Valmet Tissue Technology Center Upgraded to Provide a Wider Range of Opportunities

Valmet has upgraded its Tissue Technology Center in Karlstad, Sweden, to give the world's tissue producers a wider variety of technical solutions and configurations to support the demands of tissue making today and tomorrow. It will also provide new ways to utilize the Industrial Internet and advanced automation solutions to bring new insights about tissue production, as well as to give more detailed analysis, and information about the end-product quality. 

 

The Tissue Technology Center is a unique resource for cultivation and realization of ideas, innovations and verifying new technology or machine configurations. It is used for both Valmet's own development and customer trials. Recently the center celebrated its 1,000th customer trial.

"The upgraded pilot center can offer a renewed and even more flexible pilot machine to support our customers in their ambition to develop solutions that will take this industry to the next level. It can easily be adjusted to cover tissue making processes for conventional, textured and structured grades" says Karl-Johan Tolfsson, manager, Tissue Technology Center, Valmet.

The current quality control systems on the pilot tissue machine have been replaced and complemented by the Valmet IQ quality management system. The new system contains online non-nuclear weight, moisture and softness measurements. It also includes two Valmet IQ Scanners and a dilution profiler with cross-direction control. Machine direction controls integrate fast responding wet end process and dry end feedback controls to achieve increased performance in tissue quality control. Valmet IQ Reporting provides users easy access to production and history data. 

"With the renewed quality management system, we are able to get faster and more accurate information. The addition of the web monitoring and inspection system also enables the monitoring of the visual end product quality that was not possible before," says Marko Toskala, director, quality management systems, automation.

 

The Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System records video images of crucial events in the process, such as web breaks, tail feeding and defects triggered by the IQ Web Inspection System. Recorded images are available for playback, enabling operators to quickly find the origin of the event and correct the problem. This shortens downtime after breaks and improves runnability. Optimized machine efficiency delivers fast payback on investment. 

The upgrade includes stock preparation and wet end measurement solutions providing tissue makers with new tools to improve quality, runnability and efficiency. The Valmet Wet End Analyzer (Valmet WEM) combines all relevant wet end variables for a total wet end management solution. Measured variables include charge, chemistry (pH, temperature, conductivity and redox), total and ash consistency, total and ash retention and ash content, all in one analyzer. A Valmet Fiber Image Analyzer (Valmet FS5), designed for routine paper mill laboratory and laboratory research, offers a comprehensive set of automated fiber measurements and the possibility to make the information easily available and useful.

 

Tissue Technology Center provides access to a full sized, flexible pilot machine, a well-equipped and organized paper and fiber testing laboratory as well as wide technology and process expertise. The Center can also provide support from a wide network of know-how in the field of tissue making, such as pulp, chemistry, felts, wires, belts, creping etc. The pilot machine and auxiliary systems are designed and equipped for full flexibility to meet the tissue makers' every need.