It is a well-known fact that the paper industry and paper markets are changing rapidly as the digital world changes everything around us. Papermakers are requested to produce proper paper grade to meet market demand.
New machine installation for quality improvement of some grades require time and costs. Grade conversion is recognized as the common way to solve, by modification of existing paper machine with new key components.
For grade conversion, papermakers need to study suitable type of papermaking line, necessary capacity to meet the market demand, improved properties, possibility to produce additional grade with existing machine and/or necessity to produce completely new grade.
Grade conversion has some cases like Paper to Board, Paper to Special, Paper to Paper. Especially the conversion in package grade is on rise.
Global market trend requires economical production of boards with higher efficiency and good qualities, resulting in lower basis weight grades, usage of economical raw materials, higher content of recycled furnish, higher machine speed operation and still the same requirement on board strength properties.
Valmet has developed advanced technologies for multi-Fourdrinier, hybrid and gap formers to manufacture various types of board grades.
The author introduces some of representative technologies in Valmet's advanced wet parts of board machines.
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