Facing difficulties with their legacy quality control system in the pulp drying machines for TM1 and TM2, the mill turned to ABB for a solution to improve availability, quality and performance. 

Faced with an obsolete system, the mill faced many challenges including a poor quality of analysis and reduced process controls. Lifecycle management had also become a challenge due to a lack of spare parts and support, and operators were facing inefficiencies with steam usage and accuracies of measurements.

Striving for better control and insight into their quality control and processes, the mill chose to upgrade to ABB’s Quality Control System (QCS) for both pulp drying machines, integrated with the 800xA system covering the complete plant, including additional controls and measurements of basis weight and moisture.

One of the complexities to be considered during project implementation was the integration with third party legacy actuators; making the necessary connections to connect the legacy cross-directional controls with the new ABB QCS system.

Where previously operators at the mill had to make manual adjustments, ABB’s QCS has delivered greater control of the paper machine, ensuring production quality is higher, less downtime and the ability to implement faster production changes while keeping high production quality. Since implementation, the mill has experienced a reduction in sheet breaks, better runnability of the machine and less rejects, improving efficiencies across the entire process.

Operators now have access to automatic grade changes and can more quickly and easily make changes needed to correct quality issues and ensure high performance. Since implementation in March 2023, the mill has only had to make one manual adjustment, where previously manual adjustments were taking place almost daily. Having the QCS system integrated in the plant overall DCS provides a uniform single interface and improves the operator effectiveness.

Enhanced control of integrated actuators also ensures that the mill has more accurate cross directional controls and more reliable measurements, saving time and energy of sensor calibration and optimization.

ABB’s QCS also provides steam savings and can deliver an estimated 2% reduction in production losses, which can equate to a reduction of 1,100 tons of Co2e emissions for each machine, each year.

Delivering comprehensive training and support for the mill’s operators ensured a successful implementation, instilling confidence in the large operational change.

“Working closely and collaboratively with all members of the Södra Cell team has been the key to success. It has been very satisfying to see that the goals of increasing product quality and runnability, and facilitating smoother grade changes has been achieved beyond Södra's expectations.”

Jacob Sunqvist, QCS Specialist Sales, ABB 

“The new ABB system is the biggest change for the mill’s operators since machine start up in 1962. Thanks to ABB’s training, service and support, our operators have been able to adjust seamlessly, and we now experience better runnability, more control and significant energy savings.”

Lennart Willander, Production Manager for TM1 & TM2, Södra Cell Mörrum