Andritz will officially open the world’s most modern research and development center for tissue, the PrimeLineTIAC Tissue Innovation and Application Center, at its Graz location in March 2018. Final test runs are currently in progress.
The research center comprises a complete, state-of-the-art tissue production line, including laboratory facilities for tests and trials to develop new products and processes in the tissue sector. It is available to tissue producers and to suppliers, research and development companies, and universities. Thus, customers and developers can conduct tests and trials under many different conditions, for example to optimize fibers and furnish for a specific product, improve product qualities, increase dryness, and reduce energy consumption. The impact of variables such as stock preparation, chemicals, vacuum, machine clothing, pressing, and drying with hot air and steam can all be measured and evaluated accurately. ANDRITZ experts from R&D and from the stock preparation, machine design and engineering, automation, and pumps departments are available for collaboration and discussions if requested, however customers can also bring along their own team of specialists.
The PrimeLineTIAC has its own complete stock preparation line together with the approach flow system. Many different kinds of pulp can be processed in one production line, which is split into a separate short fiber and long fiber line. In addition, all units are available in small industrial scale, creating an excellent environment for best possible fiber treatment and tests according to the individual needs of customers and products.
The tissue production line offers utmost flexibility for the production of conventional, textured, and structured (TAD) tissue. It features eight configurations that are also available on the market as single-machine concepts. So customers can run extensive trials with what could potentially be their future machine configurations. With a design speed of 2,500 m/min and a sheet width of 600 mm, the machine can be operated with either a suction press roll or a shoe press, a regular CrescentFormer or a vertical CrescentFormer, and with a 16 ft. steel Yankee or two 14 ft. TAD drums.
The PrimeControl automation hardware and software developed by ANDRITZ provides utmost flexibility in monitoring and controlling the eight machine configurations as well as the stock preparation system, including alarm management, online documentation, and eco-monitoring for example.
The pumping systems are highly automated and are monitored in such a way as to not only control operations, but also gather and report important process data under different operating conditions.
Andritz collaborated with many key partners on this project, including Albany International Corp., Danfoss Drives, Fibria, IBS Paper Performance Group, Nash, Södra, and Solenis. The PrimeLineTIAC is sponsored by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG as part of its R&D infrastructure promotion.
