Cleaning up paper towel production processes with VEGABAR 82
A paperboard products and tissue manufacturing company in Lewiston, ID produces many household single-use paper items people use daily, including bath tissue, facial tissue, paper towels, and napkins. With a 250,000 sq ft manufacturing facility and thousands of processes at play, having accurate and reliable measurements needs to happen day in and day out to make sure their customers can take care of messes of all kinds. But what happens when your manufacturing processes are also messy? Here’s how this paper company discovered a new, more durable pressure sensor to minimize downtime.
Steel diaphragms spell disaster for harsh process conditions
The quaternary screen dilution process during paper manufacturing involves getting the right paper consistency before moving onto further processing in the paper making machine. Water or other fluids are added into the pulp stream, and accurate measurement during this stage is critical for a number of reasons, including flow rates, product quality, and avoiding plugs in the process, among other things.
The harsh nature of the process caused pressure transmitters with stainless steel measuring cells to deteriorate over time, leading to measurement drift and the need for frequent replacement. Each sensor replacement required process shutdowns and recalibrations, impacting the paper company’s revenue in multiple ways. Buying new sensors every couple of months not only meant increased operating costs from repeated purchases, but also meant time lost from the installation process and decreased throughput while the process was shut down.
Ceramic measuring cells showcase strength
Plant operators spoke with VEGA about their ongoing sensor replacement issues, and VEGA offered them a better alternative. The VEGABAR 82 is a more robust pressure transmitter, constructed with a CERTEC ceramic measuring cell that’s ten times harder than stainless steel.
Plant personnel were impressed with how the VEGABAR 82 gave them a new “set it & forget it” way of going about their processes. For the first time, they had a solution with no downtime, no measurement drift, and no recalibrations necessary, and the original install is still there to this day. Bluetooth connectivity and the VEGA Tools app allow for easy access to the device should the need for troubleshooting arise, and VEGA’s customer support team is available for them 24/7 if they ever have any questions or concerns as they go about their work.
The VEGA Difference for paperboard and tissue product production
These paper plant professionals have completely turned their processes around with their brand new VEGABAR 82 working tirelessly for them. Without sensors drifting and breaking over time, they save thousands of dollars every year with replacements, so they can keep producing their products with minimal maintenance and downtime. They can now access their devices from a distance with Bluetooth connectivity, saving time in the long run with troubleshooting and calibration available right from their smartphones.
Finding the right sensor for the job isn’t always straightforward. Recognizing issues within your existing processes is the first step towards building a more effective operation. Paper plants like this one don’t need sensors that break - they need accurate and reliable sensors designed specifically for their applications that stand the test of time. That’s why this plant chose the VEGABAR 82 for their quaternary screen dilution processes.
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