Consistent quality with QCS upgrade

Port Townsend Paper Corporation is located on the shores of Puget Sound in Washington State, United States.

PM 2’s quality and profile control capability had not been updated since the early to mid-1990s.

PM2 produces diverse grades with many end users. Versatility means a lot of grade changes and transition periods, so it is vital that customer quality is spot-on every time a specific grade is run and the recurrent changes in grade specs are made as quickly as possible. Flat CD profiles and excellent roll structure are near the top of the quality list. 

To maintain a competitive edge and meet today’s more exacting quality control standards, improvements had to be made.

The multi-variable CD control has resulted in a “dramatic improvement” in CD moisture profiles as attested by Dave Harke, Paper Mill Production Manager.

Over a two-month period, 2-sigma variability averaged below 0.5% and that is a significant improvement from before-control figures. The precise control by the steam profiler has allowed the mill to turn off the water spray moisture profiling system, thereby saving the energy required to remove the extra water.

Altogether, the improved control and extra dryness from the press has made a major difference in machine productivity as well as quality. Tim Reandeau, machine tender, estimates that the production rates of the benchmark 23-lb medium grade have been increased from 38 to 42 tonnes per hour – slightly better than 10%.