Digital services supporting proactive maintenance and reliability at Opal

Opal and Valmet have built a long-term partnership in which digital services play a key role in turning performance data into practical actions that improve reliability, optimise uptime and support a proactive maintenance approach.

Opal Botany BM9 and Valmet collaboration

Opal is one of Australia and New Zealand's largest recycling, paper and packaging businesses. It operates two high‑performance mills in Maryvale, Victoria, and Botany, NSW that manufacture paper which can be used in innovative packaging solutions. Operating in a geographically remote area, Opal leverages digital services, including remote monitoring and access to global expert support to maintain reliability and enable a proactive maintenance approach at its Botany Paper & Recycling Mill.

Digital services supporting daily operations and continuous improvement

At Opal’s Botany Mill, digital services support the daily way of working between the Mill team members and Valmet experts. With remote monitoring provided by Valmet Performance Center experts supported with insights from diagnostics application, the teams together maintain a continuous view of performance and can identify deviations early, making it easier to prioritise the right actions before issues impact operations. This also supports continuous improvement by enabling more informed decision-making over time.  

Given Australia’s relative isolation and the limited availability of highly experienced paper machine specialists locally, access to Valmet’s global knowledge base and the ability to obtain technical advice and issue resolution within very short timeframes is considered a major advantage at the Mill. Valmet Performance Center’s board and paper process experts are available around the clock every day of the year to support the Mill’s team.

From early insights to proactive maintenance

Continuous remote monitoring of the performance data and diagnostics application insights together support improvement in critical areas such as the winder, where stable performance is essential for overall runnability. Valmet Winder Diagnostics is a solution that monitors winder performance data and reveals trends, helping detect deviations early and uncover improvement opportunities, while experts at Valmet Performance Center provide recommended actions before any issues impact operations. In addition to current winder-related development, the long-term cooperation between Opal and Valmet has also included diagnostics-based support in other machine areas.

Through remote monitoring, we get regular updates on how the machine is performing, giving us the opportunity to react before issues impact production. This year, we introduced Valmet Winder Diagnostics which is already delivering good results in winder performance. Proactiveness is key to minimising unplanned downtime and improving cost efficiency, and Valmet’s monitoring tools together with specialist support play an important role in preventive maintenance,” says Kerri Baldwin, General Manager, Operations Botany Mill.

Kerri Baldwin, General Manager, Operations Botany Mill

With regular reporting and joint follow-up meetings, the teams can address emerging issues early, support more predictable maintenance decisions, and help maintain stable production, reliability and cost efficiency.

Example of a solved issue supported by digital services: Improving felt functionality and lifetime, ensuring machine runnability - B9 linear press section

Challenge and solution  
  • The diagnostics application alerted too large a difference between the measurement and setpoint value of pick‑up roll second chamber vacuum control. While Valmet Performance Center was investigating this, another issue was found simultaneously with pick-up felt high-pressure shower pressure control. The difference with the measurement and setpoint was large and the pressure control output was at 0. New felts had been installed on the machine just a couple of days earlier.
  • In order to fix the issue found with shower pressure control and ensure maximum felt lifetime, new felts should be cleaned with lower pressures and gradually increase the pressure when felts get older. The customer was advised to check the pick-up felt high pressure shower control valve condition and actual position, and to add an alarm to DNA when the pressure control error is large enough.
  • The customer confirmed that the adjustment valve had been locked in a 45-degree position and that it will be fixed during the next shutdown.  
Results  
  • Too high shower pressure on newly installed felts will decrease the lifetime of the felt and negatively affect felt functionality.
  • Recommended actions made by Valmet Performance Center improved the felt functionality, lifetime and therefore the runnability of the machine.  

Technical summary – BM9  

Grade Recycled liner & fluting  
Wire width   6 250 mm 
Design speed   1 600 m/min  

 

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