Vemade IQ Rehumidifier Helps Self-Adhesive Labels Achieve A Quality Boost

A Key Investment

Many years ago at the ICE International Label Expo, Smith & McLaurin first came across Wimed's humidification system, which became an important turning point for the company's development. At the time, they were facing serious quality challenges with their existing steam humidification boxes, including insufficient humidity and uncontrolled lateral profiles causing longitudinal warping. In addition, the tedious manual adjustment of steam valves made production operations quite difficult.

Recognizing the huge potential of Wimed's solution, Smith & McLaurin made the strategic decision in 2023 to invest in Wimed's IQ humidification box. This decision was based on several considerations: it's a water-based system from a reputable global supplier with innovative technology that genuinely meets their current needs. Plus, since there's no longer a need for steam, it also saves the extra costs of boiler maintenance, making the return on investment very clear.

Improving Operational Efficiency and Production Performance

The Valmet IQ Rewinder Humidifier has completely changed the way Smith & McLaurin operators work. Start-up times have been greatly reduced, and the system automatically adjusts once the machine reaches operating speed, eliminating the need for manual steam valve handling. Additionally, the re-moisturizing levels for each paper grade can be preset, significantly increasing the production time of quality products.

Since production is no longer limited by the steam humidifier, speeds can be easily maintained. Compared to before, the control of moisture levels is much more precise and efficient," said Jim Yule, Chief Engineer at Smith & McLaurin.

Improve Quality, Reduce Waste

The implementation of the Weimed IQ Conditioning Box has significantly boosted Smith & McLaurin's operational efficiency and end-product quality. It completely solved the problem of insufficient conditioning capacity, allowing machine speeds to be easily maintained, and the conditioning box is no longer a production bottleneck.

Compared with the old steam conditioning system, warp on some products was reduced by 101%, and the average reduction across all inspected products reached 63%. For some products, the conditioning level increased by 32% compared to steam conditioning, with an average increase of 19% across all inspected products.

The moisture content is now more uniform and easier to control. At the same time, the issue of base paper warping has been completely eliminated, no longer a quality concern. Additionally, the scrap rate has dropped significantly, especially during startup – previously, steam leaks would often dampen sheets and frequently cause paper breaks.

Comparison of Steam Rehumidification and Voith IQ Rehumidification Box Warping and Backing Paper Moisture



Successful Projects and Excellent Collaboration



Throughout the installation, Smith & McLaurin were impressed with Voith's project execution capabilities. During the commissioning phase and afterward, any issues were met with Voith's swift and professional response. The Voith IQ rehumidification box is easy to operate, and the production team gave positive feedback. It greatly simplifies the operation process, eliminates the need for manually adjusting steam valves, and, with the retirement of the Fulton boiler, saves over £4,000 in maintenance costs annually.



"Voith is a trusted and excellent partner for us. The cooperation between Smith & McLaurin and Voith has been outstanding from start to finish. The project execution was professional and thorough, and even though this was a major change for our production operations, the results were extremely successful," said Jim Yule.