Precise & correct positioning assured.

BST, headquartered in Bielefeld (D), is a medium-sized manufacturer of systems for web-processing industries. The company employs over 300 people and operates at 11 locations worldwide as part of elexis AG. They use Metallux Sensors in their Web Guiding Systems

Web guiding systems are required wherever flat material webs are produced, processed, or refined. A typical application is the printing industry for paper, packaging, and labels. However, they are also indispensable in the production of battery cells, printed electronics, tires, hygiene products, as well as in conveyor and transport systems.

When a paper web runs through a printing machine, it is guided through numerous rollers. To achieve a perfect final result, the position of the web in the printing machine must be precisely defined and maintained at all times. A web guiding system ensures the exact alignment of the web and keeps the material on track, even at the highest web speeds, so that it is always correctly positioned.

Nicol Otterbach, Vice President of Global Marketing at BST, emphasises that web guiding is an essential component of the continuous printing process. BST places great value on comprehensive customer consultation and high reliability, combined with simple and intuitive operation of the respective solution. BST also enables comprehensive process optimisations through the use of inspection and quality assurance systems. Excellent service worldwide completes the package.

An essential component of these web guiding systems is the MMP linear sensor from Metallux. The sensor is integrated into the actuator of the web guiding system. Its task is to continuously detect the absolute actual position of the drive, thereby enabling highly precise web control.

The absolute, wear-free sensor is hermetically sealed and, with a height of less than 2 mm, particularly thin. It works contactless via a magnet guided at a distance from the sensor. The MMP operates in the low voltage range, typically powered by 5 VDC. Its output signal can be processed by all common control systems.

The MMP not only offers high resolution, precision, and measurement accuracy but is also robust, wear-free, and has an exceptionally long service life of up to 50 million cycles. These advantages make it the ideal sensor for high-performance, fast machines, ensuring precise and reliable control.

However, BST does not use a standard version but a customised solution. The sensor is not mounted on a film with adhesive lamination as usual but is directly integrated into the actuator’s design. This special form of construction enables easy installation. The dimensions and cable are also customized. Instead of polyester, the resistor carrier is made of FR4. These customer-specific adaptations meet BST’s high requirements.

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@pressebox #Metallux #BST #elexis #manufacturing

Drives in pulp & paper.

ABB and international producer Sun Paper have completed the successful activation of a major drives project at the first modern pulp and paper site in Laos as part of an investment towards reaching an output of 1.2 million tons of pulp and paper annually.

The project, completed by ABB 18 days ahead of schedule despite the restrictions of the pandemic, represents Sun Paper’s first overseas production base and supports China’s Belt and Road Initiative, an important infrastructure development strategy.

“The successful and timely delivery of this large-scale execution from our China Pulp and Paper team proves ABB’s deep process control application expertise and our capability to deliver paper machine modernization projects across the Southeast Asia region,” said Liu YueMing, ABB Pulp and Paper Lead, North Asia and China. “Considering that overseas projects can sometimes be complex, we are pleased that this has been such a smooth and efficient start-up, especially as it took place when Laos was implementing the most stringent measures during the pandemic.”

As well as managing execution and installation, ABB provided its PMC800 multidrive system and ABB Ability™ System 800xA distributed control system to keep production of the two 400,000 ton advanced packaging paper lines (PM1 and PM2) of high-end packaging paper running smoothly. The paper machines have a total installed power capacity of 41,000KW over 120 drive points for both machines and are designed for speeds of 1200m/min. ABB was awarded the project in November 2019, demonstrating its technical capabilities and domain expertise, and successful track record on a similar scope and scale.

Located in the Savannakhet Province of Laos, the digital transformation of the mill means it can now benefit from a fully integrated solution that drives higher system performance due to remote support capability, greater running availability, faster start-up, optimization of the spare parts delivery and a more stable and easy operation overall.

ABB also recently completed another order for Sun Paper, with the installation of a fifth chemical mechanical pulp production line, with an annual output of 200,000 tons, at its Yandian plant in Shandong, eastern China. ABB’s scope of supply included two sets of 14 MW KW AMS Refiner Motors, Brushless Synchronous Motor, ABB Ability™ System 800xA DCS process control system and PMC800 multi-drives.

@ABBgroupnews #PAuto #Paper #Pulp

Advanced digital services in papermill.

ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations has been added to ABB's service deliverables at a major paper mill in East Java, Indonesia. The site produces a variety of printing and writing paper, other paper-related products, and packaging products including cardboard boxes. With an annual capacity of 320,000 metric tons, the mill is one of the world’s largest single-site producers of writing stationery.

Automating production requires processing large amounts of data. As complexity increases, so does the volume of data. Collaborative Operations helps paper producers to make productive use of this data to identify and address production, quality and cost issues that can inhibit peak performance. This improves return on capital. Collaborative Operations helps to maximize business value by turning data insights into direct action.

At the mill, Collaborative Operations is reducing cycle times on product grade changes, resulting in higher production. It is also stabilizing moisture and other additive levels using multivariable predictive controls. Specific improvements include increased production due to higher equipment availability, fewer sheet breaks, lower chemical costs and reduced paper quality variation. These improvements all lead to better product quality and consistency, fewer rejects and more sales.

This project builds upon ABB’s 15-year history of delivering traditional and advanced services to the mill. Collaborative Operations enhances ABB’s ability to positively impact daily mill operations to ensure that results achieved over the years will continue and improve.

ABB has three Collaborative Operations Centers dedicated to pulp and paper industry customers in Finland, the United States, and now Singapore, as well as many more that serve other industry segments. All three pulp and paper centers may be involved with delivering advanced services to this mill in order to leverage various skill sets in each region.

@ABBMeasurement #PAuto 

Smart wireless meets environmental requirements in Sweden!

Rosemount® wireless conductivity transmitters help prevent discharge of chemicals into local environment

Korsnäs Gävle is using Emerson Process Management’s Smart Wireless conductivity and temperature transmitters to collect critical leak-detection monitoring data at its board and paper production unit at Gävlebukten, Sweden. Improved monitoring enables the company to verify its compliance with environmental monitoring legislation.

Water from heat exchangers at the Gävlebukten plant is carefully monitored prior to its return to the sea. Small internal leaks may result in the discharge of hazardous chemicals into the local environment. Any leak of acids, bases, or salts will raise the electrical conductivity of the water and is easily detected using a conductivity sensor. A renovation project within the utilities section meant that I/O supporting existing instrumentation was to be removed. Korsnäs Gävle therefore needed an alternative way to transmit the required measurements to the main control room.


“Initially we considered installing new cable runs, but the process would have taken too long and would have delayed the planned renovation project,” said Peter Hallenberg, Project Leader Process Automation, Korsnäs Gävle. “The application presented a great opportunity for us to install and evaluate Emerson’s Smart Wireless technology, which takes advantage of the IEC 62591 (WirelessHART®) communication standard.”

The Smart Wireless solution that Korsnäs Gävle installed includes a Rosemount® Analytical 6081-C transmitter connected to a conductivity probe. The transmitter sends the measurement data via a Smart Wireless Gateway to the existing control and data acquisition systems, where it is used to ensure compliance with the environmental monitoring legislation.

Korsnäs Gävle also needed to establish new continuous monitoring of emissions from aerated basins and ponds. Twenty-two new sensors measuring pH, dissolved oxygen, and water temperatures had to be installed and connected to the central monitoring system. There were no available cable runs, and new cable infrastructure presented a considerable challenge and cost at €200 per metre.

To meet this challenge, Korsnäs Gävle installed six Rosemount wireless transmitters, each with four available inputs, to relay data from the analytical sensors. The wireless instruments provide the necessary data to meet the environmental requirements.

“Less than two months after ordering the Smart Wireless devices, the whole system was fully operational. That is very fast for implementing 30 new measurement points,” said Hallenberg.
“Now that the network is in place we have also found that adding additional devices becomes very simple.”

Specifically, Korsnäs Gävle has installed seven Rosemount 648 wireless temperature transmitters to automate the monitoring of water temperatures in wastewater pits that feed the aerated basins and ponds. A further eight Rosemount wireless transmitters will be installed to identify plugged filters on two wood chip digesters within the main processing section of the plant.

Reducing stress!

Westermo industrial Ethernet switch reduces the stress for ABB Force Measurement

ABB FM (Force Measurement) is using Westermo’s Redfox industrial Ethernet switch with its latest version of Stressometer system for measurement and control of rolling mills. The implementation of the Redfox Industrial device has helped to reduce the number of data communication products needed from six to one, simplifying the system and lowering costs.

ABB FM is a leading global supplier of control systems for rolling mills. The company’s Stressometer system, consisting of a variety of measuring and control instruments, optimises the process to produce the highest quality rolled products. When implementing a previous version of the Stressometer system, the rolling mill control network would often consist of up to six different networking devices. These included switches, routers, converters and firewalls that would invariably be supplied by different manufacturers. This could result in compatibility issues and a lack of critical networking functions such as secure VPNs and separation of networks. It also resulted in difficulties installing and maintaining these complex networks. The greater number of products needing to be configured meant it took longer to install and required a higher level of network knowledge. The need to use multiple products also contributed to a congested control cabinet, which would then need to be cooled. This leads to increased maintenance requirements as fans become worn.

The networking solution for Stressometer is now based on a single RedFox Industrial 18 port, layer 3 switch running Westermo’s WeOS operating system. The WeOS operating system has been developed to provide layer 2 and layer 3 functions, which means the RedFox Industrial device can be used as both a switch and a router. The WeOS operating system can also manage complex networking issues including advanced security. For example each port can be configured with individual firewall rules and support is provided for encrypted VPN tunnels, which means you can connect securely over the internet. These new functions provided by Redfox Industrial Are now enabling the Stressometer system to handle multiple data communication networks within the mill using a single networking device.

"We have been delivering this latest version of the Stressometer system incorporating the RedFox Industrial device since 2010 and we have had no problems at all with the data communications," says Christer Gustafsson, Data Communications Manager at ABB FM. "When we upgraded our system we wanted a more unified networking solution. The Westermo device helps achieve this by avoiding compatibility problems between products from different manufacturers. Because of this the system is now easier for us to install and maintain and costs less to deliver.”

The RedFox Industrial’s WeOS operating system enables the communication network to be subdivided into three Virtual VLANs: A protected VLAN, using an encrypted VPN tunnel that is not accessible by the client, connects all the measuring and control instruments. A second VLAN connects to the rolling mill control computer and the third connects to the mill's office network. This provides a link to the Internet and enables the system to be monitored securely from outside the industrial network.

The new network solution for the Stressometer system is delivered preconfigured and installation is as simple as plugging in a few cables. Once in place, it is virtually maintenance free. If the Stressometer system requires updates or servicing, ABB FM can simply access the protected part of the network over the Internet via the encrypted VPN tunnel. Although the system is pre-configured it is still very flexible. Should equipment be plugged in or moved Network Address Translation (NAT) rules can be applied without affecting the original configuration.

The ABB Stressometer systems are installed in tough industrial environments. Westermo’s RedFox Industrial switch has been designed specifically for such applications and will operate in environments with high levels of electromagnetic interference and in extreme temperatures of between -40 to +70degC.

"We have tried many different industrial data communication products from different suppliers, but none have been good enough for our demanding requirements. The new solution, incorporating the Westermo device, works very well and requires very little technical support," concludes Gustafsson.