New Felt Cleaner Improves Quality and Reduces Downtime

GoalImprove product quality and reduce downtime.

<h6>Improvement Opportunity</h6> <p>A 100% recycled fiber packaging mill was having difficulty with hard water scale forming in shower bars and nozzles, limiting cleanliness of the wet felts.&nbsp; A plain caustic felt cleaner was being used as a batch on-the-fly cleaner.&nbsp; The caustic cleaner was driving the scale formation and not allowing even and effective cleaning of the felts, resulting in poor profiles and higher 2 sigma moisture variation in the sheet.</p> <h6>Recommended Solution</h6> <p>Based on laboratory screening results, Presstige FB9080 was recommended as a batch felt cleaner. While having the same alkalinity as the current cleaner, Presstige FB9080 also incorporates components to minimize the reprecipitation of solubilized materials back into the felt, allowing them to be flushed out and removed. Scale inhibitors in the product minimize the impact of hard water and prevent scale formation.</p> <p>The laboratory study showed that Presstige FB9080 removed over twice the amount of contaminants versus the plain caustic cleaner and outperformed other multicomponent cleaners.</p> <h6>Results Achieved</h6> <ul> <li>Improved profiles and 2 sigma moisture variation, particularly toward the end of felt life.</li> <li>Improved shower bar cleanliness and reliability</li> <li>Eliminated six hours downtime for cleaning shower bars and replacing nozzles.</li> </ul> <p><img style="max-width: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;" src="/link/910a021b78f54bd5a5b8305f85c7a540.aspx" alt="" width="1814" height="1092" /></p>