Lifecycle services at BCTMP mill ensure automation system reliability
Metsä Board’s Joutseno Mill produces 360,000 tons of bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp (BCTMP) annually for the middle layer of folding boxboards. Since its establishment in 2001, the mill’s Valmet DNA automation system has been systematically updated through a lifecycle plan.
The current project includes upgrading the I/O system in four phases. More than 1,200 original CIO cards in 18 I/O cabinets are being replaced with ACN I/O cards. The I/O in these cabinets is distributed across seven different process stations, and the cabinets are in six different rack-rooms.
Automation Engineer Johannes Liimatainen from Metsä Board describes the ongoing collaboration with Valmet: “Our service agreement includes quarterly reviews of the lifecycle plan with the Valmet team, and once a year, we conduct a more thorough audit. The original CIO cards had been on the ‘red list’ for a while due to the end of their production, so it was time for their update.”
The upgrades were planned to be executed in four phases, each scheduled to be completed during the plant’s short shutdowns.
“Thanks to a careful assessment and pre-planning with Valmet, we ensured a smooth upgrade with no surprises. The old and new I/O systems work well in parallel. Valmet provided us with valuable insights on how to best phase the project.”
This phased approach also aids in budgeting the upgrades over four years.
By phasing the upgrades, the costs are distributed over several years.
In the first phase, one cabinet and some of the process stations were upgraded, serving as a pilot to fine-tune the plans for larger updates. The second phase involved upgrading the I/O cards in seven cabinets and the rest of the process stations. Using mounting plate and adapter technology streamlined testing and installation and made them cost-efficient.
“The I/O frames, which were installed to mounting plates, were tested in Valmet’s FAT hall. After testing, they arrived at our plant, old I/O frames were dismounted, new were installed and tested.”
Next in line are the upgrade for the rest of the I/O cabinets and PLU card replacements with the new ACN I/O card type that enables replacements without marshalling. At the same time, some of the functions of the PLU cards will be transferred to the safety automation system.
The strong collaboration between professionals keeps the project progressing smoothly.
“The upgrade has been quite straightforward thanks to the detailed pre-planning and lessons learned from the first phase. The Valmet team has kept us well-informed on the project’s progress,” Liimatainen concludes.
Johannes Liimatainen’s tips for I/O system upgrades:
- Good documentation is invaluable for smooth upgrade projects. If you commit to keeping documentation in order, it will save you significant effort in the future.
- Don’t try to do everything at once—carry out the upgrade in phases. With a thorough assessment and pre-planning, the old and new systems can work side by side during the project.
- When dismantling old cabinets, save the parts for spares to use while waiting to upgrade the other cabinets.
- Plan the upgrade phases based on the shutdown durations. Valmet provided us with great guidance on how to schedule based on shutdown duration.
- You can start small, such as with one cabinet. Once you’ve completed one phase, there won’t be surprises in the next ones. The schedule is also easier to manage based on the experience from the first phase.
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