Posted to News on 18th Nov 2014, 17:04
Loctite - keeping the press rolling
The PM7 is one of the world's most modern machines for the production of newsprint. It is rated to convert recycled paper and primary fibres into 360,000 tonnes of newsprint per year at an outstanding speed of 1900m/min. It is a giant of a machine that operates at the Swiss firm Perlen Papier AG, around the clock, 365 days a year and a range of LOCTITE products are playing their part in ensuring its reliable service.
A short window of time, just a few hours, is allocated each month for maintenance. The inner workings of the PM7 comprise many hundreds of rollers, cylinders, pumps, drives, pipes and valves and Henkel LOCTITE is the brand on which Perlen Papier AG relies for cleaning, bonding, sealing and lubricating these vital components.
Moist cellulose is sprayed onto rollers of the PM7 as part of the paper production process and it is essential that this, as well as surplus hydraulic oil, is effectively removed so the LOCTITE anaerobic adhesives can achieve the best possible bond and seal. For this purpose the maintenance team uses LOCTITE SF 7063 to ensure there are no contaminants to impede the efficiency of the processes.
The nature of the PM7's job means its components are subject to constant vibration. It is therefore important to ensure that threaded assemblies do not shake lose. A Henkel mainstay for this application is LOCTITE 243. This medium-strength product is proven to tolerate slight contamination of industrial oil and is formulated to allow part disassembly with hand tools for servicing.
For sealing of flanges - the cover of a large vacuum blower, for example - LOCTITE SI 5980 is the product of choice as it fills all surface irregularities and gaps to achieve the best possible bond. This black, alkoxy silicone that was chosen by the maintenance team for its good oil resistance.
Given the hot and damp environment, it is also essential that assemblies are protected against corrosion and fretting and why LOCTITE LB 8150 Anti-Seize is extensively used. This product contains aluminium, graphite and extreme pressure additives to provide lubrication at high temperatures and operating speeds.
Paper is a very sensitive and diverse product, and the work of Perlen Papier AG is more of an art than a process. It is therefore particularly important that all parts of the machine are working optimally to achieve the fine balance between productivity and performance. The efficiency of the LOCTITE maintenance products are essential to the mix and also to ensuring PM7 remains reliable over its anticipated 40-year life span.
To learn more about the range of LOCTITE products please visit www.loctite.co.uk.
