PeakElement, the elastomer component available for all Voith (Germany)  press felt designs, improves the efficiency of machines for all paper grades. The new material reduces startup time and has shown to reduce energy consumption.

The elastomer component is integrated into the felt structure and ensures that the felt achieves the optimum saturation in the nip as quickly as possible. This is necessary to obtain the ideal hydraulic pressure in the press nip and enable appropriate dewatering. As press felts with PeakElement technology compress up to 15% more than standard felts, the functional saturation is achieved within a much shorter period. As a result, startup time for the paper machine is noticeably reduced and the actual production speed is reached sooner.

The rebound capacity of the press felt is also crucial for performance over the entire service life. The elastomer component prevents a lasting deformation of the material – even after more than two million revolutions. This means that the flow of water is guaranteed and the machine efficiency is continuously maintained.

PeakElement technology has already proven effective in numerous paper machines producing all grades of paper, Voith reports. Along with shorter startup times and lower energy consumption, paper manufacturers have also opted to switch to PeakElement technology because of the higher production volume it offers.