Nip Impressions� is Paperitalo Publications' flagship publication. Published every Thursday afternoon (US Eastern Time), Nip Impressions� is eagerly read by pulp and paper professionals around the world.
1 Jul 15: Materials 11: Printing your Paper Machine in situ
In the past, we have shared our vision of "printing" a new paper machine in place rather than fabricating it elsewhere and moving the pieces to the erection site and assembling them. We see this first happening with machine frames, and perhaps first with dryer frames. Of course, by "printing" we mean Additive Manufacturing or 3-D Printing.
We can report that this idea is coming much closer to being reality much quicker than we thought possible. No, no one is printing a paper machine just yet, but they are getting ready to print a bridge in Amsterdam in 2017. And they say the thing that is holding them up is the permits and paperwork--they could do it now if they had the permissions! You can read about it here.
Can printing paper machines be far behind? We surely will be trying this on a small scale by 2020.
Jim Thompson
We would like to hear from you. Please send an email to jthompson@taii.com
with "LGMI Frontiers" in the subject line.
Comments on last week's Krofta Vertical Paper Machine:
Jim,
This is reference to the current issue of The Light Green Machine Institute Weekly and in particular the illustration of Milos Krofta's Mickro Papiermaschine "Micro Paper Machine." Dr. Krofta developed this as essentially an automated handsheet machine to produce a longer strip or roll of paper in laboratory/pilot scale for testing - as an alternative to the British sheet mold and the Noble & Wood handsheet machine.
Note the Serial No. MPM-1 - indicating that this was the first of its type. The nameplate includes supplier name Krofta Apparatebau and the address in Taunus Germany and dates this machine to prior to 1951, when Dr. Krofta and has family came to the USA. Dr. Krofta went on to develop and commercialize the Krofta DAF Cell dissolved air flotation clarifier/save-all, which continues in widespread use today.
Development of the Krofta DAF Cell was the basis of Dr. Krofta being inducted posthumously into the International Paper Industry Hall of Fame in 1997: http://www.paperhall.org/miloskrofta/
Dr. Krofta and I became friends in the 1960s. He was brilliant and continued working every day until just prior to his death at age 90 in 1992. We had many interesting discussions over the decades that I knew him.
The Krofta Micro Paper Machine never gained widespread commercial acceptance.
Send us your comments by emailing Brian Brogdon or Jim Thompson!
Disclaimer
LGMI Weekly Ideas are presented for your consideration and inspiration only. It is solely your responsibility to check for engineering correctness, applicability, standards, insurance policy and local, national or any other legal compliance required before implementing. Neither The Light Green Machine (TM) Institute, Paperitalo Publications, Talo Analytic International, Inc., nor any individual associated with these entities accepts any responsibility for your application or compliance issues.
The Light Green Machine Institute is a stand-alone non-profit Delaware Corporation.
