New Corrugator Brakes Increase Productivity and Reduce Maintenance Cost at Georgia Pacific Container Plant

Georgia Pacific's Chicago Container Plant was experiencing very high maintenance and downtime cost with the 8" diameter corrugator brakes on their Martin roll stands with Marquip model 1 splicers. Georgia Pacific's maintenance manager, Rodney Cotillier, explained that the airtube actuators and pressure plates were failing within 8 weeks of operation due to the high heat generated during the unwind operation.

Mr. Cotillier consulted with clutch and brake manufacturer WPT Power Transmission Corporation to engineer a solution. It was determined that the heat dissipation capacity would need to be doubled without changing the mounting or expanding the envelope dimensions of the existing brakes.

The result is the WPT model 111 corrugator brake which features a single 11" diameter, ventilated center plate that is designed to force cooling air through the brake and doubles the horsepower rating. Special low coefficient friction linings were used to maintain consistent brake torque without fade due to temperature or speed change. The brakes were fitted with integral mounting plates which allow for "bolt up" installation without machine modification.

Mr. Cotillier reports that the first set of WPT model 111 corrugator brakes have performed continually and reliably for 14 months without replacement of wear parts. Georgia Pacific runs 60 inch diameter rolls, 98" wide at 850 feet per minute. The new brakes operate at only 17-20 psi with 28 psi at full emergency stop with no roll run-off. Additional benefits of the new brakes are faster splices and reduced compressed air requirements on the entire system. Higher production capability, reduced maintenance and downtime cost and greater efficiency are credited to the new WPT model 111 corrugator brakes.

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