Pulp, Paper & Linerboard Services

Using recognized industry standards, Econotech evaluates both pulp quality and paper performance.

Refining curve evaluations are an integral part of understanding the physical properties of your pulp furnish after brownstock washers and bleaching or your finished pulp product. Our knowledge and expertise can assist in identifying trend differences for quality monitoring. The addition of fiber morphology testing, during mill process optimizations, can provide valuable information on furnish characteristics.

Projects related to product development (such as non-woods or linerboard grades) or competitive product benchmarking can benefit from independent, unbiased results.

Our test methods follow industry procedures such as TAPPI, PAPTAC and ISO. We maintain our high standard of accuracy and precision by conforming to a Quality Assurance Program which includes regular participation in collaborative pulp and paper reference monitoring programs.

Pulp Evaluations – Refining and Blends Evaluations – Softwoods, Hardwoods, Non-woods

Pulp Refining using the PFI mill or Valley Beater (initial non-refined point plus 4 refined points). Fiber Quality Analyzer (FQA) – fiber length, coarseness, fiber width, kink, curl, fines

Handsheet preparation using standard semi-automatic TAPPI sheet machine
Freeness measurements using Canadian Standard Freeness or Schopper Riegler
Physical, optical and surface paper properties (*basic package includes basis weight, bulk, tear, burst, tensile, stretch and tensile energy absorption.

Pulp – Mechanical – TMP, BCTMP

Latency Removal using the Domtar mixer or British Standard Disintegrator Freeness measurements using Canadian Standard Freeness Handsheet preparation using the standard British sheet machine or Whitewater recirculation Physical, optical and surface paper properties (*basic package includes basis weight, bulk, tear, burst, tensile, stretch and tensile energy absorption)

Pulp – Handsheet Preparation

Semi-automatic British sheet machine
Whitewater recirculation
Non-standard sheet machine (10” x 10” dimension sheets)

Pulp – Fluff Pulp Evaluation

Pulp sheets can be evaluated for hardness index followed by producing a fluff pulp product using a hammermill. Following SCAN procedures, the fluff pulp is evaluated for specific volume, resiliency, absorption capacity and time.

Pulp and Paper Testing – Standard Physical Strength Tests

• Basis weight
• Bulk, caliper, density
• Burst strength
• Tear strength
• Tensile, stretch, tensile energy absorption (TEA)

Pulp and Paper – Additional Standard Physical Strength Tests

• Fold, MIT
• Internal Bond
• Modulus of elasticity (MOE)
• Porosity, Gurley
• Repulpability
• Roughness, Parker Print Surf
• Short span, Pulmac, dry or wet
• Shrinkage, handsheets
• Smoothness, Gurley
• Softness, Gurley
• Stiffness, Taber or Gurley
• Tensile, rewetted\
• Tensile stiffness
• Wet web tensile @ 30% solids
• Zero span tensile, Pulmac, dry or wet

Pulp and Paper – Optical Properties

• Brightness, ISO, Color Touch PC
• Brightness, reversion @ 105° C
• Color, CIE, Hunter
• Fluorescence
• Gloss 75°, 20°
• Light scattering coefficient
• Light absorption coefficient
  
   
• Opacity
• Tristimulus, x,y,z
• Whiteness, ASTM, CIE
• Dominant wavelength, Purity, Luminosity

Specialty paper/Molded Fiber Products

• Castor oil absorption
•  Dennison wax pick
•  Grease resistance
• Kit level
• Oil absorption
• K and N ink absorbency
• Silver tarnishing
• Water absorption, water drop method
• Sizing, Hercules size test (HST)
  
   
• Klemm absorption
• Water vapor transmission rate
• Water Absorption, Cobb
• Water resistance, paper

Fillers and Additives – Talc, Clay

• Bulk density, loose and compacted
• Oil absorption
  
   
• Water absorption
• Brightness, ISO
• Filler and additive evaluations – using whitewater recirculation sheet machine

Screen Replacement – Standard Sheet Machine

• Faceplate screen replacement (150 mesh)
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