AS/RS Warehousing Systems for the Paper Industry, 1992 Finishing and Converting Conference Proceedings

Traditionally paper finishing, warehousing and shipping have been the most neglected processes with respect to automation within a paper mill. However, recent developments and implemation of mill wide production and process computer systems has forced the industry to look at automation of the paper process following the paper machine. We have seen the robotization of the roll wrapping process, the construction of fully automated roll handling systems from the winder to the warehouse, the use of automated vehicles in roll and pallet handling and finally the construction of fully automated warehousing systems serving paper rolls and sheeted products. The degree of automation required varies from mill to mill and is directly related to the type of paper product produced and the number of finishing operations performed.

Before an attempt is made to define automated material handling processes which are suitable and justifiable for various finishing systems I would briefly like to review the equipment designs which are available to construct automated material handling systems for the finishing and shipping operations.