The process begins with the pulping of the fibres in the “wet end”. The PAKIT100 machine can run with many different virgin or recycled cellulose fibre sources such as wood pulp, bagasse, hemp, etc. After pulping, the stock is mixed with additives to meet the specific requirements of the end user – e.g., colour, water, oil and grease barrier, etc.

In the servo-driven “forming unit” the proprietary sintered tooling, which is a critical component of the entire PAKIT™ technology package, is brought into contact with the furnish, a vacuum is drawn and the fibre mat is formed on the surface of the tool.

Because of their unique design, the PAKIT sintered tools are screen free. The design of the tool is such that fibres and fines that make it into the body of the tool are easily drawn through, reducing the chances of plugging and the associated downtime for cleaning.

After the fibre mat is formed on the tools it is pressed and dried in a three step process – this is where Moulded Board gets its property advantage over conventional moulded products – the fibre mat is smoothed and densified, and the fibre network is placed under tension, creating a stiffer product. The pieces are pressed and dried to about 30% moisture content, which is how PAKIT’s Moulded Board gains its strength advantage over thermoformed pulp: the fibres are not “over-dried”.

The pieces then enter the PAKIT-designed microwave dryer to remove as much moisture as required. The microwave dryer is compact, and the energy is concentrated where drying is required.

Water from the forming unit and the steam from the dryer can all recovered and recycled in the process. The PAKIT100 was designed so it could be configured in a “closed loop” for water consumption.

After drying, the pieces enter the after-treatment section. This is a modular process which can be designed to include lamination, printing, trimming and coating – all depending on customer needs.

The PAKIT100 machine can be controlled from two computer stations and up to four machines can be run by just two operators. The PAKIT100 operates on only one energy source: electricity.

Because of its unique design, the PAKIT tool can be used with or without a screen in the forming tank. The design of the tool is such that fibres and fines that make it into the tool are easily drawn through and there are many different pathways for the water to travel.