INDUSTRY VISIT TO SESHASAYEE PAPER BOARD LTD, ERODE, KPR Institute Engineering and Technology, Autonomous Engineering Institution, Coimbatore, India

During the bus travel towards the industry, the students were briefly primed about what a paper is, what are its constituents, uses of paper and the Kraft process of paper manufacture. This was done to bring the students attention to industry and refresh their knowledge of before the industry visit. We reached the industry at about 02:45 PM to report to Public Relations Office. After providing mask and safety helmets, 33 students and 2 faculty started walking through the industry at 03:00 PM. We walked past the testing laboratory on the left and a building under demolition on the right. By walk we reached the chipping house where medium sized logs of woods were lifted by cranes and dropped into crushers. We saw some powdered material, later came to know as wood dust, being sprayed with water and transported in slurry form. Bagasse was also finely chopped and transported in slurry form. We stopped at this point and the entire process was explained by two apprentice trainees. Many of our students took note of what the trainees explained. We spotted parts of screw conveyor, agitators and centrifugal pump in action. The trainees explained how the wood and bagasse are digested using white liquor into pulp. Stream containing 70-80% wood pulp and 20-30% bagasse pulp were mixed with 90% water and sent to the paper machine section, on second floor of a building. Due to operational hazard, we were not allowed to stand between the white and color paper making machine on the left and right respectively. We watched the machines in action as we walked passed them. There were LED boards displaying grams per square meter (gsm) and percentage of moisture in real time. We gathered at the end of the paper machine section, where once again the trainees clarified further doubts as they interacted with our students. We slowed walked down the building and reached the safety office. In front of the paper mill, we all assembled and took a group photo. In the bus, again we students discussed on the observation we made during the visit. We followed the ‘Thinking Hat’ approach where during the group discussion, students were encouraged to wear the ‘Hat’ / role of an investor, a process engineer, a safety engineer, pollution control board inspector, ISO auditor and student. It was evident that Students learned a  lot based on their experience. Some of their thoughts and opinions are summarized here. Students learned the importance of being organized as flow or process sheet for all aspects of the industry. Wearing investor hat, one of our student justified his decision to invest in the company. Others proposed solutions for leakage, corrosion, regular maintenance, need to update the equipment periodically and phased manner of modernization.