Monday, October 16th 

6:00 PM

Speakers Dinner

Tuesday, October 17th 

7:00 AM

Breakfast

Morning

Welcome and Introductions

Wet Chop and Sizing 101 - Mike Morrill, NEG

Fiberglass sizing plays a significant role in wet use chopped strand (WUCS) applications – especially for roofing shingles. This seminar will explain the basics of a fiberglass sizing including its general makeup, chemistry, and stability. Means of applying the sizing in manufacturing processes and impacts on mat production and quality will be discussed. Some frequently asked questions from wet chop fiberglass users will be addressed as well.

11:30 AM

Lunch

Afternoon

Asphalt Shingle Manufacturing Overview - Leah Lemmons, Malarkey

Specialty glass nonwoven market and applications - Tony Wu, Owens Corning

Glass mat is a versatile material with a wide range of potential applications due to its mechanical strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. Its market has been growing at a steady rate around 5-7% annually, mainly attributed to the increasing demand for glass mat products in a variety of applications, such as building materials, filtration, flooring, industrial applications, and etc. This presentation discusses the main market trends and application areas associated with specialty glass mat products. As research into this material continues, it is likely that we will see even more innovative and groundbreaking applications for glass nonwovens in the years to come.

Glass Mat Formation Using Allimand Hydrofiber Pilot Line - Jean-Marc Phelep, Allimand

Continuously challenged by its cCustomers with new applications and fiber mix, Allimand has invested massively in the Allimand Nonwoven Competence Center located in Hudson Falls (NY) with the goal to improve the Hydrofiber (Allimand inclined headbox) operating window. Introducing fibre yarns in a glassmat, which has been known for decades, has also been a challenge with the increase of machine speed. Thanks to its Pilot development and extensive trials, ALLIMAND has been able to adapt the headbox technology to yarn introduction. This presentation will review the fundamentals of glassmat formation and the latest technological developments.

Glass fiber sizing build-up in WW impacts GM finished product properties - Eric Dong, Certainteed

The primary functions of glass fiber sizing in nonwoven mat applications are widely understood as (1) functional groups for final product properties, (2) processing aid for glass fiber manufacturer, and (3) provide fiber bundle integrity for packaging. Less often discussed are the impacts of fiber sizing to the glass fiber pulping process, and in particular the role of sizing that builds up in the recirculating white water as it is washed off from the fiber.
CertainTeed will present recent work that systematically demonstrates the negative impact of glass fiber sizing wash-off in the white water on fiber dispersion. We corroborate qualitative observations of the finished glass mat with multiple characterizations: a battery of fundamental characterizations on fibers and white waters individually, and in-situ dispersion visualization of fibers in white water.

Evening

Cocktails, Table Tops and Heavy Hors d'oeuvres

Wednesday, October 18th

7:00 AM

Breakfast

Morning

Keep the Machine Running - Dietmar Sporer & Tamiris Mena, Voith

Focus on Overall Equipment Efficiency and target quality. Brownfield installations are in competition against new, fast and wide greenfield installations. Brownfield installations are in competition against new, fast and wide greenfield installations. Brownfield installations are in competition against new, fast and wide greenfield installations.

Pump review for glass fiber wetlaid - Joerg Pichler, Andritz

Challenges faced on pumping mixtures from gases, fibers, and liquids with changing partition size - focus on fibers: special fibers like synthetic fibers, glass particles and fiber glass, as well as fraying fibers - this using centrifugal pumps. Handling low suction pressure and gas separation, even pumping mixtures with high compressibility, and corresponding not dissolved gas content, fibers mixed in.
How to design hydraulics to not harm the fibers but also not accumulate them and prevent from fiber bundling. Headbox fan pumps for high flow volumes and low suction pressures, providing low pressure pulsation. Correct selection criteria on pumps, to keep the lifetime high and avoid above mentioned effects, as well as wear reduction and abrasion minimization by keeping pressure fluctuation as low as possible to have a perfect product.
Treatments surfaces, tips, and tricks on those applications

Rollers – Design and Application Considerations - Pete Eggen

The presentation explores the often underestimated importance of rollers as fundamental components in web lines, being the sole point of contact with the material during processing. Delving into crucial design and operational principles, the discussion encompasses topics such as mechanical design factors (stress, deflection, ratios, bearings), line speed considerations (balance, critical speed, air entrapment), temperature impacts (construction materials, thermal expansion, heat transfer rolls), and critical roller specifications (surface finish, coatings, geometry, tolerances, alignment). This session sheds light on the significance of meticulous roller selection for optimal performance in diverse applications.

Lunch

Afternoon

Creating Value with Plasma Coatings - William Bradley, American Roller Company

Discovering opportunities with existing and new customers is exciting for everyone. It generally starts with a problematic area to improve. A good example is maintenance and downtime associated with cleaning roller surfaces. When debris or build up is present on critical roller surfaces, loss of traction and web defects can be a major pain point. It can be costly as well. There are multiple angles to address these challenges, but often improvement with the roller surface in direct contact with the finished product brings the highest value. Single and Dual Layer Plasma Coating systems are applied to previously coated, bare steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber rollers or parts. These engineered surfaces can breathe new life into your asset, and in most cases can provide added benefits including extended wear, traction, and release.

Optimizing Wire Cleaning Strategies - Jerry Vandoros, Kadant

The presentation focuses on the critical aspect of effective wire cleaning in the fabrication of fiberglass mat. Ensuring that the Forming, Saturator and Dryer wire remains free of contaminants and build-ups is essential to maintain optimal production yields, minimize downtime, and prevent product reclassification. By integrating technical data, the session will shed light on the effective strategies employed to preserve the integrity of the dryer wire, enhancing operational efficiency and overall product quality in the fiberglass mat manufacturing process.

Glass Mat Jumbo Rolls Winding - Karel Maruska, Trima

In this presentation, we delve into the intricate process of precision winding glass mats into Jumbo Rolls using turret winding systems. This phase presents unique challenges, encompassing tension control, tension curves, slitting techniques, and dust management. Achieving top-notch roll quality and a fully automated winding process involves a range of automated systems, such as mandrels, slitter positioning, and core handling. Aligning with INDUSTRY 4.0 standards, we focus on reducing human involvement while enhancing safety, production efficiency, and quality. Leveraging divided handling of finished rolls, shafts, and cores through floor-mounted lifting carts and overhead manipulation substantially optimizes cycle times. The JUMBO WINDER seamlessly integrates longitudinal slitting equipment, dust removal, quality inspection, corona treatment, and more. TRIMA also offers Jumbo Rewinders for doctoring, converting, and laminating. Even with comprehensive automation, safety remains uncompromised through cutting-edge safety systems combining mechanical barriers, light barriers, and sensors. Our commitment to long-term, trouble-free operation is underpinned by vast experience, global service, remote diagnostics, robust componentry, and user-friendly maintenance strategies. This support extends to North America through our HQ and local Dietze Schell US subsidiary in Anderson, SC.

A Case Study Illustrating How the Deep Learning Segment Anything Model (SAM) is Changing Process Control for Continuous Wet Formed Paper and Nonwoven Processes - Brian Mock, ECS

Machine vision technology continues to revolutionize wet formed paper and nonwoven manufacturing by automating processes, cutting waste, and maintaining high quality standards. Deep learning, exemplified by the open-source Segment Anything Model (SAM) from Meta AI, takes this progress even further. SAM allows machines to learn complex patterns without relying on costly human input. This paper demonstrates how SAM can provide paper makers with crucial data about wood chip size, a major factor in paper production expenses. With SAM, this analysis can be done right on the chip conveyor line, boosting fiber yield and reducing chemicals and energy. This innovative approach replaces traditional, small-batch, offline methods that offer insufficient process data. SAM's adaptable platform also introduces a game-changing solution for quality control challenges across the wet formed paper and nonwoven industries.

Evening

SouthSide Social Games and Fun

Thursday, October 19th

7:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM

Fiberglass Mat Committee Meeting

Morning

Economy Macro View – Brenden Lowney, FEA

Real estate and the housing market play an important role in the U.S. economy. At the aggregate level, housing accounts for roughly 17.5% of the US gross domestic product (GDP).  Housing impacts GDP in two ways: 1) Residential Fixed Investment = all construction spending for new residential structures, residential remodeling, & brokers’ fees; and 2) Housing Services = all spending on housing services, which includes renters’ rents and utilities and homeowners’ imputed rent and utility payments. Our presentation will focus on the residential fixed investment piece of housing: specifically, housing starts & residential improvements.  US housing starts and expenditures on residential improvements have both grown steadily since the Great Recession.

What do the next 5 years look like?  See what economists and people from the industry are predicting for various housing industry drivers.

Recycling of Offgrade Fiberglass Mat - Stephano Danese, SD Polymers

Sustainability is of increasing interest in the US and worldwide. In the fiberglass mat industry, a concern has been the volume of off-grade or odd size rolls of mat that are produced in the fiberglass mat plants that have historically been taken to landfills for disposal. A positive solution is the development of alternative domestic and international markets for these odd sized and off-grade rolls. This paper will discuss how a downstream provider can be an outlet that will in turn inspect, remove defects, slit, trim, and remarket such rolls to other uses and/or markets at a return to the mat manufacturer while drastically reducing the volume of mat going to landfills, thereby increasing the green footprint of the fiberglass mat manufacturing sites.

Formaldehyde: Regulatory Activity and Potential Implication - Julianne Ogden, ACC

Formaldehyde is one of the most studied, and regulated, chemical substances in commerce today. Federal standards and regulations are in place to limit formaldehyde emissions and minimize any potential human health risks. Since the early 1980s, this substance has been continuously studied to provide scientific information to improve the understanding of the potential health effects associated with this chemical and to support safe exposure levels for formaldehyde. In EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Control (OCSPP) formaldehyde is undergoing a TSCA risk evaluation in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) division and a pesticide registration in the antimicrobial division of the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP). In addition, EPA’s Office of Research & Development (ORD) released a draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment for formaldehyde in 2022. This session focuses on the convergence of these EPA evaluations and the potential impacts to the future of formaldehyde use.

Wet form safety - Roger Fields, IKO

The presentation will delve into the crucial topic of safety, beginning with a comprehensive safety demonstration. From there, we will transition into a discussion of notable milestones that lead to a significant achievement: the leadership of the Mat Industry Safety Summit at Owens Corning in 2006. This pivotal event was a direct response to the unfortunate fatality that occurred at Owens Corning's Aiken SC facility in 2005, specifically on the mat production line. We will explore the valuable lessons gleaned from this experience and their relevance in today's context, emphasizing their potential applicability in current safety practices.

Afternoon

Adjourn