A.Celli rebuilds and launches Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier’s PM3

A.Celli Paper, together with the Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier team, has successfully reconstructed and commissioned PM3 at the Roermond plant dedicated to packaging paper production. A.Celli Paper announces the completion of the startup of the reconstructed PM3 on June 24, with total satisfaction from our customer, Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier, both for the achieved performance and adherence to the planned schedule, despite difficulties related to the global pandemic. The reconstruction interventions carried out by A.Celli Paper on the PM3 of Smurfit Kappa, a line dedicated to the production of 1000 tons/day of 2-ply liner packaging paper with a basis weight ranging from 125 to 220 gsm and a width of 5090 mm, involved: These interventions resulted in a total downtime of 21 days, and the startup phase was completed on June 21. Mr. Sjon Vrieze, Technical Operations Director of Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier, states: “We were able to resume production in the afternoon of June 24, and the machine has been running steadily since then. The uptime is above target, the speed is on target, and the quality achieved is above target, so from the machine performance perspective, we are happy so far. I want to send my greetings to all the colleagues at A.Celli who have worked hard to get the job done in Roermond.” SMURFIT KAPPA ROERMOND PAPIER – COMPANY PROFILE Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier is a company founded in 1937 and is part of the Smurfit Kappa Group, an international brand with 350 branches in 35 countries and a leader in Europe in the production of corrugated cardboard packaging, containerboard, and bag-in-box. In 2020, Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier produced 635,000 tons of recycled paper from over 1.3 million bales of used paper.

Welcome Cloud Group

Prismaquimica S.A.S. welcomes our new representative, Clouth Group from Germany. The highest possible quality, total reliability, and a pioneering spirit are the tried and tested pillars on which Clouth Group has built its successful business for many years. Currently, products and services are available in more than 70 countries worldwide, thanks to a network of over 50 commercial representatives. Clouth’s reliability is appreciated everywhere with steady global growth. https://www.clouth.com/

How are nonwoven fabrics made and what types are there?

Through mechanical, thermal, or chemical processes, nonwoven fabrics are created. These substrates are flat and porous sheets made of single fibers, melted plastic, or plastic films. Nonwoven fabrics, as the name suggests, are not created by weaving and do not require the conversion of fibers into thread. Variations in fiber selection, web formation, bonding, and finishing result in products with unique characteristics, making them suitable for various fields such as the hygiene and healthcare market, clothing, automotive, filtration, construction, and agriculture. We can divide the technologies currently used to produce nonwoven fabrics into six types: A thermal bonding process involves the use of hot air on the surface of the nonwoven material, resulting in a voluminous, soft, and uniform material with high tensile strength. This process does not use chemical binders and is the only type of thermal bonding process that exposes the entire product to a uniform temperature. Nonwoven fabric obtained through a spinning process called “spunbonding.” Melted polymeric fibers are passed through a spinneret to form long, fine fibers, which are then stretched and deposited onto a conveyor belt with hot compressed air, creating the fabric. Spunbond nonwoven fabrics are composed of extremely long and lightweight fibers, exhibiting high filtration capacity. Nonwoven fabric obtained through a bonding process of fibrous webs, either wet or dry, obtained through carding, air bonding, or wet bonding. The process, known as spunlace or “hydroentangling,” involves fine jets of high-pressure water penetrating the web, hitting the conveyor belt, and bouncing back, thereby causing the entanglement of fibers. Spunbond nonwovens, also called spunbond, are materials composed of extremely fine filaments. They are manufactured through a process that involves polymer extrusion to form continuous filaments, which are then conditioned, stretched, and deposited onto a conveyor belt to create the fabric. The filaments are chemically, mechanically, or thermally bonded to obtain the final product. Polypropylene-based spunbond is the predominant material for diapers and feminine hygiene products, as well as medical clothing. Spunbond is often combined with meltblown nonwoven to create a layered product called SMS (spun-melt-spun). Completely made of PP (polypropylene), SMS nonwovens are water repellent and can be used for disposable applications. Meltblown is commonly used as a filtering material due to its ability to capture very fine particles. Production technology similar to that used in paper manufacturing characterizes nonwovens of this type. These nonwovens differ from wetlaid paper in that more than 30% by weight of their fibrous content is composed of fibers with a length-to-diameter ratio greater than 300, while the density is less than 0.40 g/cm³. Wetlaid is commonly used to manufacture products such as tea bags, coffee filters, and disposable wipes. Among the key characteristics of nonwoven materials is elasticity, leading to progressive narrowing of the initial web width (neck-in) from the winding phase to the final product. In this regard, it is necessary to distinguish the specific characteristics of the two main types of nonwovens: spunlaid and spunlace. Spunlaid, characterized by a random positioning of its fibers, is more resistant to traction and, for this reason, undergoes greater contraction compared to spunlace. For instance, an initial web width of 3600 mm results in final rolls with a width of 3200 mm. Spunlace, on the other hand, is composed of fibers oriented in the machine direction due to the use of carding machines in the formation process. This makes it resistant to traction in that direction and, therefore, less prone to contraction.

SAUSAGE INDUSTRY

It is understood as processed meats those meat derivatives that are made from the homogeneous mixture of minced meat (originating from beef, pork, poultry, and all their combinations), animal fat (either in the form of bacon or from the same meat), salt to generate flavor, spices that give the characteristic taste to each of the processed meats, some additives, and preservatives necessary for human health. Subsequently, the mixture is introduced into both natural and artificial casings, undergoing pre-cooking and vacuum packaging to increase its shelf life and be distributed. According to their preparation, there are different types of processed meats such as fresh, cooked, dry, smoked, among others. The processed meat industry is one of the largest industries in terms of sales, with processed meats being one of the most consumed foods worldwide. This industry involves the preparation, processing, and distribution of processed animal meat (processed meats), with different production lines depending on the product to be made and the conditions it must meet. This production is done linearly with minimal manual operation, such as transporting the product in one of the machines. As seen in Image 1, the production process covers different stages, with the transformation stages being as follows: Due to the fact that the majority of the meat received for this process is frozen in blocks of approximately 25 kg and at a temperature of around -18 to -15 degrees Celsius, a thawing process is carried out in an industrial microwave, increasing the temperature to around -5 degrees Celsius. The semi-thawed blocks from the industrial microwave are transported to the meat grinder, where it crushes the meat blocks into sections of up to 8 mm and at a temperature between -3 to 0 degrees Celsius. There are two types of cutting systems used, namely the Enterprise system and the Unger system, with the Enterprise system being the most used in small and medium-sized enterprises due to its simple cuts made with a star-cutting blade, and the Unger system used in large industries due to its double and triple cutting systems. Depending on the intended application of the previously minced meat, it undergoes one of the mixing systems, which are the cutter or the mixer. In the cutter, a homogeneous mixture of ground protein is produced along with water, additives, and spices. The mixture has particle sizes of up to 1 mm, where the different components can still be identified separately. On the other hand, there is the mixer that produces a semi-homogeneous mixture with a pasty texture using helical blades. It incorporates ground protein, additives, preservatives, flavorings, and water. The resulting mixture from the mixer is poured into an emulsifier to achieve a fluid product and a completely homogeneous blend. After homogenizing the mixture and being fully prepared, it is injected into casings (natural or artificial) through an extrusion process. Strips of varying diameters and lengths are obtained depending on the type of processed meat desired. These strips are then hung on transport molds to be transported to the ovens. In the ovens, the processed meats undergo cooking to achieve a firm consistency while imparting characteristic color, flavor, and aroma. The aim is to achieve an internal temperature exceeding 75 degrees Celsius, maintaining this temperature for approximately five minutes. After this time, the transport molds are removed from the ovens and placed in cooling tunnels until they reach temperatures between 4 and 0 degrees Celsius. This cooling process prepares them for various cuts (if necessary) and vacuum packaging, resulting in a product ready for the market. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Flexible Packaging

Currently, flexible packaging is the most widely used in everyday life because it is used to store and transport everyday products such as food, body care products, household cleaning products, among others. The main functionalities of flexible packaging include preservation (for food products), protection of these products, and the ease of transporting, storing, and marketing them. This article will discuss the production process of flexible packaging, providing a deeper understanding of the production process. Before going into detail about the processes that raw materials go through to form flexible packaging, it is necessary to talk about the types of flexible packaging that exist and are most commonly used today, as well as the most commonly used raw materials for their manufacturing. What types of flexible packaging exist? There are different types of flexible packaging with different characteristics, depending on their manufacturing method. The main types include: Based on their structure, the types of flexible packaging can be distinguished into two types: monolayer (formed by a single layer of plastic material) or multilayer (formed by several layers of different plastic materials), depending on the manufacturing method. Production process of flexible packaging The production process of flexible packaging involves six different processes: extrusion and coextrusion (whether monolayer or multilayer), printing, lamination, cutting and trimming, and finally, sealing. This is the complete procedure for producing flexible packaging. Next, each of the processes will be described: Extrusion and Coextrusion The extrusion process involves forcing a thermoplastic material through a more or less complex and continuous orifice under pressure, in such a way that the material acquires a cross-sectional shape equal to that of the orifice. In the extrusion of thermoplastics, the process is not as simple, as during it, the polymer is melted inside a cylinder and subsequently, after obtaining its desired shape, it is allowed to cool. The objective of this extrusion process is to be used for the production of profiles, pipes, plastic films, plastic sheets, among others. In the case of flexible packaging production, it involves the extrusion of plastic films. The extrusion of plastic films consists of the following elements: an extruder, a head or die, a cooling air ring, a stabilizing or film calibrating device, a bubble collapsing device, an upper pull roller, and a winder, as seen in the following image. The process of coextrusion of tubular film gains importance due to its great versatility and the variety of films that can be obtained. Among its uses is the combination of properties from two different polymers to obtain a product with the sum of their advantages in a sandwiched film, aiming for a reduced thickness and lower product cost. The basic differences between a film extrusion line and coextrusion are evident in the appearance of two or more extruders and the modification of the head. Print In this process, inks are applied to the packaging material in a controlled manner and according to a specific pattern. Printing can be direct or indirect. Indirect printing is a procedure in which the image is not formed directly on the piece by a cliché, screen, or rubber plate but passes to the substrate through another medium, as in offset printing, where the image goes from the plate to the blanket and from the blanket to the substrate. In contrast, in direct printing, the image or artwork goes directly onto the substrate without any intermediate surface or roller. Flexography and rotogravure are examples of direct printing methods. The most commonly used method in this procedure is flexographic printing, which is a rotary printing method that uses plates engraved in high relief, adjustable to rollers carrying plates in variable repeat lengths. These plates are inked by another roller equipped with a doctor blade, which virtually transfers fluid inks to various substrates, resulting in high-definition images. Lamination Plastic lamination is used to enhance the appearance and barrier/technical properties of the final product. It is a process in which two or more plastic films are bonded using adhesive. In general terms, adhesive is applied to the less absorbent substrate layer, and then the second layer is pressed against it to produce a duplex or two-layer laminate. This allows us to blend the properties of different plastic and non-plastic films, resulting in structures with medium and high barrier properties. In the lamination process, the primary support coil is coated continuously with the adhesive solution. Without coming into contact with rollers or the other support, it enters the drying tunnel where a forced stream of hot air and powerful extraction removes the solvent included in the coating. Cutting and Trimming The cutting process is carried out using a rewinder where it cuts the master coil to the width of the packaging machines and also undergoes the trimming process. Trimming is known as the process in which excess material from a roll is removed to give a better appearance to a product or to improve processability conditions required by the customer. Sealing The sealing process involves giving a specific measurement to the film through a thermal process that melts two layers, providing a seal with resistance characteristics and defining volumetric capacity for the units produced. It involves a tool that is heated and maintained at a constant temperature (also known as direct contact thermal sealing). Various heated bars are used to make contact between the material and the hot interface, forming a bond. The bars, plates, and dies have different configurations and can be covered with a non-stick layer or use various interposing materials. An example of this is Teflon coating, which is used to prevent sticking to the hot tool. Following all these processes, the packaging undergoes various quality controls in quality laboratories equipped with equipment and standards that allow for a wide range of tests, validations, and checks to ensure the quality of the products and processes involved. Some of these include puncture resistance, elongation force, breaking strength, sealing strength, dart impact, coefficient of friction, and vacuum tests. Referencias

XXXI International ACOTEPAC Congress

[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] We invite you to the XXXI International ACOTEPAC Congress that will take place in the city of Cali from Wednesday, February 8th, to Friday, February 10th. PrismaQuimica will be located at booth #56, and our represented companies Erhardt+Leimer GmbH, Kadant Johnson LLC, Kadant Lamort SAS, Techpap, and A.Celli Group will be accompanying us. The following conferences will be conducted by our representatives: We look forward to seeing you there! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column] [/et_pb_row] [/et_pb_section]

SUGAR PRODUCTION PROCESS

Currently, the main source of sugar extraction is through the extraction, preparation, and processing of sugarcane in large sugar mills, where the sugarcane undergoes multiple processes, transforming it from sugarcane to sugar with a glucose content of approximately 95%. This sugar is 100% consumable and commercial. Behind the sugar mills, there is an extensive production line consisting of different interconnected processes until the final result is obtained, which is refined sugar. The following will explain in detail each of the processes currently carried out for the production of refined sugar. Primarily, the harvesting of sugarcane is carried out in the cultivation fields, followed by weighing and sampling using mechanical probes to determine characteristics such as sucrose content and the amount of impurities it contains. It is then transported to the conveyor systems with slats that bring the sugarcane into contact with choppers and defibrillators. In sugar mills, typically two choppers are used to facilitate the cane preparation process, providing a preparation percentage ranging from 65 to 79 on its own (this percentage represents the level of cane preparation for extracting more sucrose in the mills). These choppers convert the small canes into chips to achieve a uniform size and facilitate juice extraction in the mills. The choppers consist of a horizontal shaft mounted on the slat conveyors where the cane is transported. This shaft is supported by two bearings and is driven by an electric motor or a steam turbine directly coupled to the shaft. It comprises 48 tilting blades connected to an overlaid cast iron support on the shaft, rotating at an approximate speed of 650 RPM. Following the choppers is a defibrillator, which defibrillates the outgoing chips from the choppers to improve the cane preparation percentage and facilitate juice extraction in the mills. The defibrillator consists of tilting hammers mounted along a rotor, and it is installed to leave a gap between the hammer tip and the defibrillating plate or anvil. The milling process consists of approximately 5 to 6 tandem mills, each with 3 to 4 cylindrical rollers grooved between them, through which the previously chopped and defibrillated cane bed passes. This extracts the maximum amount of cane juice from mill to mill. In this process, water at a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius is added to the final mills to recirculate and increase the extraction of sucrose present in the fibrous material. The mills operate at a speed of 6 to 7 RPM each. Residues from the last mill, commonly known as bagasse, are used primarily for energy generation. It serves as fuel in large boilers to generate steam or is also used in paper manufacturing. The juice extracted by the mills is called diluted juice and has a pH between 5.4 and 5.5. This juice is sulfited with sulfur dioxide (SO2) in an absorption tower to eliminate color-forming substances. The resulting juice from this process is called sulfited juice with a pH between 4.5 and 4.8. Lime is added to the sulfited juice to neutralize acidity and initiate the flocculation process, allowing the separation of non-sugar solids that have entered the cane. This juice is called alkalized juice with a pH between 7.2 and 7.5. The alkalized juice is then taken to heat exchangers (tubular or shell and tube) where it is heated to temperatures between 102 and 105 degrees Celsius. This step allows clarifiers to flocculate non-sugar solids through alkalization, heating, and polymer addition. The clarified juice is passed through fine screens to remove particles and impurities. After this, the resulting juice is sent to the evaporation process. During clarification, residues called “cachaza” are generated and sent for composting to produce organic fertilizers. The filtered juice is returned to the juice heating process to be reprocessed in the clarification step. The clarified juice is taken to the evaporation process, where the water in the clarified juice is removed, bringing it to the boiling point of water (95 to 102 degrees Celsius). In this stage, approximately 90% of the water is eliminated, increasing the sucrose content from 21 brix to reach 60 to 70 brix. The technological process involves 3, 4, or 5 evaporators connected in series, where the first evaporator is fed by steam generated by a turbo-generator, and the remaining evaporators are heated with steam extracted from the evaporator before them, referred to as multiple-effect evaporation. The evaporators commonly used by sugar mills for sugar production are of the Robert type. These evaporators have a vertical cylindrical body with tubes through which high-pressure and high-temperature steam passes, heating the liquid inside. These tubes are located between two horizontal tubular plates. The resulting product from the evaporation process is a syrup with a sucrose content of 60% to 70%. This syrup is directed to vessels (single-effect vacuum evaporators) that can be continuous or batch. These vessels operate with steam from the first evaporator, maintaining controlled temperature and Brix levels to generate sugar crystals. Following this, sugar nuclei are introduced into the syrup in the first vessel. These nuclei absorb the sucrose in the syrup, growing to the desired size of the sugar to be produced. Since not all the syrup crystallizes, the next step involves a centrifugation process where sugar crystals are separated from the uncristallized syrup. Hot water is added to wash the crystals and remove the remaining syrup, separating the crystals from the syrup in the first vessel. This process is repeated in the second and third vessels, each using the molasses from the previous vessel. The molasses resulting from the third vessel is sold as animal feed or used for alcohol production. The sugar crystals generated by the second and third vessels are added to the first vessel as sugar nuclei, aiding in the formation of crystals. The sugar crystals generated in the first vessel are taken to a dryer because they contain 1% moisture. This is done to ensure that they are completely dry and ready to be packaged for commercialization. PrismaQuímica SAS, a company with a 30-year history … Read more

Open chat
Scan the code
Hola,
Sobre cuál de nuestros representados le gustaría recibir más información?.
Cómo podemos ayudarle?.
Por favor no dude en contactarnos si solicita ayuda con algún tema adicional.