Background

    Wood chip refining has been one of the paper industry’s most intricate and difficult control problems having existed since disc refiners were invented in 1932 by Dr Arne Asplund.
    Many theories and ingenious algorithms have been developed – often at considerable expense – but almost without exception, system improvements and tangible benefits have proved elusive.
    Mills have invested significantly on new control systems and strategies, only to find that promised paybacks never actually materialise! With increased energy costs, and the likelihood of continuing escalation in the price of oil, it is becoming an industry imperative to find a genuine, workable solution to this enduring control problem.

    Various approaches have been employed over the last five decades.

    1950: Quality and Energy were not such major factors. The benefit of production gains outweighed quality and control factors were not a major issue.

    1960: Technology advanced and researchers were quietly confident that sensors would be developed to determine Plate Gap, Freeness. Sadly, this was not to be.

    1970: Energy becomes a factor due to Political Events. Computers were hailed as the breakthrough due to their ability to correlate data and perform large calculations quickly. Unfortunately, the dynamic nature of the process and seven major variables varying in combination proved too much.

    1980: Production becomes a factor and with machines operating at faster and faster speeds Freeness combined with fibre properties becomes major issues. Primitive Equation based control systems i.e.
      are left behind

    1990: Adaptive Inferential Mathematics was seen as the way forward due to its ability to shift with the process. However, the quicksand of variability proved too much.
    Miles and May demonstrated that equations were not  impossible. However, no further development's were derived from this basic breakthrough.
    2006: Refining Solutions achieves a complete and total solution.