Seamed Press Fabric

Development Enhances Tissue

Press Fabric Installation Safety

and Performance

© 2016 Albany International Corp. All rights reserved

Glenn Kornett

Technology Leader,

Seaming Technology

Albany International - USA

Jim Bell

Global Director,

Tissue Pressing

Albany International - USA

Norberto Matos

Technical Application Coordinator,

Tissue Felts - South America

Albany International - BRA

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Seamed

Press Fabric

Safety with Seam

Safety is the number one driver for seamed press fabrics

Seamed felts have a significant participation in the Kraft paper

segment, P&W and Pulp, for both American market and South

America market

This has motivated and challenged us to the development a felt

for Tissue machines

Including Crescent Former - 2009

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Hurdles to Developing a

Seamed Press Fabric

for Tissue Applications

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Development Goals

Drying equivalent or better than our

best endless tissue technology

No sheet breaks at the seam

Runnability equal to or better than

our best endless tissue technology

No seam mark in the sheet

Quick and easy installation

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Improved Base Fabric Pressure Uniformity

We began with a finer and

more uniform base fabric

design to provide the best

possible sheet dryness on

tissue and towel grades

This was a technological

leap in base fabric

uniformity

MD

New Tissue Seam TechnologyPrevious Seam Technology

31 kg/cm pressure and 3 kN/m MD Tension

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Loop Size

Consistently manufacture

quality loops 20-30% smaller

than anything we have made

before

Reductions to both the height

of the loop and the length of

the loop

New Tissue Seam TechnologyPrevious Seam Technology

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Loop Uniformity

Previous Seam Technology New Tissue Seam Technology

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Effect of Loop Elongation on Press Fabric Life

No Tension 3.0 kg/cm (17 pli) 6.1 kg/cm (35 pli)

Previous Seam

Technology

New Tissue

Seam Technology

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Pressure Gradient Testing

Previous Seam Technology New Tissue Seam Technology

4 kN/m MD Tension and 3.5 mPa Pressure

New After Lab PressAfter Lab Press

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New

Results

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Tissue Seamed Press Fabric Milestones

2009

Tissue Customer Challenges us

to develop a successful seamed

press fabric for Crescent Former

machines

Trials are started on Pilot Machine

making 16 gsm tissue in Crescent

Former configuration. One trial

produced NO SEAM MARK

November 2009

First successful run on

Crescent Former

July 2013

Results

Continued supply and

consistent growth in both

North and South America

2016/12/31

Crescent

Former2012

First trial in South America on a

Twin Wire machine with 1270

m/min with 16 g/m2

First trial in South America

on a Fourdrinier machine

with 850 m/min with 18.5

g/m2

2012

2010

Orders are

consolidated

2014

South America consolidated

Pick Up on a Fourdrinier +

Double Felted machine with

580 m/min with 24 g/m2

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Tissue Seamed Press Fabric Milestones

Case History

Grade: 11-16# Tissue (17.8-26 gsm)

Speed: 5000 fpm (1525 mpm)

Width: 274 inches (6.96 m)

C Wrap with Single Felted SPR

POSITION Pickup

Technology Platform SeamPlane II

Weight, gsm - new 1295

Caliper, mm - new 2.45

Permeability, cfm - new 17

Days on 79

Reason for removal Damaged

Comments Improved safety, Speed

increase, Increased

machine efficiency

(adjusted uptime),

Installation time reduced,

Increased life from 49 to

79 days

Criterias for choice Improved safety and

increased production

Value to Mill $2,339,339

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Case History Value

Category Value

Safety Based on HIRA comparison $200,000

Speed Increase of 156 FPM 9.73 tons per day

Machine Efficiency Increase 4.59 tons per day

Reduced Press Fabric Change Time Reduced from 5 hrs to 2 hrs

Clothing Cost Increased life from 32 days to 78 days

Reduced pieces per year from 11.4 to 4.7

Total $2,339,339 per year

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Results Today

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Seamed Felt:

Advanced weaving technology

Uniform and plain surface

Smaller and uniforms Loops

Excellent seamability

Provide:

Excellent drying

No sheet breaks

No seam mark in the sheet

Quick and easy installation

Stable runnability

Easy to clean

Results Today

Questions?

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Thank you for

your time!

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