2020-07-28
Laakirchen Papier and Voith launch joint flagship project to digitize paper machines
- Latest Papermaking 4.0 technologies at Laakirchen plant
- Increased production and greater value creation
- Less downtime due to reduced number of breaks
“Only by consistently making the most of the possibilities and opportunities of digitalization will we be able to survive in the narrowing market in future too,” states Dr. Thomas Welt, CEO at Laakirchen Papier AG.
Latest Papermaking 4.0 technologies at Laakirchen plant
The individual components of the project allow for production at the Laakirchen plant to be equipped with the latest technologies and to test them in real operating conditions. Meeting the quality targets as cost-effectively as possible and reducing downtimes due to breaks are the key objectives of the project.
Dr. Jürgen Abraham, President Products & Services and Digital Business Officer at Voith Paper, is enthusiastic about the cooperation Laakirchen Papier: “Seldom do you meet a customer who is so open to new methods and technologies. Laakirchen Papier is not only impressed with our established digital product portfolio, but has also agreed to work on developing new digital products in collaboration with Voith to harness the enormous potential of the fourth industrial revolution.”
Increased production and greater value creation
Through the intelligent use of the existing data, it is anticipated that the production and value creation of the two production lines PM 11 and PM 10 will increase and become stabilized at a high level.
To do this, proven technologies such as online control of the target qualities of the different paper strengths using virtual sensors and model predictive controls will be combined with cloud-based innovations from the world of machine learning. “Our OnEfficiency.Strength application reliably ensures quick success for our customer. With completely new applications, such as the sheet break prevention, we may need to be a little bit more patient. In the end, it is important that each element contributes to the economic success of the project,” says Jürgen Käser, Project Manager at Voith.
This project is expected to create a digital flagship in the heart of Europe that makes the potential of digitalization in the paper industry tangible and lays the groundwork for the next step – integration of the value chain.
About the company
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 19,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.
read more
The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and supports customers in significantly reducing their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art, digital technologies to increase the availability and efficiency of their systems in all areas of the production process.