Remote monitoring and expert diagnostic support for the pulp and paper industry

Abstract

As pricing and margin pressures in the pulp & paper industry continue to increase, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) has become more than just a catch phrase; it is an essential element in the viability of any player in the industry. Every level of the organization can have an impact on OEE - positive, and negative. This paper discusses how remote monitoring and expert diagnostic support fill the need to improve OEE by supporting operations, maintenance, engineering and management. These programs assure assets are in operation longer, machines perform at or above design production speed for a given product and ultimately delivering more saleable product. This is accomplished by reducing or eliminating instances of unscheduled down time, reducing the duration of such down time, increasing the effectiveness, availability and value of support resources, increasing quality by optimizing system performance and by delivering return on investment (ROI) to management. Real-world pulp & paper industry case examples are used to demonstrate how remote monitoring and expert diagnostic support programs actually affect ROI for existing users. These case examples range from predictive failures of simple devices to deep dive (in-depth), system design, performance and product issue analyses and resolutions.