LUDOWICI
PULP MOULDING MACHINERY For the manufacture of fruit
trays, wine dividers, egg cartons, egg trays, food
packaging, industrial component packs, etc. Please
use our Machinery
Inquiry Form to obtain information specific to
your requirements.
INTRODUCTION Ludowici designs
and builds complete pulp-moulding plants of small
or large capacity which can be located in industrial,
rural or urban areas. Sophisticated automation, process
control and quality control are inbuilt. Ludowici
plants are extremely efficient in energy and labour
utilisation. Environmental discharges are low.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MANUFACTURE
Waste paper (including newspaper,
magazines, kraft) is re-pulped.
Various chemicals may be added
to the pulp. Chemicals to give finished products
water resistance, wet strength and/or colour are
common.
The pulp is cleaned of contaminants
such as staples and plastic particles, and sent
to the moulding machine.
Moulding dies are dipped into
the pulp and a vacuum is applied to the die. A
product is created.
The wet product is placed
on a conveyor and sent through a drying tunnel
(often gas fired).
Dry products are pressed,
counted, bundled, printed, labelled, palletised
and despatched! Not all products are printed of
course but most egg cartons are.
PROCESS TECHNOLOGY Ludowici technology
was born in the very recent electronic era so that
advanced controls and automation are inbred in every
machine. Software applications are advanced by international
standards allowing flexibility, rapid response, and
smaller more compact machinery. (Traditional moulding
machines are large and inflexible by comparison).
Operation of the entire factory is carried out through
strategically placed VDUs. Process variables such
as temperatures, machine speed, pulp consistency and
pH are continuously monitored, logged to disc and
controlled automatically. Ludowici pulp moulding machines
have the equivalent of "auto pilot". Process
trouble-shooting is simple via normal phone modem
link or internet. All Ludowici machines can be easily
monitored and even operated from remote locations.
This high level of technology
in Ludowici machines is so operator friendly that
in Australasia operators have often been recruited
from long term unemployed labour pools. Simple on
the surface but very high tech below.
INPUTS Moulded pulp products are
made from waste materials and can be recycled along
with other paper and cardboard cartons with which
they are normally associated. Products rejected in
the plant are re-pulped – no waste material in-house.
Chemicals required during the
manufacturing process are available internationally
from a number of suppliers. Prices are competitive
for chemicals and no toxic chemicals are required
for the process.
Electricity is used in moulded
pulp plants as is drying energy generally in the
form of gas or oil. Factories are configured for
the local electrical supply with all electrical
control and switch gear pre-wired and mounted in
a standard shipping container which is simply fixed
to the floor.
Ludowici factories can be manned
by few staff because of the high level of automation
applied. Management and supervisory staff should
have an engineering background but operators can
be unskilled, male or female.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION Ludowici plants are designed
with energy conservation as a principal consideration.
Modern energy minimisation techniques are used in
the control of all rotating machinery and the dryer.
Energy consumption is measured continuously and
energy utilisation per product data is available
continuously in the on-line factory management system.
OUTPUTS The major output, of course,
is finished products.
Carbon dioxide and water vapour
are the only air emissions from the process. Dryer
gases are scrubbed with process water to retain
heat within the system.
Water is recycled within the
process and discharges to municipal trade waste
systems are extremely small.
Solid contaminants extracted
from the waste paper are directed to a central point
in the plant for removal.
Noise levels are low with some
Hawk factories currently operating adjacent to residential
areas.
PRODUCT QUALITY MANAGEMENT The Ludowici philosophy
on quality is to measure key quality variables continuously,
wherever possible, and then provide automatic control
to reduce operator error and reduce product variability.
For example, automatic control of weight and moisture
content are standard features on the larger Ludowici
moulding plants. Permanent records of all measured
variables are filed to computer disc automatically.
This allows complete product traceability for factories
with ISO accreditation.
TOOLING AND PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT Ludowici pulp moulding machines
can be supplied with or without tooling. Customers
are free to source tooling from their preferred
supplier. Ludowici tooling is available for many
products or alternatively our designers will work
with customers to develop specific products.
MACHINERY OPTIONS Customer requirements all
differ so each project is unique. Ludowici machines
are configured to manufacture specific product lines.
Ludowici machines can also be configured to special
customer requirements - no problem. By customising
machines in this way capital and operational costs
are minimised. Ludowici machines are the lowest capital
cost machines available.
Machines with 1 million products
output per year to factories with 100 million products
output per year can be supplied from the Ludowici
machine building workshop. Each will comply with
the Ludowici philosophy
of simple on the surface but very high tech below.
Machines can be highly automated
for low labour input or simplified where a higher
labour requirement is acceptable. High labour input
machines are ideal for undeveloped or developing
regions where wage rates are low by international
standards. Waste paper collection systems can be
set up in such regions thereby providing even more
employment.
SCOPE OF SUPPLY Hawk supplies complete pulp
moulding plants including pulping, pulp storage
and cleaning equipment and product finishing equipment,
(such as after-presses), where necessary. Ludowici
does not produce printing equipment but can arrange
supply on behalf of customers. All equipment is
supplied in standard shipping containers. A complete
inventory of essential spare parts is provided with
each plant.
PLANT ERECTION AND COMMISSIONING Ludowici engineers will
supervise the plant erection to a previously agreed
plant layout. Ludowici assumes no responsibility
for on-site costs. Ludowici will install and commission
the plant and provide comprehensive training of
key personnel. If necessary on-site training in
a Ludowici factory can be arranged. Of course on-line
assistance and technical backup is available through
modem link.
LEAD TIMES Lead times will depend
on the size and complexity of the plant supplied.
Typically a plant with a nominal capacity of 30
million 30 pocket egg trays per year would be manufactured
and ready for shipping progressively over a 4-8
month period following receipt of order. Commissioning
would be complete around 3-4 months following final
shipping.
ENQUIRY FORM If you require further information
on how Ludowici can provide a packaging solution
for you, please complete this
form.
Once you open up a discussion
with us, you will be surprised at the options available
and the cost savings.
