Things are changing – for the better. Mills need smart solutions for optimization and autonomy to continuously improve the efficiency and profitability of operations. Turning quality information into knowledge for smart decisions is the future, and the timing couldn’t be better for the Smart Series of intelligent instruments.

Taking mills to their highest level of autonomy

Smart Series is about taking mills to their highest level of autonomy, availability, and productivity, filling gaps in previously unavailable information, and encouraging data-driven decision-making. It creates an opportunity for the evolving skillset among mill operators by introducing a digital culture.

Those set to retire in the next decade are irreplaceable. But into their shoes steps a generation who inhabit a digital world and will naturally gravitate towards a digitalized working environment.

ANDRITZ ©️ / Stephan Keuschnigg-Zingl, ANDRITZ's Vice President of Automation and Digitalization

Stephan Keuschnigg-Zingl, ANDRITZ's Vice President of Automation and Digitalization, says: “ANDRITZ is very strong in simulation and digitalization. The Smart Series portfolio adds the vital ability of high-quality process measurements and analyzers to enable better simulation models as well as vision systems and robotics to reach a higher level of autonomy,” says Senior Vice President Pulp & Paper Automation at ANDRITZ Stephan Keuschnigg-Zingl. Together with Metris Digital Solutions, the Smart Series enables the next level of sustainable value as the vital link between process control and digitalization throughout the customer’s value chain.”

“To be autonomous you need to know where your process is and work with meaningful data to create high-fidelity online dynamic process simulation - a ‘digital twin’. The Smart Series is all about intelligent instrumentation to make this possible, optimize processes, and handle and minimize anomalies and deviations, including then validating the sensors themselves in the digital twin models and enabling what-if scenarios. This is the root of genuine autonomy.” also adds Stephan.

ANDRITZ ©️ / Automation and Digitalization conceptual pyramid

The automation pyramid graphic shows where Smart Series plays its part and creates a vital link within the ANDRITZ automation and digitalization portfolio, in the context of Metris Digital Solutions, ANDRITZ Automation, Electrification & Instrumentation, and ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper process and process equipment.

Thus it highlights the important role of Smart Series as enablers for digitalization!

To accomplish this mission Smart Series products and solutions are organized into five categories:

ANDRITZ ©️ / Smart Series solution categories and description

Improvement by measurement

“You can only improve what you can measure,” sums up Johanna Newcomb, Vice President of Smart Solutions at ANDRITZ. “Intelligent instruments capture the status of a process and allow the setting of meaningful benchmarks and data for further control and optimization.

ANDRITZ ©️ / Johanna Newcomb, Vice President of Smart Solutions at ANDRITZ

“Sustainability is a major winner with the Smart Series and is a subject close to my heart,” adds Johanna. “Reduced energy consumption (from refining for example), minimized carbon footprint, improved process efficiency – all are logical consequences of a process optimized through turning data from smart instrumentation into knowledge. Safety is another critical aspect of sustainability which is also addressed through autonomy, by distancing operators from potentially hazardous tasks through robotics and mechatronics.”

Unique challenges

"The wide range and constant variability of fiber sources for pulp and paper mills presents a unique challenge,” adds Stephan Keuschnigg-Zingl.“ There are also sidestreams, such as methanol and biofuel becoming more and more important for our customers. So, it is important that at ANDRITZ we are more than an integrator: we own and actively develop the products within the Smart Series portfolio that make a difference for our customers to run their operations efficiently and sustainably.”

The latest examples are NAF control valves, which brought process flow control into the portfolio in May 2024, Procemex, which added machine vision capabilities in June 2024, and the latest in August, PulpEye an innovative analyzer and measurement technology company, their products contribute to stabilized and higher pulp quality, process efficiency and reduced energy consumption in pulp production.

Smart Series typifies the benefits of the One ANDRITZ approach. ANDRITZ’s experience and knowledge in process, service, and automation put it in a position of strength to take the entire value stream’s efficiency to a new level with Smart Series, enabling process and plant autonomy. 

ANDRITZ launched the Smart Series of intelligent instruments at Pulp & Beyond in Helsinki, Finland in April 2024.