control system concept
 Engineering System competence.
After numerous trials and discussions,the following line components were finally selected:
 Disc disperger
 EcoCell pre- and post-flotation
 EcoCell secondary flotation
 Wet-lap system with bale coding(number, date, brightness, dirt specks)
on steel tape

After a short rebuild time, the new phase 1
system components were commissioned
in December 1998. Since then, WEPA has
also been producing market DIP withwidely ranging requirements for various
customers. The main product criteria in
the fine paper industry are dirt speck
content, stickies and brightness, whilefor packaging papers the emphasis is on
freeness and DIPN content (di-iso-propylnaphthalene). All these requirements are
met by switching the line over to the corresponding operating mode.
Phase 2 expansion
The first expansion phase was so successful that the decision was made justFiber Systems

17

Why iConBleach™?
Before Chemicals overdosage toensure required brightness
is always met
 Specific customer
demands either exceeded
or not met= delivery problems= truck idle-time costs

After Less bleaching agent(lower costs,
reduced COD) Less downgrading due tobrightness variations
 Easier for personnel(ensures faster responseby personnel)

Figs 6 to 8 show the development in dirt
speck content, stickies and brightness forvarious DIP grades after the second expansion phase in 2000.
Fork lift trucks take the DIP bales produced in the wet-lap system from theconveyor belt and load them onto lorries.

Today, WEPA produces market DIP for its
highly demanding customers precisely inaccordance with their specific productrequirements.

Fig. 7: Stickies.

6

Dirt specks [mm2/m2]

2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Dump
chest
1958
1442
2283
1830
1070

13.11.00
6.2.0123.4.01
8.1.0215.1.02

Inlet
flotation I
1889
1395
2379
1435
1124

OutletInletflotation I wire press
1842
626
1141
805
1935
1154
1204
934
1030
436

Outletdisp. I
81
207
187
261
42

Inlet
OutletOutletflotation II flotation II disp. II
101
29
19
224
58
30
235
27
26
283
113
93
51
19
18
7

Stickies [mm 2/kg]

25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0

13.11.00
6.2.0123.4.01
8.1.0215.1.02

Dump
chest
5764
21147
7369
5889
563

Inlet
flotation I
2973
2487
3193
469

OutletInletflotation I wire press
3648
2112
7230
1776
1033
3679
508
123

Outletdisp. I
371
711
541
440
68

Inlet
OutletOutletflotation II flotation II disp. II
426
68
25
140
761
203
98
501
310
203
32
25
17
8

100
Brightness [% ISO]

Important for a successful start-up andfor achieving the desired high end product quality has been a systematic quality
analysis of the incoming recovered paperdeliveries, regular inspection and maintenance of the plant and instrumentation,and last but not least, employee motivation. Problems arose with the biologicaleffluent treatment plant due to an increase in water temperature and CODlevel. These problems were solved by installing a cooling tower and additional
precipitation.

Current data of the Giershagenstock preparation line
(after extension in 2000):
Fig. 6: Dirt specks.

Fig. 8: Brightness in % ISO.

5

two years later in 2000 to increase production capacity to 220 t/24 h oven-dry
finished stock. Those system components not included in the phase 1 capacity expansion now had to be expanded
such as flotation I, cleaning, washing,etc. A new high-consistency pulper withbale dewiring unit was also installed, andthe wet-lap system capacity was increased to 200 t/24 h. To save bleachingcosts and reduce brightness variations in
the final DIP stock, the new Voith iConBleach™ intelligent bleaching control system was installed (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5: Why iConBleach™?

90
80
70
60
50

13.11.00
6.2.0123.4.01
8.1.0215.1.02

Dump
chest
66.4
59.4
62.2
57.9
75.9

Inlet
flotation I
66.4
58.9
61.2
54.9
74.6

OutletInletflotation I wire press
68.7
70.7
60.6
62.6
64.1
66.1
56.9
58.0
76.2
79.8

Outletdisp. I
81.9
73.7
73.0
63.8
87.2

Inlet
OutletOutletflotation II flotation II disp. II
81.5
83.3
88.2
74.4
76.0
85.9
74.3
75.8
82.1
64.8
66.2
73.8
88.8
89.6
95.6

18

Inlands Kartongbruk
upgrades with a new stock preparation line

The author:
Frank Meltzer,
Fiber Systems

Inlands Kartongbruk in Lilla Edet, about
one hour’s drive north of Göteborg on the Göta canalin Sweden, looks back on a long tradition. Foundedin 1884, this mill has belonged since 1995 to the
Knauf Group, one of Europe’s leading producers ofplasterboard. In Lilla Edet, some 100 employees
produce about 45,000 tonnes per year of board forplasterboard. The only raw material sources for thisproduct are post-consumer corrugated board andprinter’s rejects.
In 2000 the green light was given for
replacing the existing stock preparationline, originally supplied by Voith in 1974,
with a new line for a capacity of 240 t/
24 h. There were various reasons for thisdecision. On the one hand, the existing
installation was showing signs of ageing.
The preparation of the recovered paper
grades used put a considerable load on
all process components due to the contaminants found in the raw material. On theother hand, the recovered paper quality
was steadily deteriorating. For these reasons, the 25 year old original concept
had reached its limits. New and more

efficient process stages were necessary
to meet end product demands, as well as
requirements in other areas, such as
rejects handling. These were importantcriteria for the new stock preparation line
concept. However, the project team wasalso faced with other challenges. The newline had to be installed parallel with theexisting plant with a minimum of production shutdown time. This meant all the
new components had to be installed in
the existing building.
Special attention was paid at the design
stage to the pulping process – a key section in every system for recycled fibre
preparation. Here, the raw material has tobe slushed down into a pumpable suspension, the majority of contaminants
removed, and the flake content appropriately set for the following process stages.
In other words, the pulping process caninfluence the entire system concept. The
original production line incorporated acontinuous low consistency pulper, but inview of the ongoing deterioration in raw

1

Fiber Systems

19

2material fibre quality, amongst other factors, the project team preferred high consistency pulping. This has more advantages due to the gentler fibre treatment.
Based on Voith’s ability to install the newpulper in the very restricted space available, coupled with extensive experiencein high consistency pulping, as well as aconvincing tour of reference plants, Voith
Paper was selected as the partner for thisproject.

3

able incineration of the lightweight contaminants fraction. Rejects from the Fiberizer and drum screen are separated by ametal detector into a metal-free lightweight fraction, and a smaller heavyweight fraction containing metal. After
dewatering, the lightweight fraction can,in future, be reduced by shredding to
the required particle size ready for incineration.
The downstream system concept is designed with a view to maintaining stock
consistency as high as possible so thatthe paper machine can be supplied withcleaned fibre stock, without an additional
dewatering stage.

The new pulping system comprises ahigh consistency pulper (Fig. 1), a discharge Fiberizer (Fig. 2) and a drum
screen re-used from the existing line.
Special importance was also attached to
the rejects system, supplied by Meri Entsorgungstechnik, a joint venture between
Meri Anlagentechnik and Voith Paper.
The rejects are specially processed to en-

The new stock preparation was largely
influenced by the high consistency pulping process. Thanks to this, conventional

screens with screen baskets are used in
the coarse screening section since thelow residual flake content requires nomachines with additional deflaking potential. For coarse screening, Voith Finckh
Cyclo Screens were selected (Fig. 3). The
3-stage system has a Voith Finckh Hico
Screen as tail screen. The screen basket
hole diameter is 1.6 mm in the first twostages and 1.4 mm in the third stage. The
Cyclo Screen combines both heavies
separation and screening in a single
machine. A 3-stage slotted fine screening
system directly follows coarse screening(Fig. 4). This operates in the medium
consistency range with a slot width of
0.25 mm, using Voith Finckh Hico
Screens. Here again, reference installations for very similar applications were
decisive for selecting the hole and slot
screening systems.
Fig. 1: High consistency pulper.

4

Fig. 2: Discharge Fiberizer.
Fig. 3: Cyclo Screens (hole screening).
Fig. 4: Hico Screens (slot screening).
Fig. 5: Kalevi Mononen, Project Manager, Inlands
Kartongbruk, Lilla Edet/Sweden (right), talking
with Lars Eriksson, Voith Paper AB, Djursholm,
Sweden.
5

20

Kaukas PM 2 –continuation of Voith Paper’s success story
in the north of Europe

The author:
Ulrich Schad,Paper Machines
Graphic

UPM Kymmene Corporation, Helsinki,
is currently the third largest paper producer in theworld. It operates production facilities in 15 countries, including Germany, Great Britain, France,
the USA, Canada and China. In January 2001,
Voith Paper concluded the rebuild of Production
Line 1, consisting of the paper machine and coating machine, at the Lappeenranta Mill, approx.
150 kilometres to the east of Helsinki. The modernisation of the line, designed for LWC and MWC
papers, was so successful that UPM Kymmene
shortly afterwards placed an order for the rebuildof PM 2 – continuing Voith Paper’s success story
in the north of Europe.

Kaukas PM 2 produces LWC base papers
in a basis weight range of 27 to 45 g/m 2.
The capacity of the machine is around
750 tonnes per day.
Prior to the rebuild, the bottom dryers inthe single-tier first and second dryer
groups were designed as ropeless vacuum rolls. The two-tier third and fourth
dryer groups were designed with a ropesystem. At the beginning of the third dryer group the tail was blown into the rope
nip and often not gripped properly, which
again and again considerably extended
the threading time.

21

Kaukas PM 2,
UPM Kymmene
and Voith
Project Team.

Due to the impressive results that therebuild of PM 1 produces, the mill management decided only a few weeks laterto award an order to Voith Paper also forthe modernisation of the dryer section in
PM 2. The order was received in September 2001.
Implementation and start-up followed in
March 2002. The installation itself took
only six and a half days. The complete
dryer section is now re-equipped forropeless tail threading and the goal of themodernisation has been reached: Shortening of threading times
 Prevention of loss of production due torope breaks
 Higher safety by eliminating the ropesystem.
Since the rebuild, the threading timethroughout the dryer sections has been,
on average, less than 40 seconds – renewed confirmation of the advantages of
the ropeless threading systems that Voith
has favoured in installations since 1993.
Since then, it has proven successful for
all graphic paper grades and even brown

papers in the speed range of 350 to
1,650 m/min and in basis weight ranges
from 36 to 225 g/m 2.
The advantages of the Dry Star rebuild at
a glance: Safe and reliable pick-up of the tail bythreading doctor.
 The doctors are in contact only during
the threading operation, which ensuresa long service life of the doctor blade.
 Two to three tail threading blow pipeson the doctor backs lead the paper web
securely into the dryer nip.

22

Procor –Top quality at highest productivity
In May 2000, Voith Paper was selected

The author:
Oswaldo San Martin,
Voith Paper São Paulo

The

ProcorProject,

implemented

inby Papeles Cordillera S.A., a CMPC Group com-Puente Alto, Chile – that involved a US$

pany, to supply a complete production line for Test-

97 million investment, one of the major

liner and Double-layer Corrugated Medium produc-

CMPC projects and the most completetion, with basis weights between 90 and 300 g/m 2,

project sold by the Voith Paper to date inusing only recycled paper and pulp. The machineSouth America – was completed on Octo-

started up without problems six weeks earlier thanber 31st, six weeks ahead of the contract

agreed in the contract.

date, which can be considered a world
record (less than 16 months from contract signature to paper on the reel).
Almost all units of Voith Paper, including
Voith Fabrics, took part in the supply ofPaper Machines

23

Fig. 1: Papeles Cordillera S.A., Puente Alto, Chile.
Fig. 2: Chile’s president, Ricardo Lagos Escobar,
at the inauguration ceremony.
Fig. 3: Arturo Mackenna, CEO CMPC Group;
Kurt Brandauer, Executive Vice president Voith
Paper São Paulo; Eliodoro Matte, Chairman ofBoard CMPC Group; Osvaldo San Martin,
Voith Paper São Paulo; Enzo Giordana Brunel,
Voith Paper Chile (from left to right).
3

equipment and services, from ProjectIn parallel, the recovery rate of theseManagement to wires and felts.

papers has been increasing significantlyin the country and shall exceed 70% of

The official inauguration of the new millthe current demand, placing the Chilean

on January 9th, 2002, was attended byrecovery index among the most impres-the President of Chile, Mr. Ricardo Lagos

sive recycling indexes worldwide.

Escobar, several government officers aswell as the CMPC Board of Management

The recycled raw material, that will feedand executives.

the new CMPC line, represents a significant contribution to the Chilean environ-1

2

The project will increase both the Chilean

ment. In order to meet the recycled paper

production and job opportunities, as welldemand of the Chilean market, invest-

as enhancing the delivery service toments were undertaken in OCC and wasteclients and increase indirect jobs in sec-

Paper collection plants in Chile. It is esti-

tors such as recovered paper handling. In

mated that activities related to paper

addition, the new mill production will

recovery employ directly and indirectly

replace two-thirds of Chile’s imports cor-more than 15,000 Chileans, consideredrugating medium, that is, 195,000 tons

as one of the most labor-intensive indus-

per year.

tries in the country.

In Chile, the consumption of papers to be

Presently, Papeles Cordillera sells 160,000

corrugated – a product that will be manu-

ton/year of corrugating medium, writing

factured in the new unit – has increased& printing and wrapping papers. How-in the last few years at an average rate of

ever, the company plans on a future pro-

6.6% per year. In 2001 consumption byduction of 220,000 ton/year, which will

the boxboard industry was 320,000 tons

allow CMPC to assume the local leader-of paper, with a value of US$ 133 million.

ship for these segments.

24

Pedro Huerta Barros
General Manager
CMPC – Papeles Cordillera S.A.
This project has started a new phase in

The line’s start-up was six weeks ahead

our concepts of installing new paperof schedule, the learning process is be-mills. It was the first contract that we

ing accelerated, the process stability im-

signed for the purchase of an integrated

proves day by day, the final productproject.

quality is above any expectation and the
production

goals

have

been

fully

Voith Paper Brazil was selected as pro-achieved; in some cases, they were ex-ject supplier, responsible for the engi-

ceeded by far.

In terms of technology, the new mill isable to clean and fractionate fibers, by

neering, manufacture, purchasing, instal-

separating long from short fibers, in or-

lation, training, start-up, after start-up

The CMPC Group is convinced that the

optimization and, above all, project man-solution presented by Voith Paper as anagement expertise.

integrated project supplier is an excellent
alternative as far as Investment Manage-

This decision proved to be right. Synergy

ment is concerned, and believes that,and interaction between the CMPC andafter

Voith Paper work teams, since the pre-Voith Paper Brazil is perfectly qualified

sales phase, were decisive for the choice

and is a strong player in this market seg-of Voith Paper Brazil and have surely

ment.

the

ProcorProject

experience,

der to treat them differently, without any
damage, thus obtaining a higher strength
level at lower basis weight. Due to theproject modernization level, all contaminants from treatment plants are removed
in a solid and compact way. In addition,
the noise level and water consumption
are reduced, and the plant is ISO 14000
certified.

contributed to the achievement of the
project goals established by the CMPCGroup.
4

25

5

Fig. 4: Stock preparation.
Fig. 5 and 6: The PM.

6

The new line represents part of the mod-ensures a perfect basis weight crosssides. Designed to be converted to a fullernization process of the Puente Alto

profile.

SpeedSizer.

dustry, where, back in 1920, a paper millPress Section

Hard-nip Calender

was installed, capable to produce, on two

Tandem NipcoFlex press, the first of its

Two-roll calender, with the heated roll inmachines, 2,200 ton/year of cardboard

kind installed in Latin America. The twobottom position and the EcoNip roll on

and wrapping papers.

separate presses are designed for maxi-

top, providing an excellent surface quali-

mum 1,200 kN/m linear pressure. Twoty of the paper.

mill, the cradle of the Chilean paper in-

pick-up rolls, one of which positioned
between the fourdrinier and the press

Reel

section, and the other roll located be-

With reel spool storage and automatic

tween first and second presses.

transport for reel spool change.

Pulp/lines, cleaning, coarse and fineDryer Section

Slitter & Winder and End Section

screening, refining, as well as the ap-

First group as TopDuoRun (single tier

Capable to handle the whole machineproach flow equipment, were supplied byarrangement) with drilled rolls and Duo-production, it can produce 8 sets of up

Voith Paper and its associated compa-

Stabilizers in bottom row. Remainder ofto 8 paper rolls. The end section consists

nies, such as Meri Systems and B&G.

predryer section and the after dryer sec-of conveyors, wrapping machine andtion in conventional double tier.

paper roll elevator.

29 m long bottom wire with dewatering

The hood and ventilation equipment wereElectrical System/DCS and instrumentation

elements and suction roll. 10 m long top

supplied by Brunschweiler Spain and

All equipment and services required forwire designed for a future DuoFormer D.

Brazil. Building ventilation was supplied

the line were ordered by Voith from ABB

The installation of a second top wire,by local companies.

Oy, Finland, which was responsible for

The new machine concept
Stock Preparation
All equipment required for the OCC andForming Section

10 m long, is planned. Both wires havesupplying the equipment from several

MasterJet-type headboxes, and the backSize Press

worldwide locations (Chile, Brazil, Ger-ply

For starch application on one or both web

many, Sweden and Finland).

has

ModuleJet

technology,

that

26

Fig. 7: Final section.

QCS (Quality Control System)

standards for this kind of installation,cellent work done by the start-up andThis system, considered as the core ofdue to the perfect planning and teammachine optimization personnel.

the production process control, was sup-work of CMPC Group and Voith Paper

plied by Voith Automation.

personnel. Synergy between specialists“Special emphasis was given to the fol-

was ideal, since everyone focused on the

low up and fine-tuning of control loops,

Wires and Felts

same common objectives from the veryso as to achieve a quick and stable

All wires, pressfelts and felts, were sup-beginning.

process with a high degree of reliability.
The result has been more tons of paper

plied by Voith Fabrics.
At the present time the machine produces

produced at the reel, with excellent qual-

Project Management

all papers for which it was designed, withity, efficiency and above-average avail-The whole project management was car-complete success: testliner with andability and, above all, increased reliability

ried out by the Brazilian project manage-

without size press; corrugating medium,in the overall papermaking process”

ment team. The scope was complete fromkraftliner, gypsum and white top papers,

comments Pedro Huerta Barros, CMPC

engineering, purchasing, cost control,

all of them with the excellent quality andPapeles Cordillera General Manager.

erection to start-up and performance

productivity expected by the client.
The CMPC Group is the second major

tests.
Start-up

Expectation about the production learning

paper producer in Latin America and has

curve and specific consumption variables

16 paper mills spread over several coun-has been widely exceeded when com-tries on the continent, producing pulp, as

werepared to the values defined in the con-well as writing and printing, newsprint,

smooth and exactly within the normal

tract. This success is the result of the ex-tissue, wrapping and cardboard papers.

Commissioning

7

andstart-up27

1

World speed record for graphic paper
production from 100% eucalyptus pulp
After a rebuild by Voith Paper, PM 1

Votorantim Celulose e Papel – VCP –at the Luiz Antônio mill of Votorantim Celulose e

is one of the largest pulp and paper pro-

Papel, Brazil set a new speed record ofducers in Brazil, reputed for its environ-

1,221 m/min in graphic paper production (basis

mental protection efforts and projects inweight 75 g/m 2) from 100% eucalyptus pulp.

endemic reforestation in Brazil. VCP

No other paper machine worldwide processing

owns about 160,000 hectares of forest,

100% eucalyptus pulp has ever attained thisthus ensuring its own independent supply

production speed.

of raw materials procurement and high2

The author:
Nestor de Castro Neto,
Voith Paper São PauloFig. 1: The Luiz Antônio mill, Brazil,of Votorantim Celulose e Papel – VCP.
Fig. 2: The NipcoFlex press.

28

Paulo Basseti,
Divisional
Manager VCP
Luiz Antônio

I have been working very closely withcan be attained again and again – such as

Voith Paper for many years and can

the speed record broken by PM 1 in ourvouch for the quality and efficiency of

Luiz Antônio mill. Graphic papers with

Voith Paper installations and technolo-

75 g/m 2 basis weight are now produced

gies as a traditional strength of this sup-here from 100% eucalyptus pulp at

Votorantim Cellulose e Papel has estab-plier. Another reason for Voith’s out-

1,221 m/min – far exceeding our goals.

lished and implemented eight corporate

standing reputation with our company

principles in order to meet its ambitious

is the dependability not only of their

We not only appreciate Voith Paper as agoals for sustainable development.

machinery, but also of their technicalmachinery and process supplier, but also

One of these principles concerns rela-

personnel.

as a dependable service provider with thesame high quality standards. Both as-tions with machinery suppliers and service providers, whereby teamwork must

Business relations today reflect the qual-

pects are indispensable factors in attain-

always ensure optimal satisfaction on

ity of partnerships. They have to be con-ing our goals, for without such optimal

both sides. In keeping with this policy,

tinuously upheld and strengthened byteamwork, we would never have reached

Voith Paper has become our most impor-dependable teamwork on a mutual trust

our leading position in the pulp andtant partner.

basis. In this way, outstanding results

paper industry.

29

3

Fig. 3: PM 1 after rebuild by Voith Paper.

product quality accordingly. Fauna and

The record-breaking machine is locatedThanks to this NipcoFlex press, moistureflora study projects in the company’s

at Luiz Antônio mill in the inland city ofcontent ahead of the dry section is re-own forests together with universities andSão Paulo. This integrated mill, one of

duced without diminishing specific vol-research institutes, help to ensure envi-

VCP’s largest, produces 350,000 t.p.a. ofume. The ModuleJet™ headbox withronment-friendly paper and pulp produc-

pulp and 310,000 t.p.a. of wood-freecross-profile

tion. Every year 800,000 ton of pulp andgraphic paper.

weight optimization with the shortest

controlensuresbasis

possible correction times. A DuoFormer™

655,000 ton of paper are produced by
the company’s four mills in Jacareí, Luiz

PM 1, rebuilt by Voith Paper, with a wire

D helps to improve sheet formation,

Antônio, Piracicaba and Mogi das Cruzes.

width of 5,100 mm, produces 200,000

while sizing is optimized by a Speedsizer.

t.p.a. of graphic papers with basis weights

This rebuild project was handled from be-

Votorantim is also known for its pioneer-

ranging from 45 to 120 g/m 2. This re-

ginning to end by Voith Paper São Paulo,

ing integration of the latest technologies

build incorporates the latest Voith Paper

and Voith Paper also took full responsi-

in new installations and rebuilds. This

technology innovations.

bility for the machine installation work.
Paper production output increased byongoing investment in modern paper production pays dividends not only in terms

For the first time ever worldwide, a

35,000 t.p.a. immediately after commis-of value added, but also in better productshoe press is installed in a graphic paper

sioning, and the world speed record was

quality.

production from 100% eucalyptus pulp.

broken in January 2001.

30

Weissenborn PM 4 –Striving for perfect surface quality

The author:
Reinhard Leigraf,
Voith Paper
Ravensburg“Rebuild our PM 4 to produce the samehigh quality at twice the speed”. That was ourorder in September 2000 from Felix Schoeller jr.
GmbH & Co.KG, producer of photographic andother specialty grade papers. At that time, about
130 grades were produced on PM 4 in 5 different
groups, at speeds no higher than 320 m/min.
All in all, quite a challenge!

Paper Machines

31

Fig. 1: Weissenborn PM 4.
Fig. 2: Schematic set-up for photographic paper.
Fig. 3: Press section.
Fig. 4: Air float dryer after the size press.
3

1

2
Protective layer
Interlayer with UV absorber
10 µm

Red-sensitive cyan layer
Interlayer with UV absorber
Green-sensitive magenta layer
Interlayer

4 Base paper for colour and monochrome photography
 Baryta paper for monochrome
photography Base paper for technical photography.
Surface quality is a decisive quality criterion for photographic base paper. It ischecked under extremely oblique light in
the longitudinal and cross-machine directions – several times:
 First by the production team, Then by the local quality assurance
and production managers,
 After PE-coating, once more by the
product managers.

Another special feature of this project
was the extremely high cleanliness requirements on the photographic basepaper, as reflected both in plant layout
and site logistics. Corresponding measures had to be taken here to ensure theuninterrupted operation of neighbouringlines during the rebuild.
Other grades produced on PM 4 are:
 Base coating papers (e.g. for reflective
foils on traffic signs),
 Inkjet printing papers, including digital
imaging (DI) paper.

Blue-sensitive yellow layer
150 µm~ 165 g/m 2

Polyethylene film
Photo base paper
Polyethylene film

FSJ
Business

Only experts can tell the difference here
between acceptable and reject products.

Anti-static layer

Paper grades
The Felix Schoeller Group is a leading
producer of high-grade specialty papers.
Photographic paper is the traditional
product of this company, founded morethan a century ago, and accounts for thegreater part of its business. These papers
are produced in the following grades:

After a PM rebuild, which always affects
quality in one way or another, the product quality of each grade has to be reaccepted by the final customer. To thispurpose tests are carried out on productsamples before any further orders areplaced. It goes without saying that the
paper ordered has to be produced inexactly the same way as the test rolls.
That is why paper quality had to remain
absolutely unchanged after this rebuild.

History of Weissenborn PM 4
Paper machine 4 in Weissenborn, Germany about 10 km from Freiberg and
40 km west of Dresden, was built by
Bruderhaus prior to German reunification. In 1988 PM 4 was fitted with
an Escher Wyss step diffuser headbox,
at which time it produced about
25,000 t.p.a. of photographic and specialty grade papers. After the German
reunification, the mill was taken overby the Felix Schoeller Group and output
was increased to around 55,000 t.p.a. in
1999.

32

6

5

Scope of contract
The stock preparation line and approachflow section had to be adapted to thehigher production capacity. Due to the
doubling of operating speed, relatively
few components of the old paper machine could be re-used. All the others
were newly ordered by the customer, thedryer section and steam/condensate system being supplied by the local company
PAMA. The Voith Paper scope of supply
thus comprised the following components:
 Complete pulp bale transport anddewiring system
 ST8C-M pulper New refining line comprising
HC cleaner and 2 Twinflo refiners
 First stage screening extension withMSA 10/10 screen in the approachflow
 MasterJet F/B headbox with ModuleJet Complete fourdrinier section
 Complete press section with offset
press
 Calender Size press with Nipco rolls Air float dryer
 Horizontal reel.
This paper machine was designed for a
maximum operating speed of 800 m/min,a web width up to 3,600 mm, and basis
weights between 78 and 280 g/m 2. The
design speed is 1,000 m/min. Furnish
varies from 100 % long-fibre to 100 %short-fibre, with 0 - 20 % fillers.
Theoretically, maximum output withthe most productive grade would be

490 t/day, but the annual output goal is120,000 t.p.a. on average for all grades.
Investments at Weissenborn during 2000/
2001 totalled more than 200 million DM.
90 million DM of it were for the PM 4 rebuild.
Since the new PM 4 had to fit in the existing building, the last possible centimetre was exploited for optimal equipment
positioning to ensure efficient functioning and web run. For example, the calender was moved forward 30 cm to reduce
the web run angle, while the air float dryer was installed obliquely and its topedge cut off. In short: everything possible was done to ensure a good web run.
Furthermore, this “rebuild” had to becompleted in an extremely short time,
whereby “rebuild” is hardly the right word
for the enormous component replacements carried out in the 33-day shut
down period allowed.

Risk management
Paper machines of this size represent arather large investment volume, so thatany delays or errors represent an unacceptable cost risk both for the customer
and the machine supplier.

In many respects, this rebuild was basedon the well-tried technology of a performance enhancement rebuild carried out
by Voith Paper in 1997 on PM 1 at
Osnabrück, Germany. However, prior inspection revealed a good many differences between the two paper machines.
For example, Weissenborn PM 4 covers amuch wider product range than Osnabrück PM 1. Furthermore, the Voith Paper
product range has been substantiallydeveloped in the meantime and designs
have changed accordingly. Consequently,
a joint risk management system was established for this rebuild.
All in all, well over 100 possible risks
were evaluated, and three primary risks
per section were identified. Risk reduction measures were then developed accordingly, and fallback solutions worked
out. This work was carried out in various
groups before a secure basis was established for going ahead.
It goes without saying that since nobody
is perfect, some things were overlooked.
But in view of the smooth startup – andeverything that did not happen – our risk
management efforts were certainly worthwhile.

Commissioning and optimization
Apart from the aforementioned productrisks, the following aspects are at stake: Secure supplies for the paper customer
 Quality assurance Prevention of serious damage to theequipment.

On October 3, German reunification day,
we had the first paper on reel and wereable to start optimization, first of all fromthe technical point of view. As with every
commissioning, imperfections had to be33

7

Fig. 5: Size press control panel.
Fig. 6: Morning conference ofall parties during thecommissioning phase.
Fig. 7: End section of PM 4.

corrected
andparameter
settings
changed, positionings optimized andoperating modes checked. Thanks toexcellent cooperation between the
Weissenborn production team, the project CCE (Competence Center Engineering) and the erection and commissioning
team, machine operation was soon optimized to the point where we could concentrate on optimizing paper surface
quality.
Test production took place according to asophisticated plan specially developed by
Schoeller. This enabled compliance withthe extremely tight qualification program
and rapidly gave a good overview of
product quality results, thus making
overall optimization much easier. In amarket demanding a wide product range
and customized grade production, where
there is no room for “seconds”, this is aninestimable advantage.

SummaryThis rebuild was completed very successfully, and is now being followed up with
fine-tuning. Availability is exactly what
would be expected of a modern paper
machine. During production of one of themost lightweight grades, Weissenborn
PM 4 operated for four full days without
a single break until being shut down for a
product change. Web threading is alsomuch easier, a big advantage with somany grade changes.

The following success factors can be regarded as decisive for this rebuild: Meticulous preparations by a project
team including FSJ, VP and othercompanies with experience of FSJ
projects in the past. Credit is duehere to project managers Thomas

Gehring of FSJ and Herbert Brandiserof Voith Paper.
 Competent and motivated project
management people on both sides.
 Comprehensive risk analysis,
evaluation and minimization.
 The production team’s long-standing
process experience in Weissenborn
and Osnabrück.
 Long-standing experience with paper
machines for specialty grades,in particular photographic papers.

Thanks to the outstandingly efficient cooperation of all project participants, thismodern photographic paper machine has
not only been built with well-tried technology in a very short time span, butshows outstanding results both with regard to product quality and performance.

34

Tumut VP 9 –the largest project ever undertaken by Visy Paper
In summer 2001, Visy Paper’s largest
project was successfully completed in Tumut,

Visy Paper – Australia’s leading
producer of board and packaging papers

Australia. The new mill will be one of the mostefficient and environmentally friendly paper mills

Visy Paper is the leading producer ofworldwide. An annual 240,000 tons of unbleachedboard and packaging papers in Australia

pulp and packaging paper from a virgin fiberand one of the major producers in thefurnish will be produced at the Tumut mill.

USA. Visy built its first mill, producing
packaging papers from recycled furnish,in 1979 and now owns eight of theworld's most advanced recycled paper

The authors:
Marcelo K. Santos,
Marcos Roberto
Blumer,Voith São Paulomills, six in Australia and two in America.
Together, they produce more than 1.2 million tons/year of high-grade board andpackaging paper.

Paper Machines

35

Fig. 1: Board machine VP 9.
Fig. 2: Transporter on woodyard.

The Project

The new Tumut site is 1,100 hectares insize, with the mill utilizing only 40

1Visy Tumut is located in the Gilmore val-

hectares. The site includes a storm water

ley near the township of Tumut, halfway

reservoir, a sludge settling basin, an

between Australia’s two largest cities,

effluent treatment system, a woodyard,

Sydney and Melbourne. The contract fora pulp production line and the paper millthe new VP 9 was signed on March 25,

itself.

1999.
The Tumut mill will produce 240,000 tons/
Visy invested 400 million US$ in the inte-year of high-quality unbleached kraft pulp

grated packaging paper mill, which isand packaging paper for the export andcomprised of both a pulp preparation line

domestic markets. The new VP 9 is theand a paper machine, as well as a pine

Visy group’s first machine using kraft

plantation (pinus radiata) for pulp pro-

pulp as furnish, while 100 % recycled

duction. The mill was built to meet thefibers are used in all other mills.

highest environmental and technical stan-Technical data
Wire width 5,880 mm
Design speed 1,000 m/min
Production 40,000 tons/year of kraft liner
Basis weight 80 - 300 g/m 2
Furnish 80% kraft pulp, 20% recycled fibers

dards and was designed to be the most

To satisfy the long-term demands madeefficient and ecologically friendly paperon packaging papers from recycled fur-mill worldwide, aiming at minimum use

nish in Australia, it is necessary to addof water and chemicals. Even the energy

virgin fibers to the Australian recycling

supplying power to the mill is generated

system. Otherwise, the quality of the re-from environmentally friendly sources,

cycled fiber and papers produced willsuch as water power and biomass,continually decrease. The new Tumut

byproducts of pulp production.

mill, therefore, has to fulfill an important
2

36

3
Fig. 3: Visy Tumut in Gilmore valley near the township of Tumut.

task in the national recycling system byPaper Machine

maintaining recycled paper supplies on aof paper from 100% recycled furnish was
produced on May 8, 2001 at 4:05 am,long-term basis.

Fiber System

The VP 9 machine has been designed forless than 26 months after the contract

a maximum speed of 1,000 m/min and a

was signed. The machine started up withbasis weight range of 80 - 300 g/m 2, pro-a speed of 420 m/min at 125 g/m 2 and an

ducing 820 tons/day in two plies on aaverage production of 350 tons/day. The

trimmed working width of 5,300 mm.

stock preparation system achieved a peakoutput of 420 tons/day, thus exceeding

The approach flow system has been designed to supply 850 tons/day in two lines

The new paper machine is equipped withthe original design output of 400 tons/

for the top and bottom plies. The stock

top-quality components: two MasterJet™

day without major optimization mea-

preparation system for rejected rolls andheadboxes, one of which is fitted with asures.

trimmings has been laid out for a capac-

ModuleJet™ dilution water control, en-

ity of 400 tons/day (accepted stock). A

suring optimum formation. The wire sec-

Shortly after start-up, the machine pro-TwinFlow TF4 E double-disk refiner istion comprises two fourdrinier wires to

duced saleable testliner. The new ma-

used for refining.

allow the installation of a hybrid former

chine has been operating smoothly since(DuoFormer™ D/K) on the top wire at a

the first day of continuous operation.

later date. A double-felted tandem Nipco-

Fig. 4: Start-up team.
4

Flex™ press ensures maximum dryness

In mid-July 2001, the kraft pulp line wasand high runnability. To optimize the sur-put into operation, thus starting the pro-face finish, VP 9 has been equipped withduction of kraft liner from a furnish ofan Ecosoft™ calender. One winder was

80% virgin fibers and 20% recycled fibers

also included in the Voith Paper scope ofand optimizing the technological quality

supply.

parameters of the kraft liner.
Voith Paper thanks all persons who con-Start-Uptributed to the success of this project andwishes VISY Paper Group all the best

After completion of the installation work,with the new Tumut paper mill. Voith

the first trials with water and stock werePaper looks forward to a strong, continu-

run in late April 2001. The first parent rolling relationship with Visy Paper.

37

Schongau PM 7 and Schwedt PM 11
Optimization successfully completed
In spring 2001, PM 7 in Schongau and

In order to increase speed from 1,560 to

PM 11 in Schwedt were modernized and optimized

1,625 m/min, with improved cross-profile

to meet future demands.

and fibre orientation, wire cleaning, former cleanliness and web run, new components were integrated as follows:
The existing headbox was upgraded witha ModuleJet unit. On the main drainage

The author:
Stefanie Busch,
Paper Machines
Graphic

Schongau PM 7

elements of the former, individual ceramic bars were replaced with a plate cover,Commissioned in 1989, this Voith Paperand a Jet Cleaner was installed in themachine still retained its original conceptbottom wire. DuoFoils were installed in

until the first large modification at thethe first and second dryer groups. The

end of March 2001. It produces standard

fifth dryer group was converted accord-

newsprint, and was originally designed

ing to the Dry Star concept into a single

for a maximum operating speed oftier section, by drilling the bottom dryers

1,400 m/min.

and installing DuoStabilizers.

38

The approach flow section was extended

Schongau is now among the “top 5” mostand, at the same time, the water handlingand optimized to suit the rebuild mea-

efficient newsprint machines, and is like-stabilized and formation irregularities

sures.

ly to remain so for a long time to come.

prevented. Furthermore, wire wear had tobe reduced and the web run stabilized.

All new components were installed on

Schwedt PM 11
For all that, Voith Paper modified the wiretime according to contract during theseven-day shut down period in March.

The customer’s rebuild goals for Schwedt

section by retrofitting a ModuleJet unit,

Since the rebuild, operating speed has

PM 11, a Voith newsprint machine deliv-

exchanging the jet and skimmer chan-been steadily increased up to a maximum

ered in 1994, were similarly formulated:nels, replacing the formation boxes andof 1,687 m/min for 45 g/m 2. Since May

flat suction box, installing a new plate2001 the average operating speed has al-

Operating speed had to be increased

cover in the top wire suction box andways been above 1600 m/min. In May

from 1,530 to 1,650 m/min, at the same

adding a HiVac suction unit, reposition-

2002 a production record was broken attime improving overall efficiency and in-ing the wire separation on to the suction

1633 m/min average operating speed andcreasing production output by 20,000 t/a.

couch roll, installing a double doctor on

an overall efficiency exceeding 93 %.

The approach flow section had to be

the suction couch roll, and modifying themodified in order to avoid pulsation.

drive concept.

Thanks to these optimization measures,Great attention was paid to attaining

production capacity has increased by

the desired quality improvement by aVoith Paper also optimized the dryer sec-

about 13,000 t/a. With its high average

better cross-profile and fibre orientation.

tion, by retrofitting web stabilizers (Duo-speed and high overall efficiency, PM 7 inDrainage capacity had to be increased

Foils) in the first and second dryer39groups. The steam and condensate sys-

started at the end of March 2001, also

the last few months has shown the great

tem was modified, and the fixed doctor

after a seven-day shutdown. Only two

success of this rebuild. The efficiency of

blade holders were converted to flexible

months later, the average operating speed

PM 11 has improved impressively.”

ones. At the end of 2001 a scanner with

had increased by more than 70 m/min,moisture sensor was installed.

and the 1,600 m/min limit exceeded with

The order value for Voith Paper for thea maximum speed, so far, of 1,650 m/min.

two rebuilds was about DM 25 million.
Both mills expect that, thanks to the

Twelve hours earlier than the contractual
deadline, PM 11 was successfully re-Operating speed [m/min]Prior to rebuild
1620

After rebuild

Average1612
1605
1600 1601
1589 1585
1573 1574
1567

All rebuild goals were attained both quali-

greater output, production losses due totatively and quantitatively. Basis weightthe necessary shutdowns will already be

fluctuations both in the machine andrecovered this year.

cross-machine directions were reduced
by about 10 percent – at the mentioned

Decisive for the success of this projectsignificantly higher speeds. By extending

were the excellent cooperation with thethe evaporation length in the first two

customer, efficient project planning and1540

dryer groups and increasing the steam

preparation, assured delivery of all com-

1511 1503
1502
1500

pressure, drying capacity was substan-ponents prior to the shutdowns, and thetially increased.

Voith Paper quality assurance during the

1580

1581

1505

manufacturing phase. And this was why all
1460

Jan

Mar May July Sep Nov Prior to After
Feb
Apr June Aug Oct Dec rebuild rebuild
Operating speed increase of
Schwedt PM 11 in 2001

As emphasized by mill manager Sebas-

rebuild goals were met in terms of quali-tian Loewenberg: “Our experience overty, efficiency and increased production.

40

MasterJet II –optimum jet quality, the prerequisite
for best sheet structure
The headbox is one of the main tools in

Description of the free jet

the papermaking process for reaching a homogeneous sheet structure. Optimum flow control within

All flow structures and turbulence prop-

the headbox is the fundamental prerequisite for

erties coming out of the headbox nozzle

meeting the high paper quality requirements set bycontribute more or less to the sheet forma-different end uses and converting processes. Both,tion process, because they result in topo-

the hydraulic concept and the geometric dimen-graphic structures at the free jet surfaces.

sions are key factors for the influence of a headbox
The structure of the topography allows a

on paper structure uniformity.

rough subdivision into macro- and microstructures (Fig. 1). The small structuresgenerated by micro-turbulence are of uniBecause of the very flat jet angle at theform size and distribution, dependent on

impingement point at a Fourdrinier or athe distance from the nozzle. During op-

Gapformer, difference in the free jet topo-

eration, they are not visible to the naked

graphy results in totally different imping-eye. Macro-turbulence generates very

ement conditions and, thus, in non-uni-

long, finger-wide disturbances in theform starting conditions of initial sheet

topography. These structures, which areformation.

physicalnon-stationary in time and place, are de-characteristics of the sheet are deter-

pendent on the headbox design and aremined at the impingement point by thevery well visible, especially on a Four-

speed difference between the free jet anddrinier.

Furthermore,thethe wire. The uniformity of the impinge-

The authors:
Klaus Lehleiter,
Wolfgang Ruf,
Hans Loser
Paper Machines
Graphic

ment conditions determines the homogeneity of fibre distribution and fibre ori-

Effects in the sheet structure

entation.
In numerous packaging paper grades,
macro-structures of the free jet result especially in the formation of more or less1

irregular stripes on the wire side of theMicro-turbulence

sheet. Those irregular stripes are glossdifferences visible at certain angles oflight incidence and are often called Tiger
Stripes (Fig. 2).

Macro-turbulence

Tiger Stripes are caused by local fibreorientation non-uniformity in the sheetPaper Machines

41

Fig. 1: Free jet characters.
Fig. 2: Tiger Stripes on kraftliner.
Fig. 3: Water streaks on copy paper (80 g/m 2).
Fig. 4: Sheet flatness of a graphical paper grade.
Fig. 5: Formation streaks.
Fig. 6: Goals for free jet quality optimisation.

2

3

4

5

6

No macro-turbulence

Soft micro-turbulence

surface due to cross flows at the im-ture and/or moisture conditions, theseIn summary, it can be stated that macro-

pingement point, induced by the macro-frozen stresses are partly released andturbulence in the free jet has a significant

structures in the free jet.

the history of sheet formation becomesinfluence on gloss, flatness and forma-apparent again in the form of flatness de-tion of the paper sheet in areas 5 - 15 mm

Papermakers, producing paper of very

fects (Fig. 4). Often these effects are also

wide and approx. 300 mm long. Depend-

low filler content and using long fibre

visible in the sheet hanging from a fulling on the former concept and on the in-pulp and/or CTMP on a Fourdrinier, areparent roll after reel spool changes.

tensity, the micro-turbulence in the free
jet influences the breaking length ratio ofvery familiar with this phenomenon.
At a higher formation level, macro-strucIn graphic paper grades, those macro-tures in the free jet become visible as for-structures of the free jet also result inmation stripes. These effects can be visu-

gloss effects on the paper surface, called

alised by adding colour into one turbu-

water streaks or snailing (Fig. 3).

lence tube of the turbulence generator in

the micro-formation of the sheet.

Optimization of free jet quality

the headbox (Fig. 5). The colour distribu-

Forming an ideal free jet is one prerequi-

Non-uniform fibre orientation, combinedtion in the paper sheet reflects the char-site for optimum sheet formation. A freewith a drying process using open draws,

acteristics of both the macro-formation

jet without macro-turbulence and definedcreates and freezes differential stresses

and the sheet flatness.

micro-turbulence (Fig. 6) is the goal.

in the paper sheet. By changing tempera-

42Fig. 7: Flow configurations inside the headbox
nozzle without lamellas.
Fig. 8: Flow configurations inside the headbox
nozzle with lamellas.
Fig. 9: Lamellas inside headbox nozzle.
Fig. 10: Effect of lamellas on formation.
Fig. 11: Effect of lamellas on sheet flatness.
without lamellas
7

with lamellas

short lamellaslong lamellas

10
Flow profile

11

EddiesA

TurbulenceView “A”

TheoryReality8
LamellaA

View “A”

Micro-turbulence in the free jet is mainly

turbulence generation inside the tube

created at the end of the nozzle by fluidbank were optimized. The best result was

friction, due to the high acceleration ofobtained with lamellas inside the headbox

the flow in this area.

nozzle (Fig. 9).

Macro-turbulence in the free jet is pri-

The results of the free jet analysis show

marily dependent on the flow configura-a very good correlation with the physi-tions just at the outlet of the turbulence

cal characteristics of finished paper

tube bank.

sheets. Specifically, sheet defects caused
by macro-turbulence can clearly be re-Interactions between individual tube out-

duced.

let flows in the nozzle are unsteady,
TheoryReality

three-dimensional processes, forming ed-

Micro-turbulence control in the free jetdies in the flow (Fig. 7).

by varying lamella geometry also correlates with the results of paper analysis.

Installing lamellas between the rows of

Due to the faster dewatering process, thethe tubes will reduce the degree of free-

influence of optimal micro-turbulence in

dom of the flow (Fig. 8). Interactions be-

the free jet is more evident on Gapformer

tween the individual tube outlet flows willthan on Fourdrinier machines.

only happen in cross direction inside the9nozzle. Interactions in z-direction are prevented. The result is a turbulent but steady

Improvements in sheet structure

flow inside the headbox nozzle with turbulence of mainly small scale wave length.

The effect of different headbox hydraulics
on paper quality is shown in Fig. 10. The

To achieve a free jet almost free of

influence of micro- and macro-turbulencemacro-turbulence, the flow control andon the paper samples is shown by colour

Paper Machines

43

Fig. 12: Effect of lamellas on Tiger Stripes.
Fig. 13: Neusiedler PM 5, copy paper (80 g/m 2 )without water streaks.

13

12

addition into one tube of the turbulenceFirst installations

Summary

generator.
Based on the experiences of our installa-

The effect of the headbox on sheet uni-(withouttions at Donnacona PM 4, Tumut VP 9,

formity is based on its hydraulic concept,

lamellas) results in a soft, but streaky

Procor, Oji Fuji N 2 and West Linn PM 3,

as well as the geometric dimensions.

formation structure.

the final version of the new turbulence

Excessive

macro-turbulence

The graphic paper sample produced un-

tube bank in combination with lamellas

In addition to the flow rate and stock-

was installed at Neusiedler PM 5.

consistency distribution in cross direction, the generation of turbulence in theder optimal free jet conditions (withlamellas) is shown on the right of Fig. 10.

Neusiedler PM 5 is producing woodfree

free jet without macro-structures and de-

The colour distribution in the sheet is rel-copy paper in a basis weight range fromfined micro-structures, is an important

atively homogeneous. A soft and non-

62 to 172 g/m 2 at production speeds up

parameter for the quality of a headbox.

streaky formation combined with very

to 1,000 m/min.
With a very well-tuned system of turbu-

good sheet flatness is achieved.
Two further examples show the effect ofAfter start up in October 2001, the re-lence generator and nozzle geometry insults were fully convincing.

combination with lamellas, a distinct improvement in the free jet quality isusing lamellas inside the headbox nozzle.
We had achieved, what seems to be unre-achieved. This potential is confirmed by aFig. 11 demonstrates the effect of lamella

alistic: the complete elimination of thesignificant improvement in paper sheet

length on a paper sample from a produc-water streaks or snailings on the wire

quality, especially in the elimination oftion machine. With a proper lamella de-side of the paper sheet (Fig. 13).

water streaks on the wire side of the
sheets.

sign, the characteristics of the sheet flatness can be significantly improved andIn the past, PM speed was limited be-

Tiger Stripes can be eliminated complete-cause of low paper quality caused by wa-ly (Fig 12).

ter streaks. Today, Neusiedler PM 5 produces top quality paper at capacity limit.

44

1

Janus™ Day 2001 in Krefeld
Successful Customer Symposiumon the subject of “Rolls and Roll Surfaces”
The Voith Paper Finishing Divisioninvited users of Janus™ calenders to a symposium, held on October 18, 2001. It was planned
to exchange experience on the subject of “Rolls
and Roll Surfaces”.

A number of customers accepted the invitation by Voith Paper, Krefeld, Germany
to exchange ideas and experience fromthe day-to-day production with “their”
Janus™ calender in discussions. For thisJanus™ Day the main theme was “Rolls
and Roll Surfaces”, as great interest in
this subject had become manifest prior to
the event.
The author:
Hans-Peter MarleauxFinishing

The attendees arrived the day before thesymposium, as Voith Paper had invitedthem to a casual “get-together” dinner ina typical Lower Rhine country inn. In afriendly and relaxed atmosphere the people got to know each other or deepened
existing contacts.
On Thursday, 18 October 2001, the symposium took place in the spacious roomsof the new Voith Paper Training Center.
Introductory topics were: “Soft Roll
Covers for Janus™ Calenders”, “The Influence of Roll Surfaces on Calendering”
as well as “Coating of Thermo Rolls”.
Experts presented short papers on these
individual areas. They concentrated
purposely on practical experience, test

Finishing

45

Fig. 1: Thomas Koller, member of the Board ofManagement of Voith Paper GmbH in Krefeld,
welcomes the attendees on the first Janus™ Day.
Fig. 2: The introductory papers were followed bya lively discussion among all the participants.
Fig. 3: In the Finishing Technology Center a lively
discussion was held in small groups.
Fig. 4: An old mill served as rustic surroundings
for the final event of the Janus™ Day.
3

2

results, production aspects, but also on
problematic points of the various technologies.
As expected, a lively discussion arose
during the papers, which was based on
the practical experience gained by theusers and led to queries and also to detailed discussions. This open and frankatmosphere pervaded the entire event
and initiated additional subjects, which
the users were “itching” to talk about. An
interesting aspect was, among otherthings, the question: Under what production conditions are doctors required? Or
are perhaps other devices for cleaning
the rolls conceivable? But also subjects
like “barring” or the influence of chemistry on the covers were passionately andsometimes controversially discussed.
Around midday all of the attendees went
to the adjacent Finishing Technology
Center, where they were invited to a buffet lunch close to the Janus™ MK 2 pilot
calender. The way back then took themthrough the Krefeld production shops,
where they were able to see, among otherthings, the Janus™ MK 2 for SCA Laakirchen with the so far largest inclined
frames manufactured by Voith Paper,
which were beginning to undergo works

assembly. At the base of the alreadyerected equipment, which took up almost
the entire width of the largest assemblyarea, the customers were given interesting new details about the current Janus™
technology. The guests were also impressed by the unwinding and rewinding
stations (SCA Laakirchen will have an
Offline-Janus™) as well as by the dimensions of the rolls, which lay lined up
ready for installation in the adjacentmachine shops.

autumn of 2002. The attendees wereasked to express their requests and suggestions on the subjects for the second
Janus™ Day.
From the suggestions of the first Janus™
Day, Voith Paper prepared a program, thesubjects of which were worked throughstep by step. It is intended that theJanus™ Day shall be successful not only
for the participating customers, but in themedium term shall also benefit the entire
paper industry through the translation ofsuggestions into technological solutions.
One result of the event is, for example,
the further development of a cleaning
unit for the rolls in the calender, the socalled “brush”. This generated significant
interest among the paper producers. This
technology has already been incorporated
in the next system engineering plans.

To conclude the event, Voith Paper
invited the attendees of the symposium
to a romantic windmill classified as a historical monument. The evening, during
which the guests were not only well treated with good food and drinks, but werealso offered “magical” entertainment, will
surely remain a most pleasant memory toeveryone who was present.

Second Janus™ Day already plannedThis first Janus™ Day made it clear that
customers have great interest in an
open exchange of experience
within the settings of such an
event. It was therefore agreed toconsider the next Janus™ Day for the
4

46

1

Voith strengthens South American position
with major São Paulo plant expansion

The author:
Cesar Schneider,
Voith Paper Service
São Paulo

Voith Paper Service continues to lead

“The demand for advanced roll cover

the industry in providing tangible, state of the art

technology in the South American market

products and services for the South American

continues to show a strong increase,”

market. The pace of progress is quite evident assays Ray Hall, Executive Vice President ofVoith Paper Service Division doubled the size of its

Voith Paper Service. “South AmericanSão Paulo, Brazil facility, to a total of 6,250 m 2,

paper producers are driven by higher

making it one of the largest and best equipped roll

paper quality requirements and the needcover technology operations in all of Latin America.

to enhance paper machine operating effi-

The expansion involves a new roll cover section,

ciencies. This expansion gives our cus-

capable of offering premium roll cover technology

tomers greater access to Voith’s mostpreviously unavailable in South American loca-

advanced roll cover designs.”

tions. Ceremonies marking the official opening
were held February 22, 2002, with Voith officials,

The new Voith offerings represent a gen-employees, and customers in attendance.

uine service breakthrough in the SouthAmericanmarketandwill

greatly

strengthen Voith’s competitive position.
The expanded capabilities in the São
According to Voith officials, the São

Paulo operations dramatically shorten

Paulo project will have a significant im-delivery cycles for premium technology

pact on the South American market, sub-roll covers. Customers who needed pre-stantially improving access to muchmium covers used to have to wait whileneeded services and technology, whilerolls were shipped to North America ormarkedly multiplying growth and profit

Europe. For the first time ever, theseopportunities for paper producers.

customers now have access to theseService

47

Figs. 1 and 2: The new Service Center São Paulo.
Fig. 3: Service team São Paulo.

2

advanced services and product offerings

leadership recognized the need for – andquality services to customers in Chile andon their home soil.

the enormous potential of – enhanced

Uruguay, as well.

service-after-sale capabilities. The first
The São Paulo operations now offer re-official South American Voith Service

The year 2000 also saw the initiation ofbuilds, maintenance and repair for all

Center started operations in São Paulo.

the Service Division’s on-site service

pulp and paper equipment on a larger

contracts for customers. These agree-

scale than ever before. The facility is ful-

Another Service Center opened up inments provide for higher levels of ser-ly equipped with crane systems, lathes,

1992 in Ponta Grossa, Brazil, with a fo-

vice, offered in the customers’ facilities

grinders, and all the necessary technolo-

cus on serving customers in the coun-on an ongoing basis. The results are im-gy to service virtually any roll used in the

try’s southern region. In 1997, the com-pressive reductions in downtime andindustry. Many services can be per-pany moved forward with an additional

operational costs as well as increased

formed on the customer’s site, as well.

new Service Center, actually built inside a

up-time and quality.

Everything in the Voith process is de-customer’s facility: the Bahía Sul Pulp

signed to provide customers with faster-and Paper Mill, in Mucuri. This operation

The new roll center in São Paulo, then,than-ever turnaround of premium rollbrought advanced service capabilities tois another of many steps forward incovers and top-of-the-line services.

the northeastern region of Brazil.

meeting the growing needs of the South

Voith’s presence in Brazil actually dates

By the year 2000, Voith had expanded

Voith’s progress isn’t contained by any

back to the 1960s, when it first entered

even further, adding yet another Service

geographic borders. Today you’ll findthe market. Voith’s strategic service ini-

Center – this time in Buenos Aires,Voithtiative in Brazil began more than a decade

Argentina. The Argentine center offers

25 service centers – with more already in

American Pulp and Paper industry, but

ago – in 1990. It was then that company

on

four

continents,

operatingconstruction right now. Voith is speeding3

up the pace of progress – leading, expanding, growing, evolving, and always
intensifying its focus on global leadershipin the production of high-tech products
and implementation of advanced services
for the paper industry.

48

Roll covers for
sizing, coating and pigmenting
Besides the properties of the paper andthe formulation of the starch and coating color(solids content, rheology, gas content, etc.), thedesign of the application unit, in conjunction withthe roll covers used, plays a decisive role in determining the properties and quality of the coating.

The author:
Dr. Thomas Stübegger,
ServiceSizing
The traditional puddle size press with its
hard/soft combination of the two rolls is
generally replaced by a film press in newmachines (Figs. 2 and 3).
The disadvantages of the fluid pond athigh machine speeds can be elegantly
avoided in this way. In addition, the film
premetered on the rolls permits widely
variable application rates (e.g. by profiled
metering rods, Fig. 7).
Despite this trend toward film presses, alarge number of puddle size presses arein use at present. This justifies a continued development of the covers for thisapplication.

Service

49

Abrasion resistance

TopSize HP

Fig. 1: Range of products.
Fig. 2: Film press MagnaSize /TopSize HP.
TopSize HPX
MagnaSize II

1Fig. 3: Film press.
Fig. 4: Comparison Film Coating / Blade Coating.

Chemical resistance2

3
4
Quality

Runnability

Costs

Film coating

Blade coating

Smoothness

-

+

Gloss

0

+

Fiber coverage+-

Opacity+0

Orange peel-+High speed

0+High coat weights

0+

Nip misting-+

Sheet breaks+-

Investment+

0

Operation00Machine efficiency+-

Unlike film presses, on conventional sizepresses the roll covers are heavily
stressed by temperature. Sump temperatures up to approximately 90 °C are
possible. The covers must be appropriately resistant to starch solutions atservice temperature. The materials areallowed to swell only very little in theapplication fluids.
Our rubber covers for this application are
mainly MagnaSize II (approximately 15 30 P&J) and MagnaRock II (hard – 0 P&J).

TopSize HP (“high performance”) is used
as a highly abrasion-resistant quality. An
overview of the two properties, chemical
resistance and abrasion resistance, isgiven in Fig. 1.
It should be noted that before using the
TopSize HP, unusual chemicals – thosedeviating from the standard – must be
tested for safety reasons. In particular,
operation or long cleaning in the strong
alkaline range should be avoided!

For the hard rolls ceramic coatings canalso be used – CeraSize. These coatings
are characterized by a virtually perfect
constancy of shape of the surface overyearstime. Due to the high form stabilityof the hard roll, a longer service life of
the soft mating rolls is usually alsoachieved.
Furthermore, costs for the installation
and removal of the hard roll as well as
regular grinding can be avoided in machines in which it is possible to exchange
the soft roll alone.
Coating and pigmenting
In this sector, too, film presses are gaining ever more importance. Due to risingmachine speeds and cost pressure in investments in new paper machines, “compact” solutions must be used.
For example, an offline-coating unit station can be replaced with a film press(Figs. 8 -10 show the space requirementof two single side coaters in an on- or
off-line arrangement and a single two-side

50

Fig. 5: Ratio of R a value to layer thicknessof the film (yellow).
Fig. 6: Adjustability – and sensitivity to variationsof the coat at different metering rod loading pressures.
Coat weight on the cover.
Fig. 7: Metering via rotating rods – example for grooved rods.

5
45
Profiled rodØ 10 mm,
Ø 14 mm40

g/m 2 (dry)35

40 P&J

30
25

90 P&J
Smooth rod
Ø 14 mm,
Ø 24 mm,
Ø 38 mm

20
15
0.7
6

0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5
1.7 1.9
Loading pressure metering rod (bar)coater). The implementation of such a
concept is shown in Fig. 11.
With coated papers, film presses are generally used as units preceding blade
coaters. A good coverage of the paper
fibers is achieved by the uniform application of a film. Gloss and smoothness ofcourse fall behind here (if an “uneven”
surface is covered with a constantly thickfilm, the unevenness is retained).
The advantages and disadvantages of thetwo concepts, blade and film application,
can be found in Fig. 4. Particularly in machine efficiency and number of sheet
breaks, film presses prove to be significantly better than the blade coating
method.
Problems occur, however, during highspeed coating in film presses in terms ofcoat quality. Nip misting (Fig. 12) and orange peel effect reduce coat quality.
The cause lies in the fact that in the press
nip the film press does not transfer theentire quantity of coating color from the7cover to the paper and a residual quantityof coating color remains on the cover atthe outgoing nip. Therefore a fluid layer
has to be split when the web is pulled off
the roll (film splitting). A part remains on
the paper web and the rest remains as“return flow” on the roll. During this film
splitting, droplets may form, which arethrown into the air by centrifugal force –resulting in misting.
The formation of orange peel on the paper is also caused by film splitting. An
additional factor here, however, is theproperty profile of the coating color. If
the color has not yet been fully immobilized, the orange peel can be reduced further after film splitting by “running”. The
viscoelastic behavior of the coating color
must be taken into account in this.
The covers also show a major influenceon the result of film coating. The roughness of the cover is decisively responsible for nip misting. Very rough rolls carrymuch more color. Color transfer does notincrease to the same extent and misting
increases.

Ra values < 1.2 m should be aimed at.
Excessively smooth rolls are, however,
likewise not good for coating quality, as
the paper web cannot easily be pulled off
a very smooth surface.
There are several differing recommendations for the cover hardness. Basically,
the roll cover must be all the softer the
more color is to be applied (with approx.
90 P&J, 16 g/m 2 per side is achievable atmedium machine speeds).
Softer roll covers have (depending on the
point of view) also advantages and disadvantages in terms of coat weight controllability (Fig. 6).
With soft covers, the coat weight cannot
be controlled well in a wide range by themetering-rod loading pressure. Modifications in the color formulation are necessary for major changes. But on the other
hand soft covers are not so sensitive tofluctuations in the metering-rod loadingpressure, so that a more constant CD
profile thicknesses of the coat can beachieved.

51
Fig. 8: Machine concept Offline Coater.
Fig. 9: Machine concept Online – 2x one-sided (Blade, Film).
Fig. 10: Machine concept Online – both sides simultaneously (Film).
Fig. 11: UPM Kaukas (MagnaCoat/TopCoat HP and 2x TopCoat HP).
Fig. 12: Intense misting at the outgoing nip.
8

Fig. 13: Repair point ground open – hidden crack.
Fig. 14: “Barring”.
Fig. 15: Typical cracks after massive paper wrapping.

ModuleDryer
SpeedCoater 2 x 8 g/m2
9
Blade
Coater 1
JetFlow F

10Damage to roll covers in puddle
and film presses
Damage may occur during operation if,
for example, a roll is wrapped by paper
after a sheet break and the nip does notopen quickly enough. Fig. 15 shows atypical crack that occurred during suchan incident. Repairs of cracks up to some
centimeters in size are possible. However, such repairs do not offer 100 % security. Inside of the paper web width there
is a risk of marking in the coated surface
if the hardness of the repair area does
not coincide exactly with the hardness of
the roll cover. A further danger can beseen in Fig. 13. In this case a crack on
the surface was repaired, without it being

12

11

existing OMC

new Precoater

relocated unwind

noticed that the crack continued below it.
However, the crack did not cause a failure of this roll. The repair area was
examined during cutting off of the cover
because of a large-area of irreparable
damage.

The damping of the cover and heat development in the cover are decisive influential variables that contribute to the operational reliability of such machines. A reduction in the tendency to vibrations canbe achieved in many cases, by a suitableselection of materials.

New developments

Due to the special fillers in the material,
TopSize HPX and TopCoat HPX have excellent crack resistance. With the selection of polymer, good damping has beenachieved in fast machines subject tovibrations. This development in the fieldof roll covers was possible, above all,through the intensive cooperation withthe engineering department for film
presses.

One goal of the development work was toimprove the crack resistance of the materials to avoid damage as far as possible.
High-speed machines are more critical interms of vibrations. Due to vibrations, inthe course of time permanent deformations are produced in the cover, whichthen further intensify the vibrations (Fig. 14).

13

14

15

52

Successful Customer Symposium organized byVoith Paper Service
Some 120 representatives of the North German, Belgianand Dutch paper industry met
with Voith Paper staff in Cologne
from Feb. 28 to March 1, 2002 at a
Customer Symposium organized byVoith Paper Service.

Comments by the guests:
Dipl. Ing. Helmut Kluth
FS Karton GmbH, Plant Neuss“... the upgrading of the Voith Paper
location at Düren is a good sign for thepaper industry in this region. It signals
the readiness of Voith Paper to be evenmore intensely present in this area.”

Dipl. Ing. Dietmar Böhm
SCA Aschaffenburg“I have already attended a number ofother events, but the organization of thisone is really excellent. I know the Voith
Paper Service Center in Düren fromearlier times, but today it has a completely new face, the former dark shackis now a modern, bright building.”

Mr. Franz Kustos
Norske Skog Walsum“Voith Paper Service is on the way fromgood plain cooking to nouvelle cuisine.
With this symposium, Voith Paper
Service has succeeded in showing thefuture of service and maintenance:
customer-oriented, target-oriented andvisionary.”

Hans Müller, President and CEO of Voith
Paper, welcomed the guests and opened
the two-day event. The program beganwith several papers presented focusing
on “Voith Paper Service” starting with
Josef Stübegger introducing the future
visions of the Voith Paper Service Division. Manfred Kicherer presented the
product portfolio of Voith Paper Service
and Ernst Maurer the One Stop Strategyof the Service Center in Düren. The various components of the paper machine
were the topic of Walter Blum’s presentation and Peter Putschögl informed theparticipants about the production processof rubber covers for rolls.

Service

Following the informative series of papers, theory was backed with practice.
The guests were given the opportunityof obtaining information on site at theService Center in Düren.
After the opening speeches by the Mayorof Düren, Larue, and the Service Center
manager, Ernst Maurer, the attendees of
the Customer Symposium were taken on
a tour through the Service Center, where
they were able to see, among otherthings, the new production line for thecovering of rolls with rubber.

Several displays at the in-house exhibition gave the guests a further insight into
the range of services offered by Voith
Paper. The one-stop strategy (latest inroll technology in conjunction with fullservice) and the up-to-date quality standards were further issues on which customers were pleased to receive information.
The series of papers on the following
day focused on the further developmentof roll covers presented by Dr. Norbert
Gamsjäger. Dr. Thomas Stübegger gave adetailed description of the latest developments for rubber roll covers. Hans

53

Ruff and his co-speaker Norbert Butzke
gave an overview about ways of optimizing the paper machine with focus on
ProRelease. The opportunities on the
sector Field Service, in detail cylinder
service and Diagnostics, were presented
to the interested audience by Uwe Becker
and Bernd Stibi. The guest paper by
Jürgen Birk from Rheinpapier on the“Hürth Service Concept” project rounded
off the event.
The symposium was considered to be acomplete success by all participants andprovided a good opportunity to exchange
ideas and experience.

54

Sappi Gratkorn and
IP Carter Holt Harvey –Voith Paper Tail ThreadingGroup helps these two
customers achieve superior
paper machine threading
performance using Fibron
TEAMS total process approach1

In 1997, the Voith Paper Tail ThreadingGroup introduced a new service called Fibron
The authors:
Elisabeth Rooney,
Robert Hotter,
Voith Paper
Tail Threading Group

Below are case studies of Fibron TEAMS
for both Graphic and Packaging Grades.

TEAMS (Threading Evaluation And Managed Solutions) to help mills optimize the total machine
threading process and system performance effec-

Case Study: Graphic Grades

tively and economically, with a single process
partner – Voith Paper. Fibron TEAMS is used by

SAPPI, PM 9 Gratkorn, Austria

mills around the world to develop fully integrated,

44-82 g/m 2 fine paper

total machine tail threading solutions with guaran-

1,050 mpm (future 1,100 mpm)

teed and sustainable performance and safety.
Threading Evaluation
Threading required risky operator intervention, resulting in inconsistent andoperator dependent threading processes
throughout the machine. The average was
3 breaks per day and the average total“Subsequent to our Fibron TEAMS audit, we worked

threading time was 23 minutes fromwith the Voith Paper Tail Threading Group to up-press to reel. Their goals were to reduce

grade our Total Machine threading process and havefull machine threading time by 50 % con-exceeded our performance and return on investment

sistently and to improve operator safety.

(ROI) expectations. Following our success, manygroup mills are now using Fibron TEAMS to makeThe on-machine evaluation identified four

threading process optimization decisions” said aareas where the current combination ofsatisfied customer.

manual operating procedures and trans-

55

Fig. 1: 3rd press to 4th press,
SAPPI, PM 9 Gratkorn.
Fig. 2: 4th press to dryer ropes,
SAPPI, PM 9 Gratkorn.
Fig. 3: Dryer to size press ropes,
SAPPI, PM 9 Gratkorn.

2

3

fer configurations were the root causes

Size press through after dryer

rope run by installing some new sheavesof their threading efficiency and safety

Installation of a fully automated transfer

to optimize the initial rope transfer and toproblems. In addition, a number of rope

from the last pre-dryer to a Fibron VTT

eliminate interferences.

system configuration issues were clearly

Venturi conveyor feeding an optimized

identified for remedial work.

rope run. The proposed solution would

Guaranteed Results

automatically cut and transfer the tail as

Based on the TEAMS Evaluation, Voith

Recommended Solutions

well as adjust to the varying machine

Paper Tail Threading Group was able to3rd to 4th press:

speeds and grades without operator in-guarantee a 50 % reduction in full ma-

Installation of an automated Fibron Uni-

tervention. Additionally, the Voith Tailchine threading time for PM 9.

versal P&T (Peel and Transfer) Shoe andThreading Group recommended optimiz-a FibroFoil. The P&T Shoe is used to

ing the rope run by installing some new

Managed Solutions

automatically “peel” the tail from the 3rd

sheaves to the initial rope transfer and to

Based on the Fibron TEAMS evaluationpress, and the Fibrofoil acts as a non-eliminate interferences.

and guarantee, Gratkorn decided to fully
implement Voith Paper’s recommendations.

contacting means to stabilize the tail on
the fourth press felt and guide it to theLast dryer to reel

4th press.

Installation of a fully automated transfer

Results

from the last dryer to a Fibron VTT Ven-

Total tail threading time from the presses

4th press to dryers:

turi conveyor feeding an optimized rope

to the reel is now under 8 minutes. Total

Installation of an inverted Fibron Univer-run. The proposed solution would auto-

tail threading time, from the presses to

sal P&T Shoe to automate this transfer.

matically cut and transfer the tail as well

the reel, widening the sheet with the size

In the dryer section, we recommended

as adjust to the varying machine speeds

press closed and on line and the calenderinstallation of some new sheaves to opti-

and grades without operator intervention.

closed and on line, is 12 minutes or less.

mize the rope to rope transfers and to

Additionally, the Voith Tail Threading

The mill’s goal of minimizing total thread-eliminate interferences.

Group recommended reconfiguring theing time by 50% has been achieved. In

56

4

5

 Draws between sections were causing

addition, the system is now automated.

reliable. As a result, significant lost time

No manual intervention by operators is

was recorded. Problems included dryer

required.

can wraps, rope breakage due to tail

 The tail was falling out of the ropes atwads and the need for operator involve-

all sections, but especially in the 5th

ment for successful threading.

section.
 Successful threading required opera-

Case Study: Packaging Grades
The evaluation identified the press to dryCarter Holt Harvey, PM 6, Kinleith,

er ropes transfer and threading through

New Zealandthe seven dryer sections as the areas of

175 - 300 g/m 2 corrugated Medium andgreatest impact, with the dryer to reel

Linerboard

section of secondary importance.
Press to dryer ropes transfer

Following a major rebuild of PM 6, Carter The installed suction tray system at theHolt Harvey experienced severe threading

last press was unreliable, requiring op-

difficulties and contacted the Voith Paper

erator intervention.

placed an order for a Fibron TEAMS as-

tor’s assistance to help move the tailthrough the dryer sections.
 Machine could not be threaded successfully above 600 mpm.
Dryer to Reel

300-710 mpm (Future 800 mpm)

Tail Threading Group for assistance andproblems.

 Changes in grade and speed affected
threading performance.

sessment. The mill’s goal was to reliably

 Unsafe, as operators had to be in thethread at full speed with increased opera-

machine to assist in the threading op-

tor safety.

eration.

 Transfer tray feeding the rope system
had never been successful.
 Rope life was poor and ropes interfered with the scanner operation.
 Ropes would slip on reel drum causing
tail slackness during threading.
 Required operator intervention for operation and adjustment.
Recommended Solutions

Threading Evaluation

Dryer sections 1-7

Press to Dryer Ropes:

At the time, PM 6 had an average of 2-3

 The mill was consistently losing ropes

Installation of an L&T (lift and transfer)

breaks per day and threading times var-in all dryer sections, especially the 5th

shoe and a VTT conveyor to automatically

ied widely, due to the threading being un-

section.

lift the tail from the press felt and accu-

Paper Machines

57

Fig. 4: Last press to dryer ropes,
Carter Holt Harvey, PM 6 Kinleith.
Fig. 5: Dryer to calender to reel,
Carter Holt Harvey, PM 6 Kinleith.

rately direct it into the rope nip. The pro-threading process for PM 6 would exceed

The VTT system from last dryer to calen-

posed solution would automatically cut

the customer’s requirements and provide

der to reel is very reliable and threading

and transfer the tail as well as adjust to

an 85 % reduction in threading time.

times are no longer measured in minutes
but seconds. The entire machine thread-the varying machine speeds and grades
without operator intervention.

Managed Solutions

ing process is now automated and aver-Based on the Fibron TEAMS evaluation

ages less than 10 minutes.

Dryer sections 1-7:

and guarantee, Carter Holt Harvey decid-

The Voith Paper Threading Specialists rec-ed to fully implement Voith Paper’s pri-

CHH’s Paper Mill Operations Team is very

ommended that the entire rope system bemary recommendations with the dryer tosatisfied with the TEAMS solution and theredesigned and optimized using existingreel as a second step.

ongoing results and equipment operation.
CHH is happy to be used as a referenceparts, with the following changes made:Results

for other mills.

 Eliminate the vertical up transfer from

Following installation of the L&T and VTT

the 1st section to the 2nd section.

conveyor at the last press, and the re-Threading analysis

 All automated (rope to rope) transfers

design and optimization of the rope sys-

to be corrected and adjusted so the tailtem, total threading time from the press-

would transfer from section to section

es to the last dryer can has been reduced

without operator assistance.

from over one hour to six minutes with

Average machine
threads/day
Average time/thread(minutes)
Production in tons/h
Selling priceper ton (US$)

 Eliminate all rubbing and interferences.

virtually no operator intervention re- All sheaves to be checked, (required

quired. The redesigned and optimized

replacements were noted).
 Provide rope system maintenance training for all mill crews.

rope system reliably transfers the tail tothe last dryer before the size press withno operator intervention. At the sizepress, there is a long, open draw section,

Before2

Fibronsolution

60
37

8

350

Annual losses
Hours of production time 650
86.67
Tons of production
24,0503,206.67
Potential revenue
lost US$8,417,500 1,122,333.33
ROI

7,295,166.67

Dryer to Calender to Reel:and the tail successfully makes the rope

Installation of a fully automated transfer

to rope transfer approximately 30 % of

ROI analysis

from the last dryer can to a Fibron VTTtime on the first attempt, taking the tail

The ROI analysis was based on the re-conveyor system right through to the

all the way to the last dryer can without

sults achieved and assumed averages forreel. The proposed solution would auto-

operator intervention. The mill is current-

price and production over 325 days permatically cut and transfer the tail as wellly looking at an additional VTT system toyear.

as adjust to the varying machine speeds

further improve size press threading.
In Conclusionand grades without operator intervention.
Six months after the press section instal-Contact your local Voith Paper office if

Guaranteed Results

lation and rope system optimization, theyou would like to have a Fibron TEAMSBased on the Fibron TEAMS evaluation,end section tray and rope system was re-threading specialist evaluate your poten-

the Voith Paper Tail Threading Group wasplaced with a complete VTT conveyor

tial to optimize your threading process

able to guarantee that the full machine

system (dryer to calender to reel).

both profitably and safely.

58

Paper Diagnostics
Using the Eureka System to identify periodic
sheet markThe Eureka image analysis system was

a computer. A separate monitor allows

introduced to the Blackburn site of Voith Fabrics inthe user to see the image before it is cap-

October 1992. The system had originally been

tured. Sample illumination is provided bydeveloped at the University of Manchester Institute

either placing the sample on a light boxof Science and Technology (UMIST) in the UK by

and shining light through it (transmitted

Dr Stephen I’Anson, who was responsible for its

light) or by shining light across the sur-transfer to Blackburn.

face of the sample using a slide projector(glancing incident or low angle reflected

The author:
Sharon Hoole,
Voith Fabrics

With the early success of the Eureka sys-

light). Three complementary image analy-

tem, an identical set-up was introduced

sis software programs on the computer

to the Högsjö site in Sweden during

allow further image manipulation and1994. A second system was purchased

processing, largely using a Fast Fourier

for the Blackburn site in December 1994.

Transform (FFT) algorithm.

Towards the end of 1995, investment wasmade in a laser scanning profiler, which

A later modification of the Eureka systembecame known as the Eureka 3D system,

was the introduction of an ordinary desk-since we could now look at paper andtop scanner for image capture. This wasboard surfaces in three dimensions. This

found to be a quick repeatable method

new system also meant we could investi-

for imaging such things as carbon im-gate how periodic markings in the paper

pressions made from press fabrics, dryer

affect the measured roughness of paper

fabrics and drilled press roll rubbingsand board.

and enabled much larger images – up to
200 mm x 200 mm to be captured. With

Further developments of both systems

the addition of a transparency unit inhave led to a wide range of techniques

place of the scanner lid, it was also pos-

which are available to our customers, as

sible for transmitted light images of pa-

well as for in-house R&D. To date, around

per to be taken using the scanner.

1500 separate investigations have been
1completed for paper mills and researchestablishments world-wide.

The Eureka Method
In technical terms, the Eureka method is

Description of the Eureka Systemused to analyse samples for periodic content by performing a two dimensional

The Eureka system (Fig. 1) comprises a

Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on an image

black and white CCD video camera con-of the sample. The FFT produces a twonected by a digital frame grabber card todimensional frequency spectrum of the59

Paper Machines

Fig. 1: The Eureka image analysis system.
Fig. 2: Transmitted light image of the paper sample
at 70 mm x 70 mm.
Fig. 3: FFT spectrum of the image shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4: Areas of the FFT spectrum shown in Fig. 3
which represent periodic data produced by thesame source.
Fig. 5: The result of performing an inverse FFT on
the spectrum shown in Fig. 3 using only the dataassociated with the areas highlighted in Fig. 4.
2

3

4

image, in which periodic elements are

Case Study 1 – Identification of Machine

ture. The existence of sharp peaks inrepresented by sharp peaks and other

Clothing Mark in Copier Paper

Fig. 3 confirms that there is a periodic

variations by continuous shading. This ismark in the paper and their positions infollowed by interactive filtering of the FFT

A Scandinavian paper maker observed

Fig. 3 can be used to calculate the dimen-

spectrum and an inverse FFT. This methodthat the 100 % chemical pulp, high quali-

sions of the weave pattern. It is also pos-

firstly detects any periodic content in anty paper which he was making appearedsible to separate the periodic and “ran-image over a wide range of frequencies,

to be marked by his paper machine cloth-dom” elements of the image by setting tothen allows the periodic and non-periodic

ing. Although it was clear that the paper

zero all points in the FFT spectrum except

contributions of the image to be separated.

was marked, he was not certain which

the sharp peaks. An inverse FFT can thenitem of machine clothing was at fault,

be performed on the selected areas.

Simply stated, we use a computer to sep-since the unavoidable cloudiness of theFig. 4 shows the areas of Fig. 3 selectedarate marks due to paper machine cloth-

paper due to formation effects made iton this occasion and Fig. 5 is the result ofing and drilled or grooved rolls, from

impossible to make any detailed mea-

performing an inverse FFT. The textile

random unevenness of the sheet pro-surements of the mark. However, he be-pattern has now been isolated and can be

duced by formation or shrinkage during

lieved that it was a press fabric mark.

studied and measured without difficulty.

drying. Normally, if a mark can be detect-

The scale of Fig. 5 is identical to that of

ed by eye, it will be possible to use thisFig. 2 is a 70 mm x 70 mm image of theFig. 2 and they, in fact, correspond point

method to clarify the source of the mark.

paper viewed on a light box. This image

by point with each other. The textile can

It is necessary, however, to use a variety

was digitised and processed using a two

be identified as having a four shaft bro-of methods of illumination as well as

dimensional FFT algorithm to produce the

ken twill weave pattern.

special inks which show up changes in

FFT spectrum shown in Fig. 3. Each point

roughness and absorption from place toin Fig. 3 corresponds to a two dimension-

In this case, a sample of the forming fab-place on the paper or board surface.

al sine wave in Fig. 2. Formation andric in use at the time was available. Fromother “random” effects appear as contin-

an image of this fabric (not shown) theThe best way to explain how the Eureka

uous changes in background shade, but

FFT spectrum shown in Fig. 6 was pro-system is used in practise is by way of

periodic contributions appear as sharp

duced. As the FFT can be used like a “fin-illustrated examples.

peaks, shown as white dots in this pic-

gerprint” to identify the source of a mark,5

60

Fig. 6: FFT spectrum obtained from an image of asample of forming fabric in use on the machine at thetime the paper was manufactured.
Fig. 7: Scanned image of the bottom side of a full width
newsprint sample. Image size is 70 mm x 70 mm andthe MD is exactly vertical.
Fig. 8: FFT spectrum obtained from Fig. 7 with the peaks
used to measure shrinkage highlighted.
Fig. 9: Absolute CD shrinkage profile for 42 g/m 2
newsprint sample, having a total width reduction fromwire to reel of approximately 2.5 %.
6

7

8

9

9

Shrinkage [%]

7
5
3
1
0

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
CD Position [m from back edge]

the peaks selected in Fig. 4 are clearlyand comparing its magnitude across thefile can be converted to an absolute, oralso found in Fig. 6 confirming that thisfull width of the machine. In this example

actual CD shrinkage profile of the sheet

forming fabric is the source of the markan accurately cut full width strip from a

as shown here in Fig. 9.

in the paper, and not a press fabric ashigh speed newsprint machine was sup-was thought by the papermaker.

plied. Fig. 7 is a typical image of theResults like these can be obtained frompaper which was obtained using a desk-full width strips of any paper or board

Case Study 2 – Differential CD Shrinkage

top scanner fitted with a transparency

with a forming fabric mark detectable byProfile Measurements

adapter. This image was transformed

the Eureka system, which includes al-to produce the FFT spectrum shown inmost all grades of paper and board, al-

It is well known that the physical proper-

Fig. 8. The highlighted peaks represent

though it is easier to measure the profiles

ties of paper or board are different at thenearly machine direction (MD) features offor lower weight publication type gradesedge than in the middle of the sheet. In

the forming fabric mark in Fig. 7.

such as LWC, SC paper and newsprint.

particular, roughness is higher and dimensional stability is reduced at theAfter small adjustments for distortion ofedges. Both of these properties are relat-

the forming fabric on machine, measure-

ed to the degree of cross machine direc-

ment of the separation in the CD of thesetion (CD) sheet shrinkage, a property

nearly MD features of this fabric can be

The Eureka system can help papermakers

which can be very different at the edges

made. These are compared at many posi-

identify and understand the nature of pe-

due to lower restraint during drying andtions across the machine and the relative

riodic marks from forming, press andthe wet straining effect of open draws.

dimensional change of the sheet after thedryer section components in their prod-

The relative (and actual) degree of

forming section can be calculated.

ucts. With the inclusion of differential CD

Summary

shrinkage profiles, this unique tool offers

shrinkage between the edges and the
middle can now be quantified using the

These values are converted to give theeven more understanding of the very

Eureka method allowing these differences

degree of shrinkage for each point acrosscomplex art of papermaking. A future pa-

to be more effectively dealt with. The

the sheet relative to the average. From a

per will examine the relationship between

method involves the measurement of aknowledge of the width reduction down

sheet roughness and machine clothing

CD dimension of the forming fabric markthe machine, the relative shrinkage pro-surfaces, using the Eureka 3D equipment.

8

61Voith Paper supports
AIDS children in South Africa

1

2

3

“More than 4.2 million South Africans
are HIV-positive. Over 1700 South Africans get
infected every day with HIV. South Africa currently
has the world’s highest rate of HIV infection.
At least one out of every five pregnant women in
South Africa tests HIV-positive. In other words,
30 % of South African babies are born HIV-positive”.
This original quote from the Cotlands
Baby Sanctuary brochure moved Voith
Paper to financially support this charitable organization formed to help AIDS
children in South Africa. Tony Joseph
and Brian Innes of Inher S.A., the South
African Voith Paper representation,
presented a cheque to Allison Gallow,
Coordinator, Corporate Affairs (Fig. 1).
The author:
Astrid Giltjes,
Fiber Systems

Brian Innes, his wife, and Tony Joseph
personally visited the Cotlands Baby
Sanctuary (Figs. 2 and 3). to see forthemselves how the Voith Paper donation
was to be used, and were extremely impressed.
Cotlands statement: “The mission of ourHIV baby support programme is to help
the local communities through systematic information and assistance with the

projects they have started for AIDS children and their families. Our philosophy is
to help people who have to live with HIV
and AIDS to become more independentand competent, so that fewer AIDS children are neglected or abandoned.”
Allison Gallow expressed her thanks onbehalf of Cotlands as follows: “In thename of all the babies and small children
under our care, I sincerely thank Inher
S.A. and Voith Paper for this generous
support. Yours for a better future, ... forthe sake of our children. Cotlands Baby
Sanctuary.”
Voith Paper is convinced that this donation is in the right hands and has alreadydone a lot of good. And we are very surethat our customers wholeheartedly support this donation.