Collaboration and digitalization are essential for paper industry progress

ABB experts to share measurement, digitalization, and control optimization strategies at TAPPICON 2023.

TAPPICON 2023, the annual conference of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI), takes place next week at the Cobb Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s agenda again includes a comprehensive technical program with innovative approaches and best practices in areas such as papermaking fundamentals, papermaking technology and operations and process control. Underpinning these practical and informative sessions lies a vital impetus: collaboration and digitalization are essential for evolution and progress.

In an industry with long-established ways of doing things, it is crucial that pulp and paper companies embrace collaboration and digitalization in response to the challenges they are now facing around sustainability, operational agility, quality, and workforce development. This imperative is the focus of this year’s keynote address offered by John Dyck, CEO of CESMII—The Smart Manufacturing Institute, which focuses on advancing US manufacturing through expert knowledge accumulation and transfer among member companies. Dyck previewed his upcoming keynote address in a recent Paper360 article, noting:

“Digitization impacts every part of the organization. We think automation and digitization are about data collection, but it’s about much more than that. It’s about enabling the worker. It’s about connecting human resources with what’s happening on the shop floor. It’s about making sure you’re providing contemporary, even fun tools to help workers engage in the process of innovation, to help drive the productivity gain we’re looking for.”

Following Dyck’s opening keynote, attendees can participate in various technical tracks where they can learn to apply these essential concepts in their work today. Expert technologists and pulp and paper industry veterans from ABB are presenting five topics related to measurement, digitalization, and control optimization strategies through the remainder of the week. Plan to attend:

Monday, April 24, 2023

1:30 – 3:00pm – Session 1: Paper Machine QCS Handbook Tutorial

• PC1.2 – Production Optimizing Control
  presented by Tim Murphy, ABB

• PC1.3 – Color Control and Shade Change Solutions
  presented by Shih-Chin Chen, Retired (ABB)

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

8:00 – 10:00 am – Session 3: Process Data Best Practices

• RPTA3.1 – Best Practices for Process Data Aggregation and Utilization
  presented by Donald Stanley, ABB

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

9:15 – 10:15 am – Session 7: Importance of Sensor Correlations

• PC7.1 – QCS Dynamic Sensor Correlation Sampling Method 11-1-04
  presented by Mike Butynski, ABB

ABB on the exhibition floor

Throughout the course of the week, attendees can also connect with ABB experts on the exhibition floor for discussions and interactive demonstrations related to their area of interest. The ABB North American Pulp & Paper truck in booth #601 is a must-see for attendees looking to employ the latest technologies for efficient and on-spec papermaking.