Implementering av dubbelpressning i Södras KLT-fabrik : Tekniska lösningar för maximerad kapacitet och resurseffektivitet

Sammanfattning

Sustainable building practices in timber have grown in importance as a way to reduce society’s climate impact, with cross-laminated timber (CLT) playing a central role as a renewable and sustainable construction material. Södra, one of Sweden's largest forestry groups, is driving this development forward through its modern CLT factory in Värö. To meet a growing global market and support the green transition, continuous optimization of industrial processes is required to maximize both production capacity and resource efficiency. Today, the X-Press, where timber panels are glued and pressed together, constitutes a central part of the factory’s efficiency development efforts. However, the X-Press is not currently utilized to its full vertical capacity. This means that the factory’s overall production flow does not reach its full potential. The objective of this project has therefore been to investigate and develop a technical solution to enable double pressing, where panels are pressed simultaneously within the same production cycle. The challenge has been to modify the gluing process to create a glue-free layer between the panels, while also ensuring safe and controlled separation after pressing. This needs to be done without damaging the surface layer of the material. Through a combination of process mapping, risk analyses and practical testing, the project resulted in a functional concept that utilizes the press's existing, but previously unused separation functions. Following a pilot run and subsequent laboratory testing, the method was technically validated. The results demonstrate that the panel quality and the strength of the adhesive bonds are well within the company´s specified limit values. As a direct outcome of the project, the method and technical function have also been integrated into the system with a model that enables double pressing in regular production. Implementing double pressing in Södra’s CLT factory provides several significant advantages. Simulations of the production flow indicate that the method can reduce pressing time by 9%, thereby freeing up substantial production capacity and generating measurable economic value. For customers, the increased efficiency results in shorter lead times and improved delivery precision. By applying the results of this project, Södra will be able to operate a more resource-efficient and sustainable production process in the future, strengthening its competitiveness and contributing to a more efficient supply of environmentally friendly building elements for the cities of tomorrow.