Panels & Furniture Asia January/February 2018

PANEL MANUFACTURING 19
“We are highly impressed with the
outcome of the QuickDisc patch repair,”
Will Altman, maintenance supervisor,
said at the Bennettsville facility. “Our
concern was that the amount of welding
required would cause a deflection in that
area or an ‘oil can’ effect and possibly
affect heat transfer.
“However, since starting up, there’s
no indication of a repair. There are
absolutely no marks or halos or
anything visible on the board.”
The repair was carried out
by Sandvik service partner
Conny Neumayr. It involved the
replacement of an area that had
previously undergone several
repairs.
“Multiple repairs concentrated
around a single point creates
tensions and unevenness,”
explained Neumayr. “These
distortions make the area more
susceptible to cracking after each
repair.”
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
AND REPAIR
Sandvik’s QuickDisc Plus 500 is a
self-contained cutting, welding and
grinding system based on a single
jig that attaches itself to the belt.
The press belt at Arauco is 2.7mm
thick and made from a high strength
Sandvik 1650SM grade steel ideal
for harsh conditions.
The first stage in the process was
to remove the damaged area using
the automatic carbide cutter. This
is replaced using a disc cut from
the extra length of belt supplied
together with all Sandvik press belts
for the purpose of repairs.
The cutter is then replaced in
the jig by a track-welding unit
that ensures accurate, semiautomatic
replacement of the
disc. Once welding is finished,
the weld area is ground
down and the repair, complete.
The work at Arauco took about
two hours once the equipment
had been set up, a major saving
compared to the over 10 hours it
can take to cut and replace an entire
belt width with an inserted section.
The development of the
QuickDisc Plus 500 has extended
Sandvik’s service and repair
capabilities, an area the company
recognises as being of prime
importance.
Anders Köijer, Sandvik’s Global
Product & Service manager, said, “Arauco
is the second largest panel producer in
the world and has invested heavily
in the North American and European
markets in recent years. Our role as a
belt supplier is only part of the story. We
are also there to help them maximise
the quality of their end-product and the
longevity of their belts.”
He added, “Service is now a key
differentiator and we’re committed to
taking the lead in wood-based panels.
Today, with the market moving towards
ever thinner boards – produced at
speeds up to 2000 mm/sec – the need
for near perfection in belt quality is
increasing. We will continue to invest in
the technologies necessary to deliver the
high standards.” ℗
PANELS & FURNITURE ASIA • Issue 1 • January / February 2018