Driving Paper Production at Visy’s Pulp and Paper Mill

Visy's Tumut pulp and paper mill faced an aging winder control and drive system that needed a full engineering upgrade to maintain production reliability and safety compliance. In the industrial machinery sector, winder systems are critical — they handle the final stage of paper production, and any unplanned downtime directly translates to lost sellable output. The challenge was not simply replacing hardware but scoping, engineering, and commissioning the upgrade within a tightly controlled planned shutdown window. A poorly executed transition risked extended downtime, quality defects on initial production runs, and safety incidents on a high-torque, high-speed mechanical system.

Rockwell Automation conducted a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study to define precise engineering requirements before any hardware was committed. This scoping phase determined that an Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 755TM drive system was the right fit, offering a compact footprint while supporting both motoring and regenerative operation — critical for the dynamic load demands of a paper winder. The control and safety architecture was built on the Allen-Bradley GuardLogix programmable safety controller, which integrates standard machine control with IEC 61508-compliant safety functions in a single platform. Remote access capability was built into the solution from the outset, enabling Rockwell Automation's local Australian service team to support the site post-commissioning without requiring on-site presence for routine troubleshooting.

The upgrade was executed within the planned shutdown with no commissioning issues — a strong outcome given the complexity of drive and safety system integrations. The most concrete production validation came immediately: the first roll of paper produced after startup was sellable quality, meaning no warm-up scrap or quality rejection delays. Post-commissioning, the site benefits from:

• Remote access troubleshooting reducing the need for on-site engineer callouts
• Local service and support available as required through Rockwell Automation's Australian network
• A fully integrated safety and control platform that meets both production and compliance requirements without redundant hardware

• FEED studies prevent scope surprises — front-end engineering investment clarified requirements before procurement, avoiding costly mid-project changes.
• Planned shutdown alignment is non-negotiable — scheduling commissioning within an existing maintenance window minimized production impact and set a clear completion deadline.
• Integrated safety controllers reduce panel footprint and complexity — combining safety and motion control on a single GuardLogix platform simplified both installation and ongoing maintenance.
• Remote access should be designed in, not added later — built-in connectivity enabled faster post-commissioning support and reduced travel costs.
• First-article quality is the real commissioning test — validating sellable output on the first production run confirmed system readiness beyond just electrical checks.