LM Engineering is a well reputed, known, trusted and proven Dryer manufacturer in India. LM Engineering keep introducing new technology in Dryers for plywood industry to optimize efficiency. They have earned a distinct name in Indian Plywood Machinery manufacturing industry and enjoy a long pendency of orders since decades. Besides India, they also supply Dryers to Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Myanmar, Laos PDR, Vietnam, Nepal and Bhutan. The company sincerely aspires to meet the expectation of its valued buyers throughout the globe to upholds its name above all. For this issue of “Machinery Talk” column, The Ply Reporter interviewed to Mr. K K Saha, Director of L M Engineering Machinery Co. Pvt. Ltd. on recent development in Dryers along with precautions and benefits of right machines for plywood producers.
Q. What are the important points and features, one must take care before buying a dryer?
A. Before buying a Dryer, the buyer should know about hism production capacity which he need. It’s also most important that which type of Boiler (Heater), he has or he wish to go for buying. The production will depend upon that also.
Q. There after he has to decide for a good quality Dryer machine. Does sizes and weight of dryer are important for efficiency or length and width?
A. Of course, the size, width & length are very important for drying efficiency of the Dryer machine. Ideally 2 press of 15 daylight, 6 section and 4 deck two dryer are sufficient enough. In case of steam boiler, the number of sectionall. In fact a dryer size also depends upon space availability
in one’s plant.
Q. Is there any difference in buying practices or tech specification while buying a dryer between big/organize plant or small single press manufacturing unit?
A. Yes, there is a difference between the big/organized plant and a small plant. It depends upon their production quantity and quality. 8 section x 4 deck is a common jumbo dryer that is sought by almost any average plant. There are 10 section and 12 section dryers are also in demand keeping the size.
Q. What is the Latest development done by LM dryers and how it has affected efficiency?
A. There are several improvements in our Dryer for modification time to time. We have reduced the volume of the Dryer sizes,that is why, we have reduced power and increases. Higher the length of the dryer and more is the efficiency. Width is almost standardized at 15 feet for almost boiler fuel and increase the drying efficiency. Keeping cost effectiveness and improvement in sizing, we have been rapidly optimizing and focusing on fuel cost and efficiency. Still we are making R & D to reduce more power with the best efficiency. We also have option for PLC controlled for temperature and speed synchronization but is highly effective for trained technical operator driven plants.
Q. How has been the dryer demand during last 5 years and why?
A. During the last five years, the demand of Dryers was really very good. Specially last two years had been great. For some time we even witnessed a lean period but largely it was decent. The demand has also come form remodeling and modernization of plywood plants. What I feel is‘the last one and half years the demand of Dryers are incredible increased in the market, due to new licences issued in Haryana, some extent Punjab and also in UP.
Q. During last 3 years flat tube press dryer is every where in demand in North, what is your view and what is difference in drying quality of core between band dryer and tube dryer?
A. For last 3 years there are demand for tube press Dryer. But it’s nothing new one, it is anmodified version of 4x4 Hot Plate Press which almost all North Indian Ply Factory are having for last 25 years. In the tube press Dryer, you can boost your production, but you can’t run your factory properly as well as get the consistent quality and moisture in veneers. If some one think that he may run a factory only with press drying then there would be various issues and wastage. Press dryer is always a support to our band dryers for flatness. In south India, flat press dryer are not there because timber has nature of flatness. But for North a flat press dyersis advisable as most of the plants run on steam boiler.
Q. Has tube press dryers have affected the sales of band dryer ?
A. Not at all, there is no connection between Band Dryer and tube press Dryer. Because Band Dryer is mostly used for drying of Face Veneer and Tube press Dryer is used for core veneer. So there is no question for affecting in the sale of Band Dryers. In North, it is advisable to put veneer in band dryer with higher moisture content and then flat press to 6 % to gain consistency where as in other parts, band dryers are enough and does not need to add extra machine. Band dryer are vital for quality, just pressing not enough.
Q. Plywood industry needs Automization, so how do you suggest automization in drying process?
A. Every plywood industry does like to have their best quantity of production, for which they should go for atomization in the factory production. In Dryer machine automization can be made, but in our country they are using various sizes of veneers. So it is very difficult to control the automization. Outside India, there is standardization in veneers like 4x2, 4x4 thus same size feeding can be automated but India feeds 1 feet, 2 feet or even short core thus auto feeding is not feasible.
Q. Recently around 25 units of Wood Veneer manufacturing have been set up by Indians in Gabon, but most of them preferred Chinese Drier, why? Has LM got further scope in such areas?
A. We observed earlier in Myanmar, Indian manufacturers set up their factory with a huge investment but due to Myanmar Govt. Policy there was shortage of timber and they could not run the factory as well as the utilization of the machineries and made a huge loss. Resulting in Gabon they have scared with their previous experience. So they have started with Chinese machine. But after running of one and half year they have realized that European buyers are not buying the veneers from them and they can not make good quality veneers also. Now they are deciding to buy the Indian machines
Q. How do you see future of plywood industry in India? and why?
A. In future demand for plywood industry in India will be good, if the real estate business will do well. We should look for the export of Indian plywood.
Q. What are the maintenance tips for a good dryer performance in case of plywood manufacturers?
A. Regular maintenance schedules of Dryer machine should be followed by cleaning, dusting, removal of flying dust in every Sunday or Weekly holiday as per Maintenance Manual provided by the Dryer manufacturer. As a result the performance and better efficiency of Dryer will be continued for the ply manufacturers.
Q. Please do suggest the new things and new developments that are needed by ply manufacturers?
A. Plywood industry must proceed for ‘automization after Press to finishing’ which is already adopted by large factories and manpower cost has reduced. This way a plywood manufacture can even automate dryer feeding in coming years. All I can advise is, buy good quality machines and produce genuine desired quality to sustain competition. If given an opportunity, which industry would you like to cater in future and why?
We want to cater for engineering and automation industry in future.
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