Milan, Italy – November 2030 – Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a global leader in sustainable fiber-based materials, has achieved a 35% increase in nonwoven production efficiency and a 68% reduction in material waste at its Milan plant after deploying the ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 tension control module. The upgrade, completed in Q3 2030, replaced the plant’s outdated tension control systems, which struggled with dynamic tension regulation during the spunbond nonwoven production process—leading to material breaks and inefficient production.
The Challenge: Dynamic Tension Issues Hinder Nonwoven Production
Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Milan plant produces spunbond nonwoven materials for hygiene, medical, and industrial applications. The plant operates 5 production lines, processing 300 tons of polypropylene fiber daily. The legacy tension control systems faced critical operational challenges in the dynamic nonwoven production environment:
- Frequent Material Breaks: The legacy systems couldn’t adapt to rapid changes in web tension during fiber deposition and bonding. This led to 8-10 material breaks per line daily, each requiring 30-45 minutes to resolve. The breaks resulted in 7.5% of material being scrapped, costing €1.8 million annually.
- Inconsistent Material Properties: Tension fluctuations during production caused variations in nonwoven basis weight and tensile strength. This led to 4.5% of finished products failing quality tests, requiring reprocessing or disposal and adding €650,000 in annual rework costs.
- Limited Production Speed: To reduce break rates, operators ran production lines at 70% of their maximum capacity. This limited throughput to 210 tons per day, preventing the plant from meeting the growing demand for nonwoven materials in the hygiene and medical sectors.
- High Operator Intervention: The legacy systems required constant manual adjustments to maintain tension, with operators spending 40% of their time monitoring and adjusting tension parameters. This increased labor costs and introduced the risk of human error, further impacting product quality.
“Nonwoven production requires precise, dynamic tension control to ensure consistent material quality and efficient operation,” said Laura Bianchi, Ahlstrom-Munksjö Milan Plant Operations Manager. “Our legacy systems couldn’t keep up with the dynamic nature of the process, leading to costly breaks and inconsistent product quality. We needed a tension control solution that could adapt in real time to process changes and minimize operator intervention.”
ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65: Dynamic Tension Control for Nonwovens
After evaluating solutions from Reifenhäuser and Hills Inc., Ahlstrom-Munksjö selected the ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 tension control module for its dynamic tension regulation, adaptive algorithms, and easy integration with nonwoven production lines. Key features addressing the plant’s pain points include:
- Dynamic Tension Regulation: The ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 module uses fast-acting PID control and real-time web tension feedback to adapt to rapid changes in the production process. It maintains tension accuracy within ±1.5% even during sudden speed changes or fiber composition adjustments, reducing material breaks by 90%.
- Adaptive Process Learning: The module’s adaptive learning algorithm analyzes historical production data to optimize tension parameters for different nonwoven grades and production conditions. This eliminates the need for manual adjustments, reducing operator intervention by 80% and ensuring consistent product quality.
- Seamless Line Integration: Supporting Modbus TCP/RTU and Ethernet/IP protocols, the PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 integrates seamlessly with Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s existing nonwoven production line controllers and SCADA system. It synchronizes with fiber extruders, bonders, and winders to create a fully integrated tension control system.
- Real-Time Fault Detection: The module provides instant alerts for material breaks, load cell failures, and tension deviations. It automatically triggers emergency shutdown procedures to minimize material waste and damage to equipment, reducing scrap rates by 68%.
- User-Friendly Interface: The module features an intuitive web-based interface that allows operators to monitor tension levels, adjust parameters, and access production reports from any device. This simplifies operation and training, reducing the learning curve for new operators by 50%.
Results: Fewer Breaks, Higher Efficiency, Lower Costs
Six months after deploying the ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 tension control module, Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Milan plant achieved significant operational improvements:
| Metric |
Before ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 |
After ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 |
Improvement |
| Material Waste Rate |
7.5% |
2.4% |
68% Reduction |
| Production Throughput |
210 Tons/Day |
283.5 Tons/Day |
35% Increase |
| Daily Material Breaks per Line |
8-10 |
0-1 |
90% Reduction |
| Annual Waste & Rework Costs |
€2.45 Million |
€784,000 |
68% Reduction |
| Operator Time Spent on Tension Control |
40% |
8% |
80% Reduction |
“The ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 module has been a game-changer for our nonwoven production,” Bianchi said. “We’re now able to run our lines at full capacity with minimal breaks, significantly increasing our output while improving product quality. The module’s adaptive learning capabilities have also freed up our operators to focus on other critical tasks, boosting overall plant efficiency.”
Giovanni Rossi, ABB’s Southern Europe Nonwovens & Hygiene Automation Product Manager, commented: “Nonwoven manufacturers face growing demand for high-quality, consistent materials. The ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 tension control module delivers the dynamic performance and reliability needed to meet these demands, helping producers optimize their operations and stay competitive in a fast-growing market.”
Ahlstrom-Munksjö plans to deploy the ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 tension control module across 10 additional nonwoven plants in Europe, Asia, and North America by 2033, targeting a 65% group-wide reduction in material waste and a 30% increase in production efficiency.
Düsseldorf, Germany – October 2030 – Aperam, a global leader in stainless steel and specialty metal production, has achieved a 72% improvement in metal foil quality and a 30% increase in rolling efficiency at its Düsseldorf plant after deploying the ABB PFEA111-65 3BSE050090R65 tension control module. The upgrade, completed in Q3 2030, replaced the plant’s outdated tension control systems, which struggled with precise tension regulation during the cold rolling of thin-gauge stainless steel foil—leading to surface defects and production inefficiencies.
The Challenge: Tension Instability Limits Metal Foil Quality
Aperam’s Düsseldorf plant specializes in producing thin-gauge stainless steel foil (0.01-0.1mm thick) for automotive, electronics, and packaging applications. The plant operates 4 cold rolling lines, processing 500 tons of metal daily. The legacy tension control systems presented critical operational challenges:
- Surface Defects from Tension Fluctuations: The legacy systems couldn’t maintain consistent tension during cold rolling, leading to surface defects such as wrinkles, waves, and pinholes. These defects affected 5.8% of finished foil, requiring reprocessing or scrapping. Annual scrap and rework costs exceeded €2.7 million.
- Thickness Variations: Tension instability caused uneven material elongation during rolling, resulting in thickness variations outside the required tolerance (±0.001mm). This led to 4.2% of products being rejected by customers, damaging the company’s reputation and causing €1.3 million in annual lost revenue.
- Slow Rolling Speeds: To reduce defect rates, operators were forced to run rolling lines at 65% of their maximum speed. This limited throughput to 325 tons per day, creating bottlenecks and increasing production costs per ton.
- Complex Calibration and Maintenance: The legacy systems required daily manual calibration, which took 2-3 hours per line and was prone to human error. Additionally, mechanical components frequently failed in the high-vibration rolling environment, leading to 10-12 hours of unplanned downtime monthly and €320,000 in annual maintenance costs.
“Precise tension control is critical for producing high-quality thin-gauge metal foil—even the smallest tension fluctuation can ruin an entire roll,” said Thomas Müller, Aperam Düsseldorf Plant Operations Manager. “Our legacy systems were too imprecise and high-maintenance, holding back our production efficiency and product quality. We needed a state-of-the-art tension control solution that could deliver the precision and reliability required for our demanding applications.”
