Facilities and Capabilities
The University of Maine Process Development Center is available to you for process and
product development work. We can work with your company on any research project - large
or small. We also provide technical services to evaluate physical and optical properties
as well as surface performance tests for fine papers.
For a list of PDC equipment click here. To check the calendar for availability, click here.
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PulpingPulping studies can be performed to evaluate wood and non-woody raw materials, chemical additives, and any stage of chemical or mechanical pulp production. |
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Stock PreparationThe PDC has a high-capacity refiner loop with double disk and conical refiners, allowing for a wide range of refining treatments to compare the benefits provided by each. |
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PapermakingThe PDC's pilot paper machine is available for raw material and process operations studies as well as to evaluate equipment components. Steady state can be reached in under 30 minutes, allowing multiple trials in a single day. |
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CoatingPilot-scale coating trials are available with our Cylindrical Laboratory Coater (CLC) which has the ability to coat samples at 6000 feet per minute. Image analyses are also available for characterization of paper surfaces and ultrastructure. |
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TestingThe PDC's Controlled Environment Room provides more than 25 tests to characterize the properties of pulp and fibrous raw materials. Additional test devices and wet laboratory facilities are available to serve client needs ranging from the mundane to state-of-the-art. |