Threading is the process by which the tail is lead through a machine from the couch to the reel following a sheet break, shut down or other stoppage. It includes every tool, person and process utilized to accomplish this task, plus the operating costs, training, service and maintenance, and the collateral impact of the current process on other operations.

Threading is a full machine process that can have a significant impact (either positive or negative) on your overall machine availability and profitability.

Why is optimizing the threading process important to the mill?

• Machine Availability: average gains of 5 – 7% availability achievable through implementation of technical innovations and optimized threading processes alone
• Operator safety significantly improved
• Costs (due to unnecessary downtime) reduced
• Production increase: capacity currently lost can be recaptured with optimized threading
• Easy, cost effective way to increase production, profitability and machine efficiency

What will be covered in this session?

• Accurately defining the threading process on your machine.
• How to identify typical threading problems with an „average“ paper machine threading process. Recognizing key symptoms/determining collateral impact of current process.
• How to identify/recognize the causes of these typical threading problems and assess their severity
• Understanding the cost of the current process, and calculating potential savings if process is improved/optimized.
• Problem solving: how and when to apply technology and expertise to solve these problems.
• Use of, maintenance and servicing of key components (e.g. rope systems, tail cutters, open draw transfer technologies, trim squirt (wire section)
• The B2OSS Process
- Baselining your threading process (where are you now?)
- Benchmarking (what could/should your process be?)
- Optimising (what can be done to help your machine achieve benchmark?)
- Sustainabililty/Service (once benchmark is achieved, how to economically maintain the threading process at that level.

Elisabeth Rooney has 30 years experience in the pulp and paper industry, working with hundreds of mills worldwide. Originally with Fibron Machine Corp, Elisabeth handled marketing and sales. She developed the first comprehensive maintenance manual for Fibron systems, and developed and implemented the B2OSS process for optimization of paper machine threading systems. The Rooney family developed, patented and marketed the Fibron VTT (Vacuum Tail Transfer) systems worldwide. In 1998, Fibron Machine Corp was purchased by Voith Paper. Elisabeth worked at Voith until 2010, as Regional Sales Manager for Asia.

Elisabeth maintains strong relationships with owners, mill managers and key decision makers in all the key Asian mill groups. Through her company, RPM Sourcing Inc, she introduces cutting edge new technology to the Asian market.