Paper Machine Vacuum Systems

This webinar is brought to you by the TAPPI Papermakers Committee and the Water Removal Committee. For more information about these committees please visit www.tappi.org.

Presenters: Doug Sweet has a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of South Florida with over 35 years in the pulp, paper, and containerboard industry. He was a maintenance engineer at Procter & Gamble tissue mill, and then shifted to design and sales of paper machine vacuum systems. Throughout his career he has visited over 300 paper mills in 12 countries, and observed over 600 paper machines. He has received two US patents for papermaking equipment, has published articles in several US and Canadian trade journals, and is a frequent speaker at paper industry conferences. Since 2001 Doug has been an independent consultant specializing in paper machine vacuum system optimization and energy reduction projects, and has completed over 200 system audits in the past 12 years. He has been an active TAPPI member for many years and has presented at numerous TAPPI conferences.

Executive round table participants include John Neun, Dave Burton and Gary Nyman.

John received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York State. His duties with Albany International involve studying customer paper machines and determining means of improving their efficiency. In addition to overall system analysis, John has demonstrated particular expertise in vacuum systems, fabric cleaning systems, forming systems, and presses. He performs pulsation analyses and solves vibration problems in all sections of paper machines. John is a TAPPI Fellow and past Chairman of the Papermaker's Committee and Water Removal Committee as well as the Paper and Board Division.

Gary is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and has over 28 years in the paper Industry, 25 with International Paper. He has been involved in specialized services, audits and paper machine support as well as production management. He has been a TAPPI member since 1988 and currently serves on the Papermakers Technical Program Committee.

Dave has over 35 years prior papermaking experience at Brunswick Pulp and Paper, Boise Cascade, Willamette Industries, Champion International, US Corrugated, Valmet and Thermo Fibergen. His responsibilities are process troubleshooting and optimization with emphasis on press section. He received a green belt certification in lean sigma processes.