APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND PROCESS FOR DETERMINING CHARACTERISTICS OF A SURFACE OF A PAPERMAKING FABRIC

• US 20140133734A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sze, Daniel H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,349,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/006 Making patterned paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/14 Making cellulose wadding, filter or blotting paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/06 Indicating or regulating the thickness of the layer; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/08 Felts
• CPC Class Codes: D21G 9/0036 controlling the press or drying section
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/02 Patterned paper patterned coatings D21H19/66; embossing B31F1/07; prepared on the paper-making machines D21F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/56 Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30124 Fabrics; Textile; Paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0006 using a design-rule based approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/40 Analysis of texture depth or shape recovery from texture G06T7/529

Abstract

Apparatuses, processes, and systems for implementing techniques for determining characteristics of a papermaking fabric. The techniques include forming a representation of a portion of the surface of the fabric, with the representation showing the knuckles and pockets in the surface. The representation can be formed, for example, in pressure measurement film, in wax paper, or as a photograph. An image is generated from the representation, and the image is analyzed to determine characteristics of the surface of the fabric, such as knuckle sizes and pocket sizes. The depth of pockets in the fabric can also be determined. The techniques can be used in processes for analysing wear of a fabric, and for obtaining a fabric for making a paper product with a particular three-dimensional structure.

Claims

1. A system for forming a print of a surface of a fabric, the system comprising:

a first plate;

a second plate;

a pressure measurement film; and

a fabric that can be used in a papermaking process, the fabric including a plurality of knuckles on at least one of its surfaces,

wherein a print of the knuckles of the fabric is formed on the pressure measurement, film by pressing the fabric against the pressure measurement film between the first plate and the second plate.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first structure that provides a first pressing surface; and

a second, structure that provides a second pressing surface,

wherein the first structure is placed against the first plate, the second structure is placed against the second plate, and the print of the knuckles of the fabric is formed on the pressure measurement film between the first pressing surface and the second pressing surface.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first structure is one of paper and rubber, and the second structure is one of paper and rubber.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first plate and the second plate are connected by a frame structure.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the frame structure is provided with one or more wheels.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pump for moving one of the first and second plates towards the other of the first and second plates.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a transducer for indicating pressure applied by the pump to the plate that moves.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is a structuring fabric that can be used to form three-dimensional shaping in a web as part of a papermaking process.

9. A process of determining features of a fabric, the process comprising:

forming a representation of a portion of a surface of the fabric, the representation showing locations and sizes of knuckles and pockets in the surface of the fabric;

generating an image of the portion of the fabric based on the representation;

displaying at least a portion of the image on a screen associated with a computer having a processor;

drawing an outline around at least one of the knuckles in the displayed image; and

drawing guidelines in the displayed image such that the guidelines (i) pass through the center of the outlined knuckle, (ii) pass through the other knuckles, and (iii) do not pass through areas of the image that correspond to where the pockets are formed between the knuckles,

wherein the outline and the guidelines are drawn using an image analysis program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the representation is formed by pressing the fabric against a pressure measurement film.

11. The process according to claim 9, wherein die representation is formed by taking a photograph of the fabric.

12. The process according to claim 9, wherein the representation is formed by pressing the fabric against wax paper.

13. The process according to claim 9, further comprising a step of determining at least one of a length of the outlined knuckle, a width of the outlined knuckle, and locations of the knuckles along the guidelines,

wherein the determination is made by the image analysis program.

14. The process according to claim 13, further comprising a step of calculating at least one of a percentage of the surface of the fabric that corresponds to the knuckles and the percentage of the surface of the fabric that corresponds to pockets,

wherein the calculation uses determinations of the length of the outlined knuckle, the width of the outlined knuckle, and the locations of the knuckles along the guidelines, with the determinations being made by the image analysis program.

15. A process of analyzing wear on a papermaking fabric, the process comprising:

forming a first representation of a portion of a surface of the fabric, the first representation showing locations and sizes of knuckles and pockets in the surface of the fabric;

generating a first image based on the first representation;

determining at least one characteristic related to the surface of the fabric using the first image;

wearing the fabric;

forming a second representation of a portion of the surface of the fabric, the second representation showing locations and sizes of knuckles and pockets in the surface of the fabric;

generating a second image of the knuckles of the fabric based on the second representation; and

determining the least one characteristic related to die surface of the fabric using the second image,

wherein the determining steps are performed using an image analysis program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium.

16. A process according to the claim 15, wherein the wearing of the fabric is done by sanding or grinding the fabric.

17. A process according to claim 15, wherein the wearing of the fabric is done by running the fabric on a papermaking machine.

18. A process according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the step of forming the first representation and forming the second representation is conducted while the fabric is mounted on a papermaking machine.

19. The process according to claim 15, further comprising:

forming a paper product using the fabric before forming the first representation; and

correlating a property of the paper product to the at least one characteristic determined using the first image.

20. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

forming a paper product using the fabric before forming the second representation; and

correlating a property of the paper product to the at least one characteristic determined using the second image.

21. The process according to claim 15, wherein the first and second representations are formed by at least one of (i) forming a print of the portion of the surface in a pressure measurement film, (ii) forming a print of the portion of the surface in wax paper, and (iii) taking a photograph of the surface.

22. A process of obtaining a fabric, the process comprising:

obtaining an image of a paper product having a three-dimensional structure;

determining a pattern that corresponds to the three-dimensional structure of the paper product, the pattern being determined by using an image analysis program that is stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to analyze the image of the paper product; and

obtaining a fabric with a surface that approximates the pattern.

23. The process according to claim 22, wherein the pattern corresponds to sizes and locations of knuckles and pockets in the fabric.

24. The process according to claim 22, wherein the fabric is obtained by manufacturing a fabric with the pattern.

25. The process according to claim 22, wherein the fabric is obtained by selecting a fabric that has a pattern that is known to approximately correspond to the determined pattern.

26. The process according to claim 25, wherein the fabric is selected by matching the pattern to information regarding the fabric, with the information being stored in a database.