Technological Changes since 1945:
1. Telephones
a. Was party-lines and even crank phones with limited application to population
b. Now “smart phones” and everybody has one; “land lines” (i.e. 1945 technology) on the way out. Much of the world doesn’t know about ‘land lines’.
2. Air travel
a. Was slow, limited to big cities, expensive, noisy, uncomfortable
b. Now fast, more airports, affordable, planes far different, can and have delivered passengers to the moon and returned, still largely uncomfortable though
3. Cars
a. Heavy, gas guzzlers, not so safe, slow, not so comfortable, limited choices, short life
b. Now stylish, lighter, more economical, far safer, very comfortable, broad choices, 100,000+miles, air conditioning,
4. Television
a. Big box, small picture, fuzzy picture, limited to 50 miles from transmitter, poor sound
b. Now light, energy efficient, high def, hi fidelity, communication device, portable, relatively inexpensive, unlimited channels
5. Medicine
a. Was X-ray and penicillin and sulfur drugs, local doctors
b. Now, X-ray, Proton treatment, CT scan, PET Scan, MRI, micro surgery, robotic surgery, antibiotics, chemo, medical centers, local centers, etc. etc.
6. Foods
a. Was fresh when available, canned, frozen produce was poor, local grocers
b. Now, fresh available year-round, canned is good, frozen is good, prepared dinners, Supermarkets
7. Trucks
a. Were relatively small, slow, inefficient, short trip,
b. Now fast, carry large loads, efficient, versatile, comfortable, same basic technology
8. Paper machines
a. Were narrow, slow, inefficient, grade restricted, human factors disasters
b. Now fast, wider, more efficient, more flexible, improved human factors, same basic technology
It appears to me that paper machine designers, engineers, operators, and owners have spent over 65 years building better ‘trucks’ if you will while many other industries have spent that time redefining their offering so that they may more effectively serve mankind. A basic change in many of the above industries was to make their offering lighter. In doing so, they made their offering more useful, quicker to market, more efficient, more desirable, and longer life.
LGMI contends that significantly lighter (weight reduction goal = 50%) paper machine systems will accomplish many meaningful changes and, as a result, bring leading edge design, engineering, construction, and installation technologies to previously fundamental concepts in paper machine systems. For instance, it is estimated that every pound of weight reduction in the paper machine equipment will reduce total installed weight by 3 pounds! Imagine the reduction in foundation costs and construction time that this could effect. A paper machine with reduced rotating weight will have significantly reduced acceleration demand power. The machine’s drive size and power consumed will be accordingly reduced. Power supply systems that must be designed to supply acceleration power can be reduced in size. Continuous power demand will be closer to design capacity resulting in improved power factor, reducing power purchase penalties.
These are just a couple of areas where lighter, greener paper machine systems are preferred. LGMI endeavors to more completely define these areas and identify and develop others. It is LGMI’s desire to lead the industry to build paper machine systems that create value for all stakeholders—owners, operators, and the general public—thereby creating downstream “pull” for our industry’s products and services.
Join us at LGMI’s 2011 Winter Conference at the Atlanta Airport Hilton on January 15-16, 2011.
