Valmet Launches IQ Quality Management System

Valmet has launched a renewed Valmet IQ Quality Management System for the pulp, tissue, paper, containerboard and converter industries. The upgraded system enables paper manufacturers to optimize quality across the entire value chain from fiber to finished product, allowing them to achieve better process performance and greater savings.

Quality management system takes another step towards autonomous paper mills

The renewed Valmet IQ Quality Management System leverages the latest innovations and expertise Valmet has achieved in pulp and paper quality management. The system is considered a step forward in the creation of an autonomous paper mill by integrating quality management across the entire production process. New features in Valmet IQ increase automation levels, reducing the human role in production. Marko Toskala, Director of Valmet Quality Management Systems, comments on the new system: "Valmet IQ develops online optimization using wet end analyzers through its process scope ranging from traditional quality controls to the retention process. The new moisture management solution optimizes the drying process from the forming, pressing and drying sections through to the reel. This new system will stabilize the process and further increase performance." Valmet IQ consists of all equipment and applications needed to monitor and optimize both process performance and finished product quality, including scanners, measuring devices, profilers, paper tracking and quality control applications.

New quality scanner family redesigned for more demanding production environments

All Valmet IQ scanners now feature stainless steel exterior surfaces, advanced diagnostic systems and a new flexible sensor platform. The new IQ Dryness and IQ Multipoint measurement systems help visualize developments in the dry end from the pulp chest to reels. The IQ family is complemented by the most advanced paper tracking system on the market, enabling rapid detection of even very small defects in the paper. The renewed Valmet IQ is compatible with previous generations. All Valmet IQ products are developed and manufactured in Finland. The new Valmet IQ is also compatible with the Valmet DNA User Interface, the new web-based user interface of the Valmet DNA automation system, which was recently launched. The newly structured user interface guides operators to focus on critical information related to the situation and make correct decisions instantly, helping to optimize quality faster.

Automatic optimization provides raw material, chemical and energy savings

Valmet IQ seamlessly integrates with Valmet Industrial Internet (VII) solutions. Thanks to the cloud-based solution, quality-related data is transferred from the paper machine to the converter, automating the optimization of the entire value chain. Similarly, paper manufacturers can receive feedback directly from the finishing process to optimize production performance and costs. Toskala points out the improvements the system provides in the production process: "Our customers have shifted from reacting to situations to data-driven quality management, significantly increasing production quality and experiencing less paper breaks. Through automatic optimization of the entire system, they have achieved raw material, chemical and energy savings while at the same time improving production performance." Valmet has been at the forefront of developing digital solutions for its customers since the 1960s. In 1979, Valmet became the world's second company to launch distributed control system (DCS) applications for process automation, and the company's first Quality Control System (QCS) was introduced to the industry in the 1980s. Today, advanced Valmet IQ Quality Management Systems provide the best quality for more than 2,000 pulp, paper, containerboard and tissue production facilities worldwide. The renewed Valmet IQ Quality Management System contributes to the creation of an autonomous paper mill by interconnecting all quality-related data obtained throughout the process from fiber to finished product.