SBIR Phase II: Ultrasonic Inspection of Internal Bond Strength in Paper Products

该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目专注于开发一种可测量纸和纸板材料的内部粘合强度(IBS)的超声波技术。IBS是一个非常重要的质量控制参数，因为它可以评估木浆纤维之间以及多层纸层之间的粘合强度。有两种标准化的测试方法被广泛用于整个造纸行业来评估IBS：Z方向拉伸(ZDT)和Scott Plyond。然而，这些方法在许多方面都存在问题：它们需要破坏性测试，技术上存在缺陷，劳动密集型和时间密集型，并且无法集成到质量控制实验室的自动化纸张测试设备中。由于超声波在纸中的传播对纤维之间的粘结很敏感，因此超声波IBS方法有可能解决现有方法的所有缺点。在第一阶段收集的初步结果证实了超声IBS、ZDT和Scott Plyond之间的相关性。第二阶段涉及超声技术的额外工作，以提高其准确性、可靠性和普适性。此外，它还包括开发造纸厂质量控制测试的工程原型仪器，对超声波IBS、ZDT和Scott Plyond进行全面的统计研究，以及起草标准化测试方法。ZDT和Scotty Plyond仪器的全球市场估计有400台，主要在QC实验室。预计销售额为1100万美元。几百个单位的商业化将被认为是造纸业的巨大成功。超声IBS在质控实验室的成功部署，将为未来生产过程中IBS实时监测的发展提供支持。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development of an ultrasound technology that measures internal bond strength (IBS) in paper and paperboard materials. IBS is a very important quality control parameter because it provides an assessment of bond strength between wood pulp fibers and between plies in multi-ply grades. Two standardized test methods are widely used throughout the paper industry to evaluate IBS: Z-direction tensile (ZDT) and Scott Plybond. However, these methods are problematic in many ways: they require destructive testing, are technically deficient, are labor and time intensive, and cannot be integrated into automated paper testing equipment in quality control laboratories. Since the propagation of ultrasonic waves in paper is sensitive to bonding between fibers, an ultrasonic IBS method has the potential to address all shortcomings of existing methods. Preliminary results gathered during Phase I confirmed correlations between ultrasonic IBS, ZDT and Scott Plybond. Phase II involves additional work on the ultrasound technology to improve its accuracy, reliability, and universality. Also, it includes the development of an engineering prototype instrument for paper mill quality control testing, a comprehensive statistical study comparing ultrasonic IBS, ZDT, and Scott Plybond, and the drafting of a standardized test method. The worldwide market of ZDT and Scotty Plybond Instruments is estimated at 400 units, largely in QC labs. Expected sales are $11M. Commercialization of a few hundred units would be considered as a tremendous success in the paper industry. The successful deployment of ultrasonic IBS in the QC lab could support the future development of real-time IBS monitoring during production.