An audit conducted by Voith, Germany, with RDM Group, Italy, in the run-up to the project went a long way to ensuring that the rebuild of RDM’s No. 3 board machine (BM 3) at its Arnsberg, Germany, mill was completed ahead of schedule. Not only did close collaboration between the two companies deliver a 3% increase in productivity and an improvement in paper quality, the costs of the rebuild were also reduced due to the re-use of components. 

In an email of thanks to Voith's project team, Thomas Bock, managing director of the RDM Group, Italy, wrote that "I just wanted to let you know that the BM 3 in Arnsberg has been producing board since 6:50 pm. This means that we have more than achieved our goal." Voith had completed the extensive rebuild of the board machine a day ahead of schedule, allowing RDM to resume production earlier than planned.

 

 

A crucial factor in the success of the project was the extensive audit conducted jointly by Voith and RDM beforehand, with the involvement of numerous experts from various areas. Together, the parties defined the goals to be met by the rebuild and the measures necessary to achieve them. The reduction of manufacturing costs was a key objective for RDM, so the partners explored various options to jointly work out an ideal solution.

Audit participants determined that the best starting point for optimization was the intermediate ply of the three-ply cardboard produced on the machine. To stabilize the quality of the surface, RDM had to use an expensive top layer. To prevent flutter, new components, for example, were designed to reduce the consistency in the headbox from up to 3% to 1.5%. As a result, RDM is now able to use a more cost effective top layer. 

The participants did not always opt for the variant with the lowest investment cost. During the audit, several options for the dewatering elements had been tested, whereas the decision was made in favor of the most forward-thinking variant. The chosen solution reduces fluctuations that are usual downstream of the headbox and therefore creates the basis for the high product quality. One cost-saving measure was to use as many parts from the BM 3 as possible for the rebuild. So during the audit, the two companies determined which components were worth re-using.

Extending the dewatering section with an improvement in dewatering capacity also proved to be an expedient measure. Only a short time after the restart, the production speed increased by 3%. The intermediate ply is not the limiting section anymore as it is designed now for 1,000 m/min.

Not only did the rebuild result in a reduction in production costs, the fiber savings and higher dewatering capacity also improved paper quality. "It was the best execution of a project I have witnessed in Arnsberg in the past 37 years," RDM Product Manager Joachim Corthum confirmed.

The fact that production could restart ahead of schedule, thanks to the well-coordinated collaboration between all parties during the planning and rebuild phases, has also prompted RDM to get Voith on board for other servicing projects.