Source: Korsnäs AB

Korsnäs Gävle chooses Intellinova with SPM HD for its fiber line

The SPM HD® measuring method has gained wide acclaim in the pulp and paper industry. Korsnäs, one of Sweden's leading producers in consumer packaging, now invests in the Intellinova online system with SPM HD for condition monitoring on the fibre line of its production facility in Gävle.

Korsnäs is a leading producer of fresh fibre-based packaging materials, mainly in consumer packaging. Production, with integrated pulp manufacturing, takes place at the company's three facilities in Gävle, Frövi and Rockhammar. The production facility in Gävle, on the east coast of Sweden some 170 km north of Stockholm, has a total production capacity of 700,000 tons of paper and paper board annually on its three paper machines PM2, PM4 and PM5.

Shortly after the launch of SPM HD in 2010, SPM was contracted to measure bearing condition on the pre-impregnation vessel, using portable measuring equipment. At this point, before an upcoming maintenance stop, it was feared there was bearing damage in the vessel. SPM HD measurements, however, showed there was no damage on the vessel bottom bearing. During a maintenance stop shortly after the measurements, it was confirmed that the disturbances detected earlier originated from other parts of the machine.

Gunnar Rönning, the maintenance engineer at Korsnäs, says the decision to invest in online condition monitoring was taken as a consequence of the successful measurements, and Korsnäs have high expectations for the SPM HD measuring method and its suitability for low-speed machinery such as those in the fibre line.

Installation on two continuous digesters, pre-impregnation tower, high-pressure feeder and wash press will take place during planned stops in May and June, 2011. This machinery normally runs at about 3-10 RPM.

The fibre line in chemical pulp manufacturing covers the processes from wood to pulp: boiling, washing, filtering and bleaching.