Voith headbox service and spares ensure optimum cross profiles over the entire lifecycle

HEIDENHEIM, Germany. The performance of the headbox is decisive for the overall quality of the paper produced. Preventive maintenance and parts management guarantee that the headbox is in proper condition. With Voith’s headbox service and spare parts, paper producers profit from both the technological and mechanical know-how of a full-line supplier as well as perfectly fitting original equipment that keeps the headbox as good as new over the entire lifecycle. For ideal operation of the headbox, it is essential to identify problems in the very beginning. For example, wear and deposits of the slice lips, deviations of the lip opening and failure of limit switches can lead to serious profit losses. These are caused by reduced cross profile quality, an increase in web breaks, damages and unplanned downtimes. Therefore, continuous and comprehensive service considering all influences is crucial. Within the Servolution equipment service, Voith offers professional headbox servicing and original spare parts not only on demand, but also preventatively in the context of service agreements. These agreements ensure that the best headbox performance is maintained over the long term through defined service intervals. 

In regular intervals, the bottom lip, top lip and separate wedge will be checked and replaced when needed. One of the main features of Voith’s MasterJet Pro headbox design is that the bottom lip can be easily exchanged and sent to Voith for in-house refurbishment. The customer benefit is two-fold. The downtime of the paper machine is reduced by an estimated 70 percent compared to headbox services of other manufacturers thanks to the quick replacement on site. Furthermore, the transport to the Voith workshop enables an exceptionally high-quality reworking with the best equipment, so the lips of the headbox are in new condition afterwards. 

Additionally, Voith relies on inserts made of state-of-the-art polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) material. Compared with other materials, PPSU has an extended durability of 50 percent and a much higher chemical resistance.

Since 1914, Voith has delivered more than 4,000 headboxes and has serviced many of these throughout their entire lifetime. As a full-line supplier, Voith provides comprehensive service according to customers’ specific needs, including condition checks, inspections of the complete headbox, reports and technological optimizations. During a headbox service, the Voith experts inspect the complete headbox area for deposits, damages and wear. In several cases, daily web breaks can be reduced by up to 80 percent.