Pulp Paper & Logistics


ABB 15


Figure 1: An automated paper testing system from L&W Autoline in use


the intuitive touchscreen interface and trouble- free paper feeding systems further reduce operator involvement compared with previous generations.


Once a paper sample is fed into the device,


testing starts by touching the screen, with results automatically collected and organised into reports that are available mill-wide, as shown in Figure 2. Maintenance procedures are very similar to those of the benchtop instruments when they use the same measurement principles.


Myth no6: Testing feedback time is not critical Many people think that having rapid feedback of test results is not critical because the quality data is only used for quality assurance, and not for quality and process optimisation. Standard testing procedures require conditioning of the paper for up to several hours before testing. But if operators receive quality information within 15 minutes of a turnup, they can avoid production outside quality limits and the expense of rejecting paper. An automated paper tester such as ABB’s L&W


Autoline takes a machine-width strip of paper from a finished reel of paper and conducts a range of tests cross-direction positions within about 10 minutes, providing rapid feedback to operations. This avoids multiple steps in manual testing, such as sample preparation, sample conditioning, manually entering values, calculations, compiling data and comparing to quality specs.


Myth no7: It is hard to service equipment running 24/7 Automated paper testing equipment runs 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and it’s


Figure 3: Automated paper testing systems that enable modules to be serviced while in operation ensure minimum impact to quality testing and continuous operation


important to keep it running smoothly. Users typically have a service agreement to take care of equipment maintenance that they can’t handle themselves. Mills seeking to implement automated


testing should be confident that their chosen equipment supplier has a reliable, worldwide network of service representatives to handle this requirement and this maintenance can be non-interruptive to the system, allowing continuity of quality testing as shown in Figure 3.


Myth no8: Automated testing equipment will not meet our specific requirements The latest automated testing equipment is highly customisable, meeting the needs of mills of all sizes and with different levels of testing requirements.


Building on the legacy of almost 50 years of


automatic paper testing, ABB’s L&W Autoline has been continuously improved in terms of efficiency, testing capabilities, scalability and ease of use. New modules have been developed to provide testing of many different types of paper, from fine paper to board. Each L&W Autoline is scalable and customisable, in that the testing modules to be included are selected by the users to match their needs in a system that is now available in two sizes. If needs change, the modules are “plug-and- play” – easily swapped in and out of the system. The latest Autoline can even start testing


a second sample before a first sample is finished, which can save up to 20 per cent of overall testing time. The data collection system manages all the results coming from each of the individual testing modules and matches them up with the cross-machine position and


sample number. The equipment also queues samples, so that a user does not need to be present to start testing of the next sample as soon as the equipment is available.


Debunking myths with facts: 30 years of automated testing at Stora Enso’s Langerbrugge mill Stora Enso’s paper mill at Langerbrugge in Belgium makes recycled newsprint and super- calendered paper, and has relied on the L&W Autoline for the majority of its lab testing since the 1990s. It first purchased the equipment to minimise the need for manual testing, reduce the number of instruments needed and obtain cross-machine profile data in order to optimise quality requirements. In 2019, the mill upgraded its Autoline equipment. “Thirty years of experience with L&W Autoline made it an easy decision to proceed with a new generation last year,” says Monique Gistelinck, technology manager at the mill. “We rely on the Autoline to deliver high uptime and trustworthy results. It is unthinkable nowadays to work without this system.”


Overcoming misconceptions for higher quality achievements For today’s paper and packaging mills, the costs of implementing automated testing are outweighed by its multiple benefits. With a typical return on investment of less than two years achievable through detailed quality reports and faster process optimisation, more mills should be ready to make this transition. Ensuring a competitive edge comes from the comprehensive, accurate and rapid test results that are easily achieved with automated paper testing.


May/June 2020


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