In any manufacturing facility, unplanned downtime is costly. It directly affects production and your business’ revenue and reputation. If you’re producing paper and pulp, you belong to an industry with high demand. And you don’t want to disappoint clients with a delay in their order — especially if the cause of the downtime is something as preventable as Papermill corrosion.

Papermill and Corrosion

Pulp and paper facilities are prone to corrosion. After all, their processes involve materials that help usher in this unwanted phenomenon — including moisture, impurities from raw ingredients, and high workplace temperature.

Knowing this prompts owners and builders to ensure proper measures are in place to prevent corrosion. Because once your machinery has corrosion, it will be prematurely damaged, and its functioning will be affected. If not addressed properly, it can cause your parts and components to break down, which leads to downtime with long durations.

How Industrial Insulation Helps

In a harsh environment like a papermill, prevention is much needed. And one of the ways you can prevent downtime due to corrosion is by applying industrial coatings.

How does this insulation work?

In a nutshell, applying it to a substrate produces a physical barrier that blocks corrosive substances. If no damaging elements will get in touch with the surface of your equipment, corrosion will be reduced. However, take note that some insulating materials act like a greenhouse that traps moisture. This will lead to corrosion under insulation (CUI). Choose an insulating material that can mitigate CUI to prevent it from happening.

But whether it’s simple corrosion or the trickier CUI, your goal should be to hinder any corrosion-promoters from coming into contact with the substrates in your pulp and paper machinery from the get-go.

On top of their anti-corrosion properties, modern insulating materials can also reduce heat transfer (and better energy efficiency) while enhancing personnel protection.

Other Ways You Can Minimize Corrosion and Unplanned Downtime

Apart from relying on high-grade coatings, you can do these tips to avoid unplanned downtime due to corrosion.

Regular cleaning. Producing paper generates pesky by-products such as dust. Therefore, you need to thoroughly clean your machinery and get rid of any dirt that can cause overheating or affect its accurate functioning.

Regular inspection. Detecting issues — corrosion and beyond — early on is key to reducing downtime and other related expenses. In your calendar, make sure to add periodic inspections. List down all areas of your facility that must be evaluated, especially those more prone to getting damaged.

Proper personnel training. Utilizing the right tools and technologies is just one part of the whole picture. To reduce unplanned downtime, you have to make sure that those manning your facility are properly trained. They should know the standard operating procedures and be alert and quick-thinkers.

Getting professional help. Like how you need to source your papermill anti-corrosion insulating materials from a reputable supplier, you’d also need to tap a reliable vendor to take care of your preventive maintenance needs. For instance, you may need someone with rope access to clean and inspect hard-to-reach areas within your facility.

James Montano