Systems and methods for web-fed dry forming of fiber-based products
Disclosed are methods and systems for production of fiber-based, plastic-free products are produced by a web-fed dry forming process. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a paper-based packaging product includes conditioning a paper web to optimize a moisture content of the paper web and to treat the paper web with at least one additive to form a conditioned paper web; and dry molding the conditioned paper web under one or both of heat and pressure to produce a plurality of finished paper-based packaging products.
1 . A system for manufacturing a paper-based packaging product, comprising:
a conditioning apparatus, comprising one or more fluid dispensing units and one or more heating units, configured to condition a paper web that is web-fed into the conditioning apparatus by optimizing a moisture content of the paper web and by treating the paper web with at least one additive to form a conditioned paper web;
a cutting apparatus, comprising one or more blades cross-cut the conditioned paper web into conditioned paper web sections; and
a dry forming apparatus, comprising at least one slitting tool, at least one pressing tool, and at least one cutting tool, configured to dry mold one or more portions of the conditioned paper web sections under one or both of heat and pressure to produce a plurality of finished paper-based packaging products.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning apparatus includes one or more sensors selected from a group consisting of a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a pH sensor, the one or more sensors operable to detect a parameter associated with the moisture content of the paper web prior to and/or after the optimizing or the treating by the conditioning apparatus.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the conditioning apparatus includes one or more of actuator devices in communication with the one or more sensors and in communication with one or both of the one or more fluid dispensing units and the one or more heating units.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more actuator devices are configured to control one or both of a fluid dispensing operation and a heating operation by the one or both of the one or more fluid dispensing units and the one or more heating units based at least in part on the parameter detected by the one or more sensors.
5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, in communication with at least one of the conditioning apparatus, the cutting apparatus, or the dry forming apparatus, the computing device having a controller module in communication with the one or more sensors and the one or more actuator devices and configured to process a signal transduced by the one or more sensors associated with the moisture content and produce the parameter, and analyze the parameter with respect to a predetermined moisture content parameter to determine a control instruction to be provided to the actuator to control the one or both of the fluid dispensing operation and the heating operation.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, in communication with at least one of the conditioning apparatus, the cutting apparatus, or the dry forming apparatus, the computing device having a controller module configured to control an operation of the at least one of the conditioning apparatus, the cutting apparatus, or the dry forming apparatus.
7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a product transport apparatus, comprising a pick-and-place device, configured to transport the plurality of finished paper-based packaging products for storage, distribution, or subsequent operation.
8 . A system for manufacturing a paper-based packaging product, comprising:
a conditioning apparatus, comprising one or more fluid dispensing units and one or more heating units, configured to condition a fiber material that is fed into the conditioning apparatus by enhancing a moisture content of the fiber material and by treating the fiber material with at least one additive to form a conditioned paper;
a cutting apparatus, comprising one or more blades cross-cut the conditioned paper into conditioned paper sections; and
a dry forming apparatus, comprising at least one slitting tool, at least one pressing tool, and at least one cutting tool, configured to dry mold one or more portions of the conditioned paper sections under one or both of heat and pressure to produce a plurality of finished paper-based packaging products.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning apparatus includes one or more sensors selected from a group consisting of a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a pH sensor, the one or more sensors operable to detect a parameter associated with the moisture content of the fiber material prior to and/or after the enhancing or the treating by the conditioning apparatus.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the conditioning apparatus includes one or more of actuator devices in communication with the one or more sensors and in communication with one or both of the one or more fluid dispensing units and the one or more heating units.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more actuator devices are configured to control one or both of a fluid dispensing operation and a heating operation by the one or both of the one or more fluid dispensing units and the one or more heating units based at least in part on the parameter detected by the one or more sensors.
12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, in communication with at least one of the conditioning apparatus, the cutting apparatus, or the dry forming apparatus, the computing device having a controller module in communication with the one or more sensors and the one or more actuator devices and configured to process a signal transduced by the one or more sensors associated with the moisture content and produce the parameter, and analyze the parameter with respect to a predetermined moisture content parameter to determine a control instruction to be provided to the actuator to control the one or both of the fluid dispensing operation and the heating operation.
13 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, in communication with at least one of the conditioning apparatus, the cutting apparatus, or the dry forming apparatus, the computing device having a controller module configured to control an operation of the at least one of the conditioning apparatus, the cutting apparatus, or the dry forming apparatus.
14 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a product transport apparatus, comprising a pick-and-place device, configured to transport the plurality of finished paper-based packaging products for storage, distribution, or subsequent operation.