Finnish company Valmet has expanded its IQ Quality Control System (QCS) portfolio with four new IQ Measurements for the packaging and nonwoven industries.

These advancements are designed to precisely measure raw material components, colour, and ash content, helping to maintain product quality and improve raw material efficiency.

Valmet IQ Transmission Spectrum Measurement and Valmet IQ Reflection Spectrum Measurement offer online, noncontact methods for accurately determining the composition and weight of various raw materials.

These technologies, which are neither invasive nor radioactive, enable users to fine-tune material consumption, reduce production expenses, and ultimately cut down on their environmental impact.

These measurements cater to an array of applications, including nonwoven production, extrusion coating, laminating, plastic film manufacturing, and paper and board production.

According to the company, they play a pivotal role in the shift towards biobased coating materials, the reduction of plastic use, and the enhancement of sustainable packaging solutions.

Valmet Quality Management Solutions and Automation Systems business line business manager Mikko Viitamäki said: “Valmet IQ is a leading brand in the industry, and this launch demonstrates our ongoing commitment to developing automation technology to meet customer needs in a wide range of industrial processes.

“The new products bring laboratory accuracy to online measurements. For example, our spectrometer measurements provide new opportunities in measuring functional coatings such as biobarriers, adhesives, and polymers.”

Valmet's IQ Color Measurement system leverages advanced LED technology to provide exact reflectance spectrum readings for paper and board applications.

It detects the intricate influences of furnishings, paper dyes, and brightening agents, enabling consistent colour uniformity across various paper grades.

Meanwhile, Valmet IQ Total X-ray Measurement employs straightforward sensor technology for total ash measurement in paper production.

It also measures glass content in fibreglass and offers nonnuclear basis weight measurement for nonwoven materials.

This solution facilitates real-time process control and proactive troubleshooting, thereby reducing downtime and waste.

The Valmet IQ QCS comprises a scanner, an array of online measurements, advanced controls, and applications to guarantee better end-product quality and production processes.

Valmet introduced its first QCS in the 1990s and has since been crucial in optimising quality for more than 2,200 mills globally in various sectors, including pulp, paper, board, tissue, nonwoven, and paper conversion.

In October this year, Valmet secured a contract to supply a high-speed board-making line to Anhui Linping Circular Development in China.