Pankakoski QCS pays back three times faster than expected
Dec 22, 2015
The Pankaboard mill specializes in high quality boards for packaging and graphical use from two distinctly different board machines. When the mill decided to upgrade the quality control system on its second machine, BM 3, they looked for a supplier with specialized expertise, a proven track record and “can do” attitude. Valmet* had
previously supplied a very successful QCS upgrade to the mill’s other machine, BM 2. Valmet’s history with automation in the mill goes back more than thirty years.
* Metso until April 1, 2015
The new controls allow us to confidently drive the machine closer to the limits, with the result that the QCS project has given us a return on investment three times faster than we expected.”
Tomi Hankaniemi, Production Manager
Summary
Location
Lieksa, Eastern Finland
Customer challenge
Operation of the original quality control system on BM 3 had reached the end of its life cycle, requiring more frequent maintenance.
Solution
New Valmet IQ QCS including replacement of some base level controls. The scanner frame was rebuilt and equipped with the latest models of Valmet IQ sensors for moisture, basis weight and caliper.
Results
50% improvement in machine direction (MD) basis weight variation.
Reduction of time to change grades and the time for break recovery. The sooner the machine gets “on spec” for a particular grade, the higher will be the saleable production. The time to reach specification after a 20 gsm grade change, has been reduced by half with the controls on. Automatic control reduces the break recovery time by 70%.
Keywords
Board and paper, Improvements, Rebuilds and upgrades, Europe
