Methods of Modelling Corrugators

Abstract: Problem: The process of manufacturing corrugated board is a quite complicated process, when it comes to exactly understand what happens in the process. ln order to gain a better understanding and a tool for control of the corrugating process, the machine making the corrugated board, a method that possibly can describe the process is desirable. Throughout the thesis we are thus interested in finding tools that may explain the non4inear relation of the strength of the corrugated board as a function of glue, pressure and heat. To master the non-linearity is a challenging task, since most established models and theories of mode! building assume a linear relationship. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to find and analyse different methods of understanding and mathematically modelling the process of manufacturing corrugated board, Methodology: The thesis has both a quantitative and a qualitative approach, corresponding to the nature of the studied problem. ln brief, this means that quantitative methods are described and discussed against the problem in a qualitative way. Literature studies and interviews have been performed. Conclusions: The suggested methods to use are: kemel estimation combined with a higher order non-linear mode!, Volterra series expansions, smooth threshold transfer function, neural networks, and fuzzy logic.