ABB Helps China's Papermaking Machines To Achieve Fully Integrated Automation
Offering customized fully integrated automation systems for China's papermaking machines, narrowing the gap between China's papermaking machines and internationally advanced machines, and helping to achieve efficient and high quality production
Beijing, China - ABB, a Fortune 500 company, signed a contract with China's leading pulp and paper maker Minfeng Special Paper Co., Ltd. (Minfeng) to supply a fully integrated automation system for its domestically-made papermaking machine that produces Glassine paper. The system shall help the production line achieve full process control, from making paper pulp to producing finished rolls of paper, along with quality control.
With the System 800xA, ABB seamlessly integrates the Distributed Control System(DCS), Quality Control System(QCS), Web Imaging Systems (WIS) into this domestically-made papermaking machine to achieve equipment sharing between sub-systems and centralized intelligent control of the sub-systems as well as reduced investment in equipment, improved product quality and decreased manpower and material resource usage.
"Compared to systems that are not integrated, fully integrated automation systems have simplified design, an excellent degree of visualization and outstanding level of intelligence, and provide engineers with added convenience during operation while helping enterprises to significantly cut manpower and equipment maintenance costs," said Lin ShuMing, head of ABB Pulp & Paper in North Asia, "Like Minfeng, more and more paper makers are starting to use ABB's fully integrated automation systems in their domestically-made papermaking machines for the production of plasterboard surface paper, special paper, wrapping paper and other types of paper."
ABB once successfully cooperated with Shanxi Qiangwei Paper Co., Ltd. (Qiangwei) for a 300,000 ton / yr plasterboard surface paper project. ABB has customized its fully integrated automation systems for Minfeng and Qiangwei to meet the needs of domestically-made papermaking machines in terms of operational characteristics and individualized production lines. With extensive experience and advanced technology, ABB's systems can improve product quality, increase output of finished products and ensure production line operations remain stable, have low levels of resource consumption and maintain high levels of efficiency.
ABB has maintained a strong business in providing fully integrated automation systems for many years due to its customized services for paper makers. Through its cooperation with domestic and international paper makers such as UPM-Kymmene and Hengan for large papermaking projects using advanced international papermaking equipment produced by Voith, Metso, etc., ABB has accumulated a great deal of successful experience in this business area. Minfeng equipped its two Voith machines that produce high grade cigarette paper and writing paper with ABB's fully integrated automation systems in 1999 and 2002 respectively.
Nowadays, more and more paper makers have realized that unpredictable machine breakdowns can lead to huge losses and many including Hua Run Paper Co., Ltd. and Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited's Leshan subsidiary have already begun using ABB's fully integrated automation systems in their domestically-made papermaking machines. In 2011, Changtai Paper ordered two fully integrated automation systems from ABB for use in two domestically-made papermaking machines at its new plant that produce plasterboard surface paper and linerboard.
ABB also provides annual support services to paper makers. Under such services, ABB's professional engineers can analyze production lines while the machines are shut down for only a very short period of time, and provide paper makers with comprehensive and preventive suggestions on maintenance, thereby helping to ensure production lines are stably and efficiently operated, and the service life of equipment is extended.
China's papermaking industry has grown continuously over the past 10 years. ABB established its pulp and paper team in China as early as 1994 and went on to successively establish business branches in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with its industry-leading workforce and services. In November 2010, ABB established its QCS and WIS factory in Shanghai – the global manufacturing base for its pulp and paper business. By the end of 2011, ABB had successfully completed up to 300 large-scale projects within China's papermaking industry and had maintained long term partnerships with many leading domestic and international paper makers such as Hengan, Nine Dragons Paper, Lee & Man Paper and Huatai Group.
SOURCE: ABB