The SCA Östrand pulp mill, located in Timrå, Sweden, is recognized for its advanced production of high-quality softwood kraft pulp. As one of the largest production lines for bleached softwood kraft pulp globally, the mill continuously seeks innovations to enhance its operations. To address complex process challenges, the SCA Östrand mill implemented Wedge, a robust data analysis tool designed to optimize and diagnose intricate industrial processes.
Wedge helps to analyze large volumes of data
The chemical pulp production process is complex and characterized by long process lags that vary with production rates. The large amounts of data and numerous process variables also bring their own challenges. “Consistent optimization and troubleshooting require proper tools, and Wedge is proven to be great for analyzing large amounts of data and process variables,” says Cecilia Löfqvist, Process Engineer at the Fiber Line, explaining SCA’s reasons for adopting Wedge.
Wedge changed the mill’s approach to data analysis
Wedge has helped to streamline and standardize the mill’s analysis processes.
“It has simplified and aligned our analysis efforts, increasing consensus among team members and boosting our productivity,” Löfqvist notes.
The tool has fostered a more collaborative and efficient work environment.
Several features of Wedge stand out for the SCA Östrand team. Process lag compensation, custom calculations, correlation finders, filters, and pivot tables are seen as particularly valuable.
“Considering actual process lags is crucial for drawing accurate conclusions about the root causes of disturbances,” Löfqvist explains. The ability to map out processes, add custom calculations, and analyze correlations became fundamental to SCA’s analysis efforts. This comprehensive approach facilitated a deeper understanding of operational dynamics.
Improvements in operational efficiency and problem-solving
With Wedge, the Östrand mill achieved improvements that underscore the tool’s impact on operational efficiency and problem-solving capabilities.
Löfqvist shares,
“We trended flow balances in the digester to identify key flow meters. Also, we developed custom parameters that describe operational stability and column stability.”
By leveraging these insights, the SCA Östrand mill has addressed specific operational challenges more efficiently.
One important outcome of Wedge implementation has been the standardization of the disturbance analysis process. The standardized disturbance analysis helps the team quickly identify and rectify issues, ensuring smoother and more consistent operations.
The surprisingly significant role of visualization
An unforeseen benefit of using Wedge was realizing the importance of visualizing process diagrams. Löfqvist reflects, “Drawing up process diagrams has been the key for both understanding and creatively determining what can be analyzed. These diagrams have proven to be an essential resource for visualizing processes and driving innovative analytical approaches.” The emphasis on visualization enriched the team’s analytical capabilities and contributed to smoother, more consistent operations.
Trimble’s support service helps when needed
The SCA team has been pleased with Trimble’s support service.
“We receive prompt responses, and the support team is always willing to discuss our questions via Teams meetings. In these meetings, we always get the help we need,” Löfqvist states.
She also was happy with the Wedge User Days for its valuable training and inspiration.
Wedge is recommended for the process industry
Cecilia Löfqvist recommends Wedge to technicians, operators, and engineers working in the process industry, particularly those working in highly multivariate processes with numerous quality and productivity goals. It is especially useful in processes with long process lags and/or many buffers.
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