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Hands-On Workshop for Pulp and Paper Basics

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Upcoming Training Events

  • October 9-13, 2023 Register Now
  • March 11-15, 2024
  • June 3-7, 2024
  • October 7-11, 2024

Co-sponsored by TAPPI and NC State University

Special Benefits for Course Participants

This unique introduction workshop will provide attendees an overall view of the basic concepts in pulp and paper manufacturing. Attendees will increase their understanding by participating in hands-on laboratory exercises.

  • Get an overview of the entire pulping and papermaking process
  • Find out how different processes affect paper properties
  • Appreciate the overall structure of the paper industry
  • Perform hands-on lab experiments to enhance understanding of process
  • Run a pilot plant paper machine
  • Close interaction with Pulp and Paper Professors in small groups.

Workshop Overview

Equipment
Pilot paper machine run during the pulp and paper hands on workshop.

This hands-on laboratory based introduction workshop will provide a broad overview of Pulping, Bleaching, Chemical Recovery, Recycling, Papermaking and Converting. The course will consist of presentations each morning and hands-on laboratory and pilot-plant exercises every afternoon. Course material discussed in the morning will be re-emphasized in lab and pilot plant exercises for increased understanding. This course provides important information in the training of anyone that needs to understand the industry.  The registration includes a notebook, a dinner banquet, and several lunches.

Who Should Attend

This introductory-level workshop is appropriate for technical and non-technical individuals with a desire for training with a laboratory focused course to understand and appreciate the basics of pulping, bleaching, recovery, recycling, papermaking and converting operations.

The workshop is especially beneficial for:

professional instruction
Pilot plant activities in pulp and paper hands on workshop.
  • New process engineers, manufacturing operators and technicians who want to understand more fully how raw materials are processed into products in an active training environment.
  • Individuals who wish to broaden their knowledge of the processes through basic laboratory and pilot paper machine experiences
  • Sales and service personnel, machine operators, and maintenance personnel who need to better appreciate paper machine operations by conducting a pilot paper machine trial.
  • Individuals who have completed TAPPI’s Introduction to Pulp and Paper short course and who want to benefit from the laboratory and pilot plant experiences.

Comments from recent students:

Group of workshop students
2022 March Workshop Group

“Professors Venditti, Byrd, Jameel, and Pawlak:   Thank you all for a wonderful experience last week.  I appreciated the immersion we received in Pulp and Paper, from the market, chemistry, machines, processing, production and regulations to the hands on time in the labs and the pilot plant.  I can’t think of anything you could have added.  I finished the week with a much stronger understanding of our industry and the processes which support it.   Your enthusiasm for the business is contagious.  The opportunity to meet other similarly minded, yet geographically and occupationally diverse student professionals was appreciated greatly, also.  The food was a bonus!  Thank you for expanding our minds and interests and ability to communicate with other professionals within and beyond our industry.”

“Hasan, Med, Rich, Joel: I just wanted to reiterate how much I enjoyed the short course. Having known almost nothing upon my arrival, I am amazed at how much I was able to learn. As you have probably heard many times over, this was due to the hands-on nature of the course. It was also very useful for me to meet and talk with people working in various aspects of the industry. I am now completely impressed by the engineering and processes involved in pulp and paper production. The other reason the course is so engaging, is because the four of you teach it directly, so we get to directly benefit from your combined accumulated knowledge and are exposed to your passion for the topic.”

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this workshop, participants should be able to:

workshop
Hands on pulp and paper training activities
  • Discuss the structure and chemistry of wood
  • Analyze the chip preparation operation
  • Describe chemical and mechanical pulping processes
  • Describe pulp processing operations
  • Describe the stages and operations of bleaching
  • Discuss the importance of chemical recovery in a pulp mill
  • Discuss waste treatment and environmental regulation
  • Identify the major grades and properties of paper
  • Discuss stock preparation and the approach system
  • Explain the operation of the wet end and dry end of the paper machine
  • Discuss basic converting operations
  • Discuss the recycling of paper

Workshop Materials

Participants will receive a set of course notes (about 400 pages), lab manuals, and access to the lecture files via the internet to supplement the presentations made during the course. A course banquet on Monday and lunches on all five days are included in the registration fee.

CEUs

workshop participants

TAPPI will award 3.4 continuing education units (CEUs) to participants who attend at least 80% of the education sessions and complete a final program evaluation. The Education Department of TAPPI meets the Criteria for Certification established by the Authorized Provider Commission of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1620 I Street NW, Washington DC 20006.

Workshop Locations

The course presentations and the laboratories will be held on the campus of NC State, Department of Forest Biomaterials, Paper Science and Engineering Program, Biltmore Hall, corner of Western Blvd and Dan Allen Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina. Transportation to and from the Embassy Suites hotel to the campus is provided.   The course will start on Monday at 8:00 a.m. and will end on Friday at 2:00 p.m. The recommended dress code is casual.  If a single company desires, the course can be brought to their place of work, in addition to the regularly scheduled courses.

Preliminary Workshop Schedule

The workshop will include presentations in the morning followed by afternoon sessions of laboratory or pilot plant exercises.
Participants will work in small groups on the various lab experiments. The following is a tentative outline of the planned activities.

Note: If a group of students from a company is interested in an introductory topic not covered, prior arrangements can be made to conduct an extra teaching session in the evening on the specific topic at an extra charge.

Dinner event
Course Banquet

Day One  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

  • Introduction to the Paper Industry
  • Wood Structure and Chemistry
  • Woodyard Operations
  • Kraft Pulping
  • Pulping Lab: Perform a lab-scale kraft pulping experiment
  • Chipping Lab: Perform and analyze the chipping operation
  • Wood and Fiber Analysis: Identify wood and fiber structures using a microscope and Fiber Quality Analyzer
workshop instructor
Paper properties and testing instruction

Day Two  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

  • Pulp Processing
  • Bleaching of Pulp
  • Chemical Recovery
  • Environmental Aspects of Pulp/Paper
  • Cleaning Lab: Calculate the efficiency of a centrifugal cleaner
  • Bleaching Lab: Perform and analyze a bleaching operation
  • Kappa and Viscosity Lab: Perform Kappa and viscosity tests
students

Day Three  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

  • Introduction to Paper Grades
  • Paper Recycling
  • Stock Preparation: Blending, consistency control, refining
  • Refining
  • Handsheet Lab, Refining Lab, Paper Testing Lab, Paper Coatings Lab
Workshop

Day Four  8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

  • Stock Prep II
  • Approach Systems
  • Wet End of the Paper Machine
  • Dry End of the Paper Machine
  • Image Analysis Lab, Flotation Deinking Lab, Optical Properties Lab
Workshop
Paper recycing laboratory activities

Day 5  8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

  • Coating Operations
  • Converting Operations
  • Pilot Paper Machine Activities: Wet End Operations; Charge Demand and Retention; Dry End Operations and energy balance; Finished paper analysis

Registration

Hands-on instruction from NCSU faculty.

The registration fee is listed below and this includes tuition, training, materials, refreshment breaks, a certificate, social event and a course banquet dinner. Lodging is not included in the registration fee. The number of students in the course will be limited in size (to 42) for maximum effectiveness and registrations will be accepted in the order they are received.  Registrations and credit card payment can be completed through our online site:

Contact TAPPI memberconnection@tappi.org or training@tappi.org at 1+770-209-7222  for any registration questions or for availability of space less than one week before the course.

Registration Fee and Policies:

  • $1,975 for TAPPI Member
  • $2095 for TAPPI Young Professional Membership Join and Renew
  • $2,150 for TAPPI Professional Membership Join and Renew
  • $2,225 for TAPPI nonmember to attend

NC State and TAPPI will offer a $100 early bird discount. This promotion ends six weeks prior to the start of the course. October 9-13, 2023 discount ends on Tuesday, August 29

Registration Cancellation Policy

If you have to cancel your training course registration, you must notify TAPPI/NC State in writing via email memberconnection@tappi.org  prior to the class start date. Refunds will be provided according to the following scale: 100% refund if notice is received at least 28 days prior to class start date; 50% refund if notice is received between 27 and 11 days prior to class start date; no refund will be issued for notice received 10 business days or less prior to class start date. There is no refund of fees due to failure to attend without notice. Substitutions will be accepted at any time without penalty.

Course Cancellation Policy

It is NC State’s intent to avoid cancelling or rescheduling any training course. However, we reserve the right to cancel or change a training course at any time, for reasons including but not limited to, insufficient registration, instructor emergencies, or other issues beyond our control.

If NC State cancels a training course, registered students will be notified no less than 10 business days before the scheduled start day of the course. In the case of a cancellation by NC State, 100 percent of registration fees will be refunded to students, or the students may elect to substitute the fees for another NC State training course.

General Disclaimer

NC State shall not be liable for damages of any kind resulting from errors or omissions in the training materials, nor shall NC State be liable for any damages resulting from the use of the training materials or other information conveyed at a NC State training course.

Hotel

Participants are responsible for their own hotel arrangements. Suites have been set aside at the Embassy Suites Raleigh/Crabtree Valley, 4700 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh, NC 27612, Phone: 919.881.0000. Lodging is not included in the registration fee. The hotel guarantees room availability up to THREE WEEKS before the course. Ask for the special NC State Hands-on Workshop for Pulp and Paper suite rate. A breakfast and social hour are included with the suite. The suites have a bedroom, living room and kitchenette area. The hotel provides transportation from the airport, and from and to the short course at the university,  has an exercise room/indoor pool and is walking distance away from a major regional shopping mall. Click below for an automated hotel room reservation with the discounted rate:

Hotel Reservation

October 2023 Reservation click here group code 353 only available before 9/23/2023

Sponsorships Available

Sponsorship donations are available for the short course social events.  This short course has an extremely high reputation and level of recognition in the paper and related industries.   Your company could benefit from the recognition of the sponsorship on the cover of the short course notebook and highly visible signs of recognition/appreciation at the Course Dinner Banquet, the Course Lunches or the course Social Mixer.   The cost of sponsorship for the Course Dinner Banquet is $2000, Course Lunches is $1000 and the Course Social Mixer is $500.  Sponsorships can be purchased through the course registration section of this website (see above, REGISTER NOW).   Any questions can be directed to Paula Harrod (919-515-3601).

Additional Information

For answers to questions related to course content, please contact Dr. Richard Venditti (919.515.6185). For questions related to registration and payment, please contact TAPPI at memberconnection@tappi.org or training@tappi.org

Past Participants Have Said…

  • The information was detailed and easily understood by both engineers and non-engineers. I will definitely suggest the course to others!
  • The experiments that were conducted were very supportive of the lecture component of the class and made a big difference in my level of understanding.
  • The lab experiments were great. It really helps to understand the system when you can work with it “hands-on”. The course material and information were excellent.
  • Instructors were very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their presentation and lab topics.
  • It is an excellent course. The paper machine demonstration is very helpful.
  • I enjoyed the course very much. I wish my machine operators and other technicians could take it.
  • This is a very good course. The course tied a lot of things together for me.
  • This is an excellent course; providing an intense overview of the entire papermaking process.
  • Highly recommended for anyone interested in increasing their knowledge in the process of pulp and paper making.

General Information

workshop event

Expenses for continuing education taken to maintain or improve professional skills may be tax-deductible. Certain restrictions apply. Check with your accountant for details.


Register Here: