WMU Paper Pilot Plant

Pilot Coater Diagram

The Western Michigan University pilot coater can be viewed by its individual pieces in this diagram allowing for a better understanding of our coating services.

Download Pilot Coating Diagram

See the coater segments close-up and read details by clicking the shaded areas in the drawing or the list:

Explore the section of the Pilot Coater below.

roll of paper on the coating machine
  • Surface winder
  • Shafted 6" (150 mm) ID core
  • Roll size limit 72" (1820 mm) diameter and/or 8,000 lbs (3630 kg)

Side view of the coating machine

  • On machine, use with or without coater
  • Default set-up two-nip hot-soft, one-nip steel-to-steel, or both Four hot-soft nips are also available
  • Nip pressure to 2500 PLI (438 kN/m) using hot-soft and to 1500 PLI (263 kN/m) using steel-to-steel
  • Temperature ambient to 480F (250C)
  • Roll heating by hot oil internally and induction externally
  • Variations in temperature require 3°F/minute to cool or heat steel roll.
  • To translate Küsters calender set up to a specific mill calender condition, provide mill roll diameter, durometer, load, temperature, speed, and width. Conversion factors may require running calender separately from coater if speed to match to mill calendering conditions is slower than nominal coating speed.

Arial shot of the moisturizer

  • Water and steam to add moisture into the sheet before the calender.

paper coming off of the coaiting machine

Paper going through the coating machine

  • Measures moisture and basis weight.
  • Two zones
  • Total length 38 ft. (11.5 m)
  • Nozzle velocity range - 4,000 to 14,000 fpm (1220 to 4270 m/min)
  • Temperature to 500F (260C)

Paper going onto the coating machine

  • Two roll turret
  • Shaftless core
  • Core sizes — 3'' (75 mm) ID, 4'' ID, or 6'' ID — 100 mm and 150 mm may require rewinding, available on site
  • OD Roll size limit - 60 in (1500 mm) diameter and/or 3750 lbs (1700 kg)

Stairs going up to the second deck of the coating machine

  • Measures moisture, basis weight, and caliper.

Paper going through the size press part of the coater

  • Metering Size Press (MSP or film press), simultaneous two-sided
  • Pond Size Press: inclined
  • C1S Coater: Short Dwell applicator, SDTA
  • C1S Coater: Applicator Roll (flooded-nip), LDTA
  • Airknife: applied with applicator roll
  • Blade: beveled or bent
  • Rod: Smooth in 12.7. 20, 25, 30, and 35 mm diameter and grooved in ½” diameter
  • The air turns used in both size press modes

Paper going through the infrared dryers

  • Five natural gas-fired infrared dryers
  • Each unit 24 in (610 mm) MD
  • Length: 576,000 BTU/hr (169 kW)
  • One preheats basestock
  • Four in two pairs installed immediately after coater/sizer press, shown in the photo.