Efficient Material Flow In The Production Of Tissue Paper

The VarioFlow plus chain conveyor system reduces the need for maintenance and increases reliability

Eurovast is upgrading the production of tissue paper at its Pescia, Italy site from a traditional line to a highly automated production plant. The VarioFlow plus chain conveyor system from Bosch Rexroth enables flexible transport of the packaged products in the plant.

Eurovast, a leading company in the production of tissue paper, is working with Bosch Rexroth to optimize its production facilities. The initial goal was to implement a highly automated solution that enables continuous production with reduced machine downtimes.

Fully automated process
According to Saverio Capiferri, Operations Manager at Eurovast, the production process is based on an end-to-end automation line that can be monitored by operators without direct manual intervention. As soon as the machine is loaded with a huge roll of base paper, a fully automatic process starts, which ends with the palletizing of the end products.

The fully automatic process is divided into three main steps: unwinding the rolls and feeding the primary and secondary packaging. In order to ensure continuous production in 24-hour operation, the reliability of the machines is crucial.

Rexroth technology in use
Bosch Rexroth supplied an advanced material flow solution to the Pescia production site. The modular VarioFlow plus chain conveyor system allows the paper rolls and packaging units to be transported efficiently between the various production steps. Thanks to a specially developed software solution, the material flow can be adapted as required. This ensures maximum flexibility and enables optimized workflows.

One of the most innovative aspects of the conveyor system is that it can also be adapted to complex production processes. The paper rolls can, for example, be fed to different packaging machines as required. The material flow between the various processing phases is ensured. The solution also reduced the risk of failure. The system is less susceptible to dust absorption – one of the main causes of wear in the paper industry. By reducing friction and optimizing the number of drives, energy consumption was also significantly reduced.

According to Simone Ghilarducci, project manager at Eurovast, the decision for the VarioFlow plus chain conveyor system was the best choice strategically. Reducing wear and optimizing the number of transport sections with their own drive helped lower operating costs and improve the overall efficiency of the production plant. "We would therefore like to continue to work with Bosch Rexroth in the future in the field of automation," adds Capiferri.