On-line characterization of slurry for monitoring headbox performance

We are developing an intelligent, vision-based apparatus for the paper industry, who has had a long-standing need to better understand and to robustly control its papermaking process up-stream, specifically, in the forming section. This unique apparatus is a state-of-the-art vision system that automatically measures and interprets the pertinent paper web parameters at the wet end. Unlike the currently available sensing systems that are intended to operate down-stream, our vision system provides the capability of generating timely measurements of the important web parameters at the crucial stage of paper formation. Having the capability can create both short- term and long-term changes in the paper industry ad can dramatically impact product quality and production yield. In the short term, the ability to characterize the web at the wet end will provide the machine operators with the necessary feedback they need to make definitive adjustments to the headbox design and control as their researchers use this same capability to better understand and quantify the headbox flow dynamics