PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL OraStream™ automatic vacuum valves: advanced control for effective and stable sheet formation. Sara Giunchi, Communications & Marketing Manager, Oradoc S.r.l.

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
Image 2: The four automatic OraStream valves installed.
Oradoc Intervention
Oradoc installed four OraStream™ valves on the DuoFlow
boxes located after the dandy roll. The objective was to enable
independent and 昀椀ne tuned control of the four vacuum chambers,
optimizing:
•
early stage drainage
•
sheet formation uniformity
•
vacuum stability under variable load
•
system responsiveness during grade changes
The integration required no structural modi昀椀cations thanks to
the plug and play compatibility of the OraStream™ design.
Measured technical improvements
Post installation analysis highlighted several quanti昀椀able
bene昀椀ts:
•
signi昀椀cant reduction in vacuum oscillations, improving
process stability
•
enhanced drainage ef昀椀ciency in the initial forming zone
•
more uniform vacuum distribution across the DuoFlow
chambers
•
elimination of mechanical sticking and reduced risk of
occlusions
•
lower maintenance frequency and improved uptime
•
measurable improvements in sheet
consistency and formation quality
The fast response actuator and optimized
昀氀ow geometry contributed to a more predictable
and controllable vacuum pro昀椀le, supporting higher
operational ef昀椀ciency.
We invited Eng. Simone Principia, Cartiere di
Guarcino’s plant manager, to provide deeper insight
into the main points of Oradoc’s intervention.
Mr. Principia, as a starting point, we would like to
outline the pro昀椀le of Cartiere di Guarcino to frame
the scope and characteristics of its production
processes.
Cartiere di Guarcino S.p.A. is a leading Italian
producer of high quality decor papers and operates a
technologically advanced plant where process stability
is essential to meeting the rigorous visual and structural
requirements of the furniture and laminate industries.
94
Image 3: OraStream valve design.
The mill’s production relies heavily on precise wet end
control, particularly because decor papers contain pigments that
demand uniform formation, consistent drainage and stable vacuum
conditions. Any 昀氀uctuation in these early stages can compromise
opacity, printability and surface appearance.
Can you please detail the speci昀椀c failure modes observed in
the previous vacuum valves?
In recent years, the mill began experiencing increasing
instability in the vacuum system of PM1, particularly in the low
vacuum section downstream of the dandy roll. The existing valves
showed progressive performance degradation: deposits caused
sticking and clogging, response times became slower and less
predictable and vacuum levels 昀氀uctuated beyond acceptable
tolerances. These issues not only affected sheet formation, but also
required frequent maintenance interventions, interrupting production
and reducing overall ef昀椀ciency.
Image 4: OraStream valves after installation.

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