Standardize entrained air control

Many organizations are learning that defoamer-driven process control at scale is key to achieving the “mill of the future” vision. But when each machine, mill, and operator works differently, this level of standardization can seem like a pipe dream. Part of it comes from the stack-ranking of mills, which creates a competitive spirit that can be motivating. But it also means unique strategies, instruments, and processes for controlling entrained air get used in each location, leading to misalignment and inefficiencies at the organizational level. Multiply this by the constant change happening in most mills—new systems, increasingly digital technologies, evolving product expectations—and it’s easy to see how something like “air control” can quickly fall down the priority list.

Some mills keep doing what they’ve always done: running trials, watching for spikes, and making manual measurements and defoamer adjustments. And of course, results vary. Others may try to implement control technologies that are seen as maintenance heavy and prone to drift, which means operators don’t trust the data they produce, and true adoption never really happens. What’s more, it doesn’t make sense to have onsite staff tied up monitoring, cleaning, and calibrating these devices when you’re trying to get more digital and automated (i.e., Industry 4.0). Ultimately, with all these different philosophies and processes, it’s impossible to benchmark and develop best practices, which means companies have to live with the consequences: unpredictable chemical spend, limited budget control, and lost opportunities to drive OME.

Optimize entrained air control at scale

When you have unique machines, people, and processes across your organization, it can be overwhelming to try to optimize at scale—or even know where to start. What if you could standardize your air control strategy? When you partner with Buckman, you will implement the same control technology across your entire asset base—with minimal labor and no production impact thanks to Ackumen™ ECHOWISE^® Pro’s heterogenous, non-intrusive design. You’ll automate air control without drift of the control value and resulting maintenance. And you will get operators on board and aligned with KPIs and control loops, utilizing data-based insights from hands-on, entrained air experts. This means you’ll finally be able to scale and standardize process control, capturing new value from efficiencies and reduced costs everywhere you operate—while reducing staff burden, increasing trust, and freeing them to focus on more strategic work.

Easily install the same entrained air controls everywhere

Mill leaders want standardization. But the logistics of getting measurement devices on the different brands and types of paper machines across locations—the unique drilling, labor, and shutdown requirements—often keep them stuck in their non-standard status quo. When you partner with Buckman, you will implement the same entrained air control technology across your entire asset base—with minimal labor and no production impact. ECHOWISE was designed to be non-intrusive, going around a pipe rather than through it, which means it can be installed “on the fly” in fewer than two hours. Buckman experts plug the sensor in, fit it around a pipe, and calibrate, and you have a real-time feed of entrained air data. With this ease of installation, you’re able to scale, standardize, and centralize your air control strategy—without requiring a heavy lift at any of your locations.

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