Encore Tissue Plant

Encore Tissue's original tissue machine, installed at its Laverton North, Victoria facility in 2002/2003, had reached a technological ceiling. The machine's aging FlexPak 3000 DC drives — themselves a prior upgrade of the original end-of-life Reliance DC components — could no longer support the line speeds required to meet growing market demand. As the company expanded its range of multi-ply virgin and recycled converted tissue products, the gap between production capacity and customer requirements widened. Beyond output constraints, the original ControlNet-based control architecture predated modern safety standards, creating compliance exposure for plant personnel. Without an upgrade, Encore faced both a hard productivity ceiling and increasing regulatory and safety risk.

Rockwell Automation's Global Solutions team engineered a targeted partial line upgrade, replacing the fan pump, forming roll, and suction press FlexPak 3000 DC drives with four PowerFlex 755 AC drives (rated at 500kW and 250kW) to increase available power and line speed. Simultaneously, the control system was migrated from ControlNet to a GuardLogix process automation controller over Ethernet, consolidating coordinated drive control, safety logic, and standard I/O onto a single network. Allen-Bradley Guardmaster solenoid door locking devices were integrated to restrict access to hazardous machine sections during operation. A significant engineering constraint was fitting the larger AC drive footprint inside the existing switchroom — resolved by reconfiguring cabinet orientation and sourcing a 4,000-amp busbar system. Custom application software, drawn from Rockwell's established drive libraries, was tailored to ensure synchronized multi-drive operation and prevent sheet breaks or mechanical damage.

The upgrade achieved its primary objective: increased tissue machine line speed, directly expanding production capacity. Factory Acceptance Tests — conducted with integrated hardware and simulation software before site installation — ensured commissioning proceeded with minimal interruption to operations. Safety compliance was fully addressed through the GuardLogix controller, which now manages both machine control and safety circuits in a single platform, satisfying current and future regulatory requirements.

Key outcomes:

• Increased line speed: Tissue machine throughput improved, raising production output
• Safety compliance: GuardLogix integrated safety meets current standards; Guardmaster locks prevent unauthorized access to the reel section during hazardous states
• Minimal commissioning downtime: Pre-installation factory testing eliminated significant on-site disruption
• Energy efficiency: AC drive technology improved energy consumption relative to the legacy DC drive system

• Stage upgrades to protect capital: Replacing only the drives and control system — rather than the full machine — delivered measurable productivity gains while integrating cleanly with retained equipment.
• Consolidate control and safety on one platform: GuardLogix reduced installation complexity and compliance overhead versus maintaining separate safety relay systems.
• Front-load testing: Factory Acceptance Testing with hardware and simulation prior to installation is critical to minimizing production downtime during commissioning.
• Account for physical constraints early: AC drives carry a larger footprint than DC predecessors — switchroom space audits should occur at the design stage, not during fit-out.
• Vendor familiarity accelerates delivery: A longstanding relationship with Rockwell Automation gave Encore access to proven drive libraries and site-specific engineering expertise.