Hamburger Containerboard’s digital waste paper drop-off point inPitten is now live

The square was the final step toward analog

Up until now, a largely automated pulper was preceded by a process that generated very little data: bales arrive, are stacked by variety, and the clamp stacker feeds the pulper according to the bale ratio—three of this variety, two of that. This works, but the results vary greatly depending on the operator. Most importantly, a bale ratio is not the same as a mass ratio. Bales of the same variety differ in weight and moisture content; the mixture drifts, and adjustments are made. The exact value required by the recipe—the fiber content—is not measured anywhere.

Each bale gets its own digital data sheet

An analytical drill takes random samples from each shipment and measures the net weight, fiber content, fiber length, ash content, and moisture content. This process breaks down an EN 643 purchase grade into sub-grades that can actually be used in a formula.

To ensure this data stays with the bales, identpro’s LiDAR-RTLS system on the clamp stackers—in conjunction with sensors mounted on the clamps—records every movement: picking up, setting down, restacking, and feeding the pulper—without scanning, without a gate, and without labels. Data is transmitted via a private 5G network, as public network coverage on the site is not of sufficient quality. Today, over 95% of the bales are fully traceable—from delivery through restacking all the way to the conveyor.

Less variation, closer to the optimum

The fiber intake per batch follows a smooth curve rather than a sawtooth pattern. Less fresh and premium fiber is incinerated as a safety margin; inventory can be planned in real time; recipe analyses can be correlated with raw material data; and suppliers are evaluated on a fact-based basis over the course of months, regardless of who is currently on duty.