Voith Paper: Virtual Reference Grinding on Yankee Cylinders

Heidenheim, Germany, 31 May 2006--After a series of tests the new Virtual Reference Gringing (VRG) process was launched on the market at the beginning of 2005. A short time ago the 20th grind was successfully carried out on the Yankee cylinder of PM 11 at ICT-Poland in Kostrzyn, Poland.

Voith Paper Rolls, a market leader in mobile cylinder grinding technology for the paper industry, has developed an innovative grinding process with VRG. It differs fundamentally from all conventional grinding processes. With VRG the conventional grinding bed is replaced by a laser measuring and control system, which measures the cylinder to be ground, calculates the necessary local removal of grinding material, and subsequently controls the two grinding heads extremely precisely. In this way, optimal grinding results can be achieved with a minimum removal of metal.

Because of its low weight, the grinding unit can be rapidly transported to anywhere in the world. Up to now, cylinders have been ground in South Africa, Malaysia, Italy, Australia, South Korea, France, England, USA, Spain, Germany, Poland, and Switzerland.

VRG increases grinding quality with a minimum removal of material. Thanks to an up to 30% shorter shutdown time, it also helps to save considerable costs.

Voith Paper is a division of the Voith Group and one of the leading partners to the paper industry. More than one third of the world's paper production is manufactured on Voith Paper machines.

Voith sets standards in paper technology, power transmission engineering, power generation and industrial services. Formed on 01 January 1867, it has a current workforce of approximately 30,000, sales of EUR 3.5 billion, and more than 200 locations worldwide. It is one of the largest family-owned enterprises in Europe.