Season’s Greetings from all of us at Procemex! As 2024 comes to an end, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our customers, partners, and employees for making this year truly special. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season.
GRAZ, AUGUST 12, 2024. Procemex, a new ANDRITZ GROUP member has received an order from the Swedish paper mill SCA Obbola to supply a OnePlatform Web Monitoring & Inspection System for their PM2, the world’s largest high quality kraftliner machine.
PM2, which started up in November 2022, is 9.6 m wide and has a design speed of 1,400 m/min and a production capacity of 725,000 t/y. The scope of supply also includes Automatic Target Control for the machine’s winder.
The new system will fully replace the existing web monitoring and inspection system and will be set up in the customer’s virtualized environment. It will be delivered with a comprehensive service agreement ensuring continuous 24/7 technical support and regular on-site and remote maintenance to keep it performing at the highest level. Commissioning of the system is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2024.
The high-resolution web inspection system will have two measurement geometries: High-angle reflection for the top side of the sheet for comprehensive surface analysis and transmission web inspection for complete product quality assurance. The efficiency of the winder is optimized by Automatic Winder Target Control (ATC).
The fully integrated web monitoring system includes 34 extremely light-sensitive Procemex Lumina Supersense smart cameras and powerful Procemex Eco strobe lights. Each web monitoring camera position incorporates the latest Procemex ProClean pinhole technology, ensuring uninterrupted sheet visibility and minimizing maintenance efforts.
The modern, integrated, and high-resolution Procemex web inspection and monitoring solution will provide SCA Obbola with new opportunities and technical solutions to improve the product quality and production line efficiency.
The core of SCA’s business is the forest, Europe’s largest private forest holding. Around this unique resource, SCA has built a well-developed value chain based on renewable raw material from their own and others’ forests. SCA offers packaging paper, pulp, wood products, renewable energy, services for the forest owners and efficient transport solutions. SCA was founded in 1929 and has its headquarters in Sundsvall, Sweden.
ANDRITZ GROUP
International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydropower and Environment & Energy. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 30,000 employees and over 280 locations in more than 80 countries.
Procemex
Procemex is a global leader in integrated web monitoring, web inspection and machine vision systems for the pulp, paper and printing industries. With over two decades of experience, Procemex excels in designing and delivering premium systems and providing comprehensive after-sales services to ensure highest end-product quality and minimized production downtime. Procemex is a member of the ANDRITZ GROUP.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Jari Keränen, Sales Director, Procemex
jari.keranen@procemex.com
Niklas Jelinek, Media Relations
niklas.jelinek@andritz.com
Are you protecting the value of your system investment? Conducting scheduled maintenance and system modernizations significantly extends the life cycle of the web monitoring and inspection system. Well-maintained systems help mills reduce waste and improve cost-effectiveness. Scheduled maintenance actions, reusing parts, and using the system according to user instructions extend the system’s lifespan.
Procemex systems and software are carefully designed to ensure a long life cycle. Our unique system architecture enables effective remote support thanks to the capability of remotely troubleshooting smart cameras. This speeds up problem solving and avoids unnecessary travel. In software development, new system features and functionalities are available to all our customers, as you don’t need to buy a new system to enjoy new features. As our customer, you have the freedom to choose which new features you want to add to the existing system.
We strive to provide cost-effective new ways to enhance the system performance of our existing customers. For example, all new cameras and lights that have been developed fit existing Procemex systems perfectly, meaning there is no need to renew the entire system when using the latest camera or light technology. Additionally, we offer extensive repair services for different system parts, assuring cost-effective repairing.
Our service offering has been developed in collaboration with our customers to support their internal maintenance and production processes. The key factors determining service success are planning, scheduling, and regularity. Additionally, continuous mill personnel training and their skill enhancement are crucial, as people may change jobs, forget what they have learned, and technology may be updated.
To achieve the best possible system performance over its lifetime, it is important to regularly maintain it, follow the user instructions, and use original spare parts. This minimizes unplanned downtime and avoids unexpected costs. Scheduled maintenance not only helps save unnecessary expenses but also improves the system’s performance throughout its lifetime. This results in cost savings by optimizing end product quality, improving machine runnability, and using raw materials and energy in a smart way.
Investing in maintenance and the life cycle is often viewed as an expense rather than an investment for the future. We are convinced that it should be considered an investment with a clear payback. Indeed, the life cycle service guarantees the return on investment throughout the system’s life cycle.
When investing, the focus is often on choosing a system that meets performance requirements at an acceptable level and at the time the investment is made. It is difficult to anticipate all the end customer’s long-term quality-related needs. The Procemex One Platform system is genuinely future proof. System development is made in close collaboration with our customers, ensuring our system also meets evolving customer needs.
Procemex has invested significant resources and expertise in its service operations to ensure smooth and efficient operation. Our global service team is dedicated to providing timely support and service, allowing our customers to focus on their core business.
Choosing a contract-based service can be very beneficial, as it provides professional support when necessary. It also brings increased predictability and helps in scheduling maintenance. With a service contract, you can avoid maintenance cost peaks and ensure that your systems are always in top condition, providing peace of mind and cost savings in the long run.
Data security is a big concern today and is an essential part of Procemex’s life cycle services. With a service contract, the Procemex applications are regularly updated, and your system is safe from external threats.
Author: Ari-Pekka Räisänen, Director, Customer Service Projects and Product Development
Remote Services allow you to solve your web inspection and web monitoring system problems anywhere, and at any time. As our client, your mills will maintain a high performance and receive a quick response in the event of a system failure.
Today, most problems can be solved remotely (over 90 %). Whether you experience unexpected issues with your system or you would like to have an overall review of the system’s current functionality or wish to receive remote audit-based development suggestions from our specialists, we are here for you.
Procemex OnePlatform, is an Integrated Paper Web Monitoring and Paper Web Inspection system. OnePlatform is designed for analyzing paper web breaks and paper defects in one integrated system. This makes it easy for operators to understand the inter-relations between web inspection and web monitoring and move flexibly between the ‘two systems’. Understanding the real root causes for paper defects and web breaks created in the dryers, in the press, and in the forming section has never been easier.
Success Story
In the pursuit of achieving supreme customer quality requirements, Metsä Board Äänekoski found itself at a crossroads. The need to enhance the Web Inspection and Monitoring capabilities had become vital, driven by the solid commitment to excellence. After thorough research and planning, the path ahead became apparent, and Metsä Board Äänekoski embarked on a transformative journey with Procemex.
News
Procemex, a new ANDRITZ GROUP member has received an order from the Swedish paper mill SCA Obbola to supply a OnePlatform Web Monitoring & Inspection System for their PM2, the world’s largest high quality kraftliner machine.
PM2, which started up in November 2022, is 9.6 m wide and has a design speed of 1,400 m/min and a production capacity of 725,000 t/y. The scope of supply also includes Automatic Target Control for the machine’s winder.
The new system will fully replace the existing web monitoring and inspection system and will be set up in the customer’s virtualized environment.
JYVÄSKYLÄ, 4.6.2024. Procemex has been acquired by the international technology Group ANDRITZ. This strategic acquisition marks increased service availability, operational readiness and further strengthens the portfolio of smart- camera-based solutions.
Procemex’s smart camera-based solutions help customers ensure product quality and minimize costly production downtime. With over 20 years of industry experience, Procemex has delivered over 1,000 systems and over 20,000 smart-cameras to customers worldwide. Procemex team consists of more than 100 vision system experts and operates from Finland and subsidiaries in Germany, Japan, and the US.
Procemex operations will continue under the current leadership as well as under the strong product brand of Procemex for Vision System products. Mika Valkonen, the CEO of Procemex says:” We see that this enables Procemex to strengthen its global market leader position in those geographical areas that have not been so strong earlier. ANDRITZ local sales and service presence enhances our capabilities to offer systems with full life cycle services virtually in every part of the world.”
Jarno Nymark, ANDRITZ Executive Board Member responsible for the Pulp & Paper business area, says: “Procemex’s advanced solutions perfectly complement our product portfolio for improving plant operations in the pulp and paper industry. Machine vision systems are a fundamental building block for plant autonomy. We look forward to welcoming the Procemex team to ANDRITZ and working together to provide the best customer support.”
About ANDRITZ
ANDRITZ is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, automation solutions and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, as well as environmental and green energy-focused sectors. The listed Group is headquartered in Graz, Austria. ANDRITZ has around 30,000 employees and operates in over 80 countries with 280 locations worldwide.
About Procemex
Procemex is the global leader in vision business in pulp and paper industry, specialized in designing and manufacturing smart camera and lighting solutions for integrated web monitoring and web inspection.
Founded in 2000, Procemex has gained leading expertise in the industry and has deliveries in over 40 countries. Procemex has delivered over 1,000 systems and over 20,000 smart cameras. It has a team of more than 100 vision systems experts and operates from Finland and has subsidiaries in Germany, Japan, and the US.
Procemex advanced 3D technology takes defect detection to the next level.
Detecting small dents and elevated defects on fast-moving board (folding box board /coated board/liquid packaging board) can be a tough task. The 3D defect detection technology represents a significant advancement over traditional methods.
Traditional inspection methods often rely on 2D imaging, capturing surface irregularities but lacking depth perception. This in most cases leads to a lack of identifying subtle or elevated defects.
High quality 3D images enable a better way to analyze and understand defect root causes.
When combining 3D measurement with other measure geometries, a complete analysis can be performed.
With a resolution as fine as 0.1×0.1mm and processing capabilities exceeding 600 MHz, the 3D technology introduced by Procemex operates at a level of detail and speed that significantly surpasses all traditional methods. This allows for detecting 3D defects starting from as small as 100 micrometers on a high-speed machine running at 1000 m/min or even beyond.
Procemex has successfully delivered the 1000th system, marking a significant achievement in its commitment to transforming the paper and board production industry. The 1000th Procemex system is delivered to the US.
With a strong global presence, Procemex has solidified its position as a trusted partner for businesses worldwide seeking cutting-edge solutions for web inspection and monitoring. Repeat orders speak for their language. Some customers have placed repeat orders on Procemex systems 70 times.
In addition to the milestone system deliveries, Procemex has deployed an impressive 20,000 cameras globally, effectively monitoring paper and board production lines across the world. This extensive reach underscores Procemex’s impact on enhancing production efficiency and quality in the industry.
“We are excited to reach this milestone of 1000 system deliveries. Our global footprint, highlights the trust our clients place in Procemex’s advanced One Platform solution,” said Mika Valkonen, the CEO at Procemex.
Procemex remains dedicated to advancing web inspection and monitoring technologies, empowering industries to achieve new levels of efficiency and quality.
In the world of food packaging, ensuring the highest quality standards is a top priority. One often-overlooked aspect is the detection of oil defects on packaging boards, a critical element in the food industry. The commonly used traditional detection methods fall short, capturing only around 50% of oil defects. With the patented Procemex UV inspection you get close to 100% certainty in safeguarding your product quality and customer satisfaction.
In this article, we explore why detecting oil defects is crucial, the potential consequences of overlooking them, and how cutting-edge Procemex UV-light-based Web Inspection technology aids in recognizing them in board manufacturing.
The packaging board acts as the first line of defense for preserving the integrity and safety of food products. Oil defects, if left undetected, can compromise this crucial barrier, and pose serious risks to both the packaged product and consumers. The significance of identifying oil defects lies in maintaining the hygienic and safe qualities of food-grade packaging.
Undetected oil defects can lead to contamination of packaged food, risking the health and safety of consumers. The permeability of oil through the packaging material can introduce foreign substances, altering the taste, texture, and quality of the enclosed product. Additionally, oil defects can accelerate the deterioration of food products by promoting oxidation and spoilage. This can result in a significantly reduced shelf life, causing economic losses for both manufacturers and retailers.
In the food industry, regulatory bodies set the standards for packaging materials to ensure consumer safety. Failure to identify and rectify oil defects may lead to non-compliance with these regulations, inviting legal repercussions and damage to a brand’s reputation.
UV-light technology is transforming the oil defect detection on food packaging board with its ability to detect previously invisible oil defects using ultraviolet light. UV-light illuminates oil defects, making them visible on the packaging board.
Certain materials, such as contaminants and oils, can exhibit fluorescence when exposed to UV light. This means that they absorb the UV radiation and re-emit it at longer wavelengths that are visible to the human eye. The fluorescence effect under UV light often provides a higher contrast between defects and the background material. This heightened contrast enhances the visibility of defects, making them stand out more prominently.
Incorporating UV-light into the defect detection process allows manufacturers to identify and address oil defects on the spot, ensuring that only flawless packaging material reaches the next production stages. This gives board manufacturers confidence in identifying and addressing oil defects that might escape detection through traditional methods.
There are different oil defect detection technologies available on the market. The most commonly used technology is the grayscale- and shape-based detection. This commonly used technology can detect up to 50% of Oil defects.
Another quite commonly used way utilizes blue light in oil detection as blue light can cause fluorescence in certain materials and thus increase slightly the contrast of oil defect. The effectiveness of blue light however in triggering fluorescence is considerably lower than that of UV light reaching around 50% detection level.
UV-light-based Web Inspection System emerges as a powerful new tool, providing superior visibility and enabling reliable real-time quality control. With the patented Procemex UV-light Web Inspection technology, we reach almost 100% accuracy in inspecting oil defects.
The patented UV-light oil defect detection technology can be integrated into all delivered Procemex Web Inspection systems. Also, to mill’s existing Procemex Web Inspection frames, offering a cost-effective way to elevate your current Web Inspection capabilities.
Are you ready to elevate your commitment to product and customer safety? With Procemex, you are not making compromises; you’re choosing a solution that brings you close to 100% confidence in identifying and addressing oil defects.
The Web Inspection System equipped with patented UV defect detection technology is now available for full-width and high-speed paper and board machines. Please contact our sales team to learn more.
We celebrated the opening of our Smart Camera Excellence Center in Tampere, Finland, where more than 20 skilled professionals are developing cutting-edge technology for Procemex smart cameras.
The event was opened by Mika Valkonen, the CEO of Procemex and Antti Kaunonen, Chairman of the Board of Procemex.
We are dedicated to continuously develop our core competence, smart camera technology to meet the evolving needs of our customers. This ensures that our customers worldwide can enjoy superior performance, leading to better product quality and cost efficiency.
Snap, and it happens. A web break, that mixes up your planned paper production and every operator’s day plan. An event that pushes all other daily tasks aside. To avoid this situation from taking place again, it is important to find the root cause that led to the web break. Luckily your pick up web inspection is there to find the root cause of the web break, which in this case was a tiny fly.
With the traditional web monitoring cameras located on the sides of the paper web in the press section, you can view only those defects, that are located close to the paper edges. Should the defect be in the middle of the web, the web monitoring cameras aren’t your best tools for finding the defect. And even if the defect was located close to the paper web edges, the traditional web monitoring cameras many times are too dirty to provide sharp enough images that would help you.
This is why pick-up web inspection is a game-changer. A web inspection frame located in the paper machine’s pick-up point captures the defect images sharply and from the entire width of the paper web. And the images taken are crystal sharp due to the revolutionary Procemex ProClean technology. The pick-up web inspection utilizes pinhole cleaning technology where the air is purged through a 5 mm hole to keep the camera lens continuously clean in a dedicated inspection frame. This technology keeps all the cameras inside the frame clean 24/7 assuring, that not a single spot on the paper web doesn’t get left detected.
But why is the pick-up location such a game changer in defect detection? That is because it makes it possible to limit the root cause search to one paper machine section. If the defect is seen in the images captured by the pick-up web inspection, it gives a clear signal, that the search can be targeted to the forming section. On the contrary, if the defect is seen by the pick-up web inspection, the root cause that caused the paper web break must be situated after the pick-up in the press section.
Based on our experience, the web inspection under pick-up offers a better understanding of where to focus machine cleaning actions in order to improve runnability. This information helps operators save valuable time, and to target the root cause search actions in the right areas. In many cases, the defects are caused by dirt that is built up in the paper machine. This offers also meaningful information from a cleaning point of view. To avoid web breaks taking place again for the same reason, these machine parts need to be cleaned more often or more carefully in the future.
Pick-up Web Inspection System is available for full width & high-speed paper machines. Contact our sales team today to discuss more!
Procemex Reporting engine is a user-friendly, and powerful reporting solution for various types of web monitoring and inspection reporting needs. Procemex Reporting Engine enables you to quickly create, customize, and export inspection reports.
Customized, well visualized, and easily exportable web inspection and monitoring reports empower you to make informed decisions, improve product quality, and streamline your production processes.
The Procemex Reporting Engine is a web browser-based tool, that provides both easy and secure access without the need for external software installation. As an integral part of the Procemex Web Monitoring and Inspection System, this reporting tool empowers mill operators and production managers to effortlessly generate insightful reports that provide invaluable insights into your production process.
One of the standout features of the Procemex Reporting Engine is its exceptional level of customization. You can tailor your reports to meet your specific needs and preferences. Whether you need to focus on reel details, defect maps, formation, defect details, ATC reel targets, or daily and monthly summaries, this reporting tool can handle it all. The flexibility it offers allows you to create reports that are truly tailored to your requirements. We here at Procemex can also make this report customization for you. Just contact our service sales!
The Procemex Reporting Engine also includes great graphical possibilities. Visualize your data with images, graphs, charts, and diagrams. These visuals make it easier to understand and interpret complex data.
Efficiency is at the core of the Procemex Reporting Engine. Once you’ve created your customized report with all the essential details and well visualized graphics, you can effortlessly export it to standard file types. Whether you prefer PDF, Excel, Word, or other common formats, this reporting tool has you covered. Exporting your reports to these formats makes it easy to share with colleagues, superiors, or other stakeholders, supporting decision-making and ensuring everyone stays informed and on the same page. You can also easily share these reports using a secure shared document link.
The Procemex Reporting Engine is designed to meet the diverse reporting needs of mill operators and production managers. Here are some of the key report types you can effortlessly prepare:
| Reel Details | Get a comprehensive overview of your production reels, including critical information about their quality. |
| Reel Details with Defect Map | Visualize the exact locations of defects on your reels, providing valuable insights for quality control. |
| Formation | Understand the formation of your materials, helping you identify potential issues and optimize your processes. |
| Defect Details | Create a summary of defects, aiding in root cause analysis and corrective actions and making comparisons. |
| ATC Reel Targets | Stay on track with your ATC (Automatic Target Control) reel targets, ensuring consistent and high-quality output. |
| Day Report | Get daily summaries of your web inspection data, facilitating real-time decision-making. |
| Month Report | Gain a broader perspective with monthly reports, ideal for performance analysis and long-term planning and comparison analysis making. |
| Maintenance | • Camera information • Server information |
| Export Lists | • Analysis auto trigger • Analysis Twin alarms • External trigger • Reels • Splice • Web breaks • Customer specific |
