When faced with the widely acknowledged challenges
of embossing, JOI comes out on top, according to Futura The value
which embossing adds to tissue is beyond dispute. It boosts the
product's appearance and performance and helps differentiate one
producer's offering from another's. Small wonder, therefore, that
embossing has become such a popular technique for enhancing tissue
products.
But just as embossing is universally popular, the
challenges which this converting technology poses are universally
acknowledged. The usual suspects of unevenness of the nip, limited
rubber roll life, lack of flexibility and non-uniform lamination
will elicit nods of recognition from anyone who has anything to
do with embossing.
With its new 'JOI', Futura says it has honed a universal
embosser designed to achieve utmost simplicity, flexibility and
performance. Beyond this, it features new technologies believed
to be unique in the industry and which, Futura claims, will tackle
the major challenges faced by converters who produce embossed
products. In the dynamic and demanding Chinese market, JOI will
shortly have a chance to prove itself at APP's Gold Hongye mill
in Suzhou. This is in addition to two units running at unnamed
locations.
Up until recently, JOI's use was confined to a prototype
unit. Within the
last few months,
JOI has had its first
commercial start-ups.
So, while the prototype
has been operating
within a mill context
producing tissue
for commercial use,
the market was bound
to want proof of
the technology's
effectiveness in
an independent operation,
and such proof is now available.
The JOI embosser at APP is part of a 36.3-m long,
2.9- m wide Futura line for toilet and towel, which is due for
imminent shipment from Futura's manufacturing facility in Lucca,
Italy, to China. Further details of this line include a complete
core production system, backstands for a maximum reel diameter
of 2.5 m with automatic splice, a rewinder head with double perforation,
an accumulator with 300-log capacity, and a complete cutting system,
including log trimmer and log saw. The line production speed is
up to 700 m/min or 60 logs/min.
Back to the details of the JOI embosser itself:
just how have those embossing challenges been overcome? What can
be so different about this embosser that it can be claimed to
deliver a fatal blow to those factors which cause headaches for
converting mill operators throughout the world?
At the core of JOI is its Zero DefleXion technology.
This is designed to provide a uniform nip at any working pressure,
so there is no need to measure it constantly - quite a relief
in itself. Futura says this guarantee of zero deflection holds
true to thousands of a millimeter. This new approach renders the
familiar skewing technique unnecessary and puts an end to that
other familiar niggle - crowning on rubber rolls. Embossing pressure
is adjusted pneumatically, which makes for ease and speed of operation.
FLEXIBILITY
An important aspect of flexibility in embossing
is rolls management. Futura has designed JOI with easy roll removal
in mind in order to enable fast roll change. There is a dedicated
hooking system included with the JOI unit, as well as built-in
rolls storage above the machine, which solves a handling problem
in the mill and saves space, too.
Speed of roll change is a good start, but total
flexibility relies on the embossing technology itself - the choice
it offers and the ease with which it can switch from one configuration
to another. In the case of JOI, basically all embossing configurations
are possible on a single machine: nested, decoration, point-to-point,
point-to-point plus (the 'plus' refers to the insertion of one
or more extra plies between the existing embossed plies to make
a superior product) and single/double/triple embossing with ply
bonding. Futura asserts that the switch from nested to point-to-point
can be achieved in less than two hours, largely thanks to the
fact that no replacement of mechanical parts is required. With
traditional designs, this procedure normally takes 6-8 hours.
This feature of JOI also minimizes maintenance downtime. The configuration
system is modular, which is another feature designed to make operation
as straightforward as possible, as it allows the unit to be upgraded
at anytime simply by adding the necessary embossing rolls.
Another aspect of JOI which contributes to its flexibility
is the ability to
change speed between the independently-motorized steel rolls.
This allows the production of a wider range of finished products.
For an explanation of why Futura can claim lamination uniformity
with JOI we need to return to Zero DefleXion technology, because
it makes for simple adjustment. Futura explains that the mechanical
setup between the cylinders provides easy, reliable adjustment,
which is independent of pressure from the marrying roll. The glue
station is designed for easy calibration. Also crucial in terms
of achieving uniformity is the dedicated drive for anilox and
cliché rolls.
Roll temperature control is achieved on JOI using
steel and rubber rolls with oil circulation systems. This removes
the problem of rubber rolls overheating, which can result from
the use of high pressure embossing patterns. Embossing rolls are
pre-heated. One general beneficial effect of temperature control
is that the rubber element lasts longer than in comparable situations
without temperature control.
Futura technical director Giovacchino Giurlani,
who will make a presentation about JOI during the Tissue World
conference in Nice, says: "We perceive that JOI will assert
its presence in the market in two ways: first as a core technology
in new converting lines, and second as a replacement for existing,
high-maintenance embossers with slow changeover times. The tissue
market has always been competitive, but now more than ever, producers
need to look very carefully not just at the initial outlay when
buying technology, but at the total cost of ownership."
Of course the proof of JOI will be in the using.
The embossing results from Futura's first deliveries have clearly
proved convincing, with APP proving a convert and around a dozen
further units are already said to be on order, although their
locations are yet to be revealed.
As most industry devotees will know, Fabio Perini
is no longer involved
with the company which bears his name and instead devotes his
innovative skills to Futura - and JOI is one of the fruits of
his involvement with the company. On JOI Futura "now
stakes its reputation
as a leading innovator in tissue converting". TW
