Sunds Fibertech launches ChainMax unit for chain link cleaning in Kusters presses
4 May 2016Sweden-based Sunds Fibertech has introduced the first product on the market to automatically remove the charred oil from the chain links between the carpet rolls of the Kusters continuous press.
Operations to date at the IKEA-owned Hultsfred particleboard line in Sweden have been highly successful, resulting in significant savings in consumption of lubricating oil, energy in powering the drive rolls, enhanced lifetime of the chain carpet and improved press performance.
Installed at the press inlet, the design keeps all critical components, such as the drives and sensors, outside of the press inlet to avoid the heat from the press. Due to its compact design, ChainMax can also be fitted in presses with cooling zones with the cleaner unit on all chain loops.
Sunds Fibertech installed two ChainMax units at the IKEA particleboard plant in Hultsfred, Sweden. The unit on the upper chain has been in operation for more than a year and the one on the lower chain for six months.
The operating experience from these installations revealed far greater benefits than the intended oil savings. The improvements in press performance proved to be much more significant.
During the past year at Hultsfred it was determined that the motor load on the plant's main steel belt drive has been reduced by more than 50%, compared with operation prior to introduction of the ChainMax solution. As a result, the plant can produce higher density board and at higher speed than was possible when there was steel belt slippage on the drive drums due to poor lubrication. Other benefits reported at Hultsfred include no chain breakage, an 80% reduction in cracks at the edge of the steel belt and elimination of wear on the press tables due to the smooth turning of the rolls.
