ABB Introduces New Dirt Count System for Pulp Mills

ABB, Sweden, has introduced its new HPINet WIS Dirt Count system. The system provides full web width inspection, imaging, and identification in real-time to improve pulp quality and production yield, as well as customer satisfaction.

Accurate dirt detection, imaging, and classification all play a crucial role in quality control and process improvement for pulp production. ABB’s Dirt Count web imaging system meets today’s demands for increased quality and runnability, with 100% inspection of pulp and reduced customer claims.

Using high resolution, CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) digital cameras together with advanced machine vision tools to improve performance, the Dirt Count System provides an exceptional level of real-time defect detection on the fastest and widest width modern paper machines. Real-time detection of dirt and shives in pulp allows operators to take corrective actions earlier, resulting in improved production yield and quality and reduced customer claims.

Dirt detection and analysis are performed by specialized, high-speed FPGA (field-programmable gate array) devices. Automated detection and counting yields consistent and repeatable results leading to improved grading of production. Defects as small as 0.02 mm2 (less than half of the width of a human hair) may be detected, which enables ABB’s Dirt Count System to fully comply with all defect size classifications in the ISO/TAPPI/ANSI standards. Connectivity to mill-wide systems and integration with ABB pulp and paper automation systems ensures that defect data can be acted upon at the quality management and process control levels.

Unlike older technology that attempted to count dirt based on single sheets or narrow webs, ABB’s full web dirt count system can detect and classify information across the entire web in real-time. The system can be configured with either transmission or reflection illumination methods.

ABB’s Dirt Count System sets the new standards in web imaging systems to optimize product quality for the paper industry. Since the 1970’s, ABB has delivered more than 1,300 Web Imaging Systems around the world. The system is backed by ABB’s longstanding commitment to support its products over an extended lifecycle and by ABB’s dedicated global network of highly trained service personnel.