Practical Experiences with a Metered Size Press, 1998 Metered Size Press Forum II Proceedings

Over the last 10 years the trend in the woodfree coated sector has been to improve paper and printing properties via double and even triple coating. In 1994 UK Paper Strategic Plan identified the need to increase Sittingboume Mill’s Coating capacity thus allowing market share of the high quality coated woodfree sector to be maintained.

Investigations into the possible process and quality advantages gained by precoating using a film press identified the following benefits. Increased glossability at Supercalenders, increased Opacity, smoother Gloss and Matt paper, lower raw material costs (less fibre in sheet) and increased production capacity off PM15 (no after dryer restraints). The quality advantages gained via film press precoating were repeatedly demonstrated over a series of pilot trials at various installations throughout Northern Europe and Scandinavia.

Based on the expected quality advantages and the lower capital costs of a film press over extra blade coating capacity, a Valmet Symsizer (Metered Size Press) was commissioned on PM15 in May 1995. The body of this paper concerns itself with some of the challenges that had to be overcome to allow the perceived advantages of precoating using a film press to become reality.