Voith Paper

Fabric & Roll Systems

ƒ Forming applications on PM -
packaging grades
Sebastian Knapek

Application Manager
Forming Fabric Europe

Tel.: +48 22 629 18 09

Fax.: +48 22 625 44 90
Mobil: +48 513 10 54 25
E-mail: sebastian.knapek@voith.com

www.voithpaper.com

S. Knapek / Forming applications on PM - packaging grades | 2010-04-22 | 2

Forming Fabrics Basics
Defenition

ƒ A Forming Fabric is a high quality technical textile, which is

applied as a consumable on a paper machine‘s forming section
and is an important contributer in reaching the paper maker‘s
wished paper Quality and the paper machine‘s runnability.

Runnability Quality
Increase
% $/ton
90 90
80
output
80
70 70
60 60
50 50

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Forming Fabrics Basics
Functions

Forming Fabric’s basic functions:

ƒ Retaining the Fibers and fillers

from the pulp suspension

ƒ Allow forming a sheet holding

required and wished properties

ƒ Dewater the pulp suspension

and the just formed sheet

ƒ Transport the just formed sheet

to the Press Part.

Dagang PM 3 - DuoFormer TQv

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Forming Fabrics Basics
Function and Design Tools

Mesh & Count Additional areas where

Forming Fabrics have
Retention and Transportation an influence are:
Formation

ƒ Retention aid and

water consumption
ƒ Power consumption
Yarn material & Pattern ƒ Marking, smoothness,
diameter porosity, formation, ...
Dewatering
ƒ Couch solids, clean
Functions Design Tools run, draw, ...
Forming Fabric Functions and Design Tools

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Forming Fabrics Basics
Raw material (monofilaments)

Warp yarn = The Paper Machine 0.50

Machine Direction yarns:
ƒ Polyester
ƒ 0.10 – 0.50mm

Weft yarn = The Paper Machine

Cross Machine Direction yarns:
ƒ Polyester & Polyamide
0.09
ƒ Top: 0.09 – 0.40mm
ƒ Bottom: 0.17 – 0.50mm
Forming Fabric applied yarn diameters

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Forming Fabrics Basics
Mesh and Count

Mesh & Count Mesh = total number of

top side warp yarns/length unit*.
(warp – osnowa)
Count = total total number of
weft yarns/length unit*.
(weft – wątek)
unt
Me Co Paper Side Mesh means the
sh

Warp & number of warp yarns/length

bottom side PM Machine unit on the Top Side of a Multi
Direction Layer Forming Fabric only.
Multi layer Mesh *Remark: Length unit = cm in EU & Asia / inch in US

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 Forming Fabrics Basics
Basic designs

Single warp (LWD) Single warp (HWD) Multi warp Three main DW types:
ƒ Low Warp Density
ƒ High Warp Density
- Single Layer - Double Layer - Triple Layer
ƒ Multi Warp (“SSB”)
- Extra Weft Added
- Low Density or Extra Shute* - SSB Warp or
Double Layer Weft bound
Within a main type DW
- Triple Weft
there exist variation in:
ƒ Designs
ƒ Coarseness level
- SSB Warp Bound
ƒ Shed number
Basic Forming Fabrics designs *Remark: EWA = EU & Asia / ES = US

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Forming Fabrics Features
Support Points and FSI

Support Points / SP (1/cm2 or 1/inch2)

The number of paper side yarn knuckles for any given design per unit area (cm or
inch). For SSB and Triple Layer designs with 2-shed plain weave paper surfaces,
this can be easily calculated by multiplying the paper side Mesh and Count SP
SP = Top Mesh x Top Count

Fiber Support Index / FSI ( - )

As most fiber out of the paper machine headbox is MD oriented, it is generally
accepted that CD orientated fabric knuckles are more important to retaining fiber
and building sheet properties. The FSI equation is an industry wide parameter that
takes this into account, and so gives a higher weighting within its equation to CD
Weft knuckles
FSI = 2/3 [(a x Top Mesh) + (2 x b x Top Count)]*

*Remark: When in the FSI formula Top Mesh and Top Count are in 1/cm, the outcome needs to be multiplied by 2.54

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Forming Fabrics Features
Surface Open Area

Surface Open Area (%)

When looking perpendicular on the paper side surface of
the fabric, the percentage that is not covered by either
warp or weft at the paper side weave.

For a 2 shaft paper side surface the Surface Open Area

(SOA) can easily be calculated by the following formula:

SOA* =
(1-(PS warp Ø x PS mesh)) x (1-(PS weft Ø x PS count))

Remark: Picture represents PrintForm HQ

*Remark: Use for Mesh / Count and yarn diameters either cm or inch!!! Surface Open Area

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Forming Fabrics Features
Void Volume and ARI

Void Volume (ml/m2 or )

Represents the total volume of the fabric deducted by the volume taken up by the
warp and weft.

Abrasion Resistance Index / ARI ( - )

ARI is Voith’s method to indicate the life potential of a Forming Fabric. The
calculation is based on the principle to determining the “wearable volume” of the
wear side surface. One should realize that the formula does not include material
type applied!

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Forming Fabrics Application on Modern Packaging
machines
The 3 important application criteria

The customer’s needs and

The paper quality and grade

• Liner & Fluting 80,0 -160,0 g/m²
• Furnish 100% recycled fibre
• Headbox consistency ~1,2-1,4%
• Retention levels ~50-55% bottom

The machine type / position

• ex. Voith DuoFormer Base
• Max. operating speed 1500 m/min
• Fabric width ~8,70m.
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Forming Fabrics Application on Modern Packaging
machines

General application considerations

• Choosing the right application starts with understanding the
customer’s needs and wishes regarding paper quality and
runability.
• At the same time we have to understand the mechanical
limitations of the fabrics, both with respect to the wishes of the
customer, but also as a consequence of the machine
construction and fabric position.
• Even the best application will be a compromise between the
customer’s wishes and the physical limitations of our
products!

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DuoFormer Base
Demands from the machine concept
Balanced fine
High speed and high initial distribution
dewatering

Low power consumption

Clean Design

Good profiles
and stable machine Balanced dewatering at

performance top and bottom wire

Main grammages
Testliner, Fluting
70-130g/m². S. Knapek / Forming applications on PM - packaging grades | 2010-04-22 | 14
DuoFormer Base
Paper quality
Balanced dewatering for ideal
High initial dewatering influences fibre orientation and paper
retention and profiles strength

Symmetrical
ash & fine distribution

High retention and good

paper quality.
good CMD profile &
2-sigma values

Main Grammages 70-130g/m². Testliner, Fluting

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 DuoFormer Base
Demands for the wire

Thin wire with lowest void volume

Ideal paperside with open area for an
ideal dewatering capacity
No water spraying and fibre
carrying. Clean run, no breaks
caused by pulp deposites. Forming designs for a balanced
dewatering and good formation

High stability, low CMD

shrinking High fibre support to
ensure an ideal ash and
filler distribution

Long weft flotationon machine side and high

abrasive yarn material for good life time
Low MD elongation at high fabric tension
and highest seam strength S. Knapek / Forming applications on PM - packaging grades | 2010-04-22 | 16
Voith Paper Forming Fabrics
Our products
Criterias for an ideal forming
wire

Dry content Dewatering

Retention Formation

Profile Life time

Stability
Fibre support and
orientaion Clean machine

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Voith Paper Fabrics
SSB vs double layer

ƒ SSB designs offering compared to double layers a perfect mix

of a fine paperside and a robust machine side.

Æ this offers a fine surface for good paper quality and a more
abrasive resistant machine side for good life time potential

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VPF Forming Concept
SSB vs double layer

ƒ DL designs do not creat due to their construction

the ideal paper side surface

ƒ SSB designs offers due to their warp

construction (2 systems) and the binder weft a
homogenious paperside and a robuste machine
side

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MultiForm H

ƒ Our MultiForm H do have a unique combination of a

fine paper side and a robuste machine side
ƒ This offers a good wear potential combined with an
ideal paper quality
ƒ We chose the way of an open warp yarn densitiy with
the combination of a high number of weft yarns,
the advantages are Æ:

Æ Good fibre support and good retention

Æ Clean machine performance with less dirt
Æ High CMD stability and stable machine performance
Æ High abrasion potential gives good life times

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 MultiForm H
Product porfolio

M/W
mesh 70/cm 65/cm 56/cm 42/cm
warp yarns Ø 0.10-0.16 mm 0.12-0.18 mm 0.14-0.22 mm 0.18-0.26 mm

Classification
Super Fine Fine Medium Coarse
coarseness

Brand name HS HQ HR HC
Super fine Quality Robust Coarse

Designs W/Y X/W/Y W/Y W / (Y)

1:1=X 3:2=W 2:1=Y 2/5 shed 2/5 shed 2/8 shed 2/8 shed

Print- Form HS for graphical grades only

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MultiForm H
Weft ratios

MultiForm H is available in different weft ratios from paper to machine

side, This allows us to adapt the product ideal to customer and machine
demands.

T Tb T Tb T
T Tb

X
B B
1:1
Y B
2:1 W B B
3:2

MD T Top weft Tb Top weft binder yarn B Bottom weft

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MultiForm H
Comparison dewatering channels & weft ratios

Design 1:1 2:1 3:2

Initial Drainage +++ ++ +
Sheet Support + +++ ++
Stability ++ ++ +++
Top / bottom weft ratio 50 / 50% 66 / 33% 60 / 40%
Summary big OA, Highest FSI controlled
machine side with
High initial dewatering, higher
„delaying“ effect as
PS>MS dewateting abrasion index

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 Example References

Maschine Width [m] V [m/min]

ProPapier PM 2 (Metso machine, Voith 10,85 1500
100% startup FF supplier)
Hadera PM 7 6,05 1200
Hamburger PM 7 8,70 1500
Lee & Man PM 4 6.00 1250
Visy Paper Tumut PM 9 5.70 1000
Spremberg PM 1 6.00 1000
Rondo Ganahl PM 1 2.90 850
Varel PM 5 6.25 1300
Schwarza PM1 8.25 1400
STE Baienfurt KM 3 5,15 750
S.A.I.C.A. PM 9 8,20 1500
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