Thesis (M.A.)--Rowan University, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Ever since newsprint was made on a mass production basis, there has been a real need for a simple and instantaneous measurement of the moisture content of the moving sheet. A knowledge of the moisture content is important both economically and technically to the mill operator. As newsprint is sold by weight, the moisture content of the paper must be maintained within a narrow specified range. The mill, naturally, strives to produce paper with as high a percentage of moisture as permissible. Without any scientific means to guide them, however, the machine operators tend to over dry the paper because an over dried sheet is not nearly so noticeable as one that is too moist. This means that less paper is being made than is practically possible for each cord of wood processed. In addition, the over dried paper is of inferior quality to that containing the proper amount of moisture. At present, the only reliable method of measuring moisture content in Canadian mills is the laborious oven method which, though undoubtedly very accurate, has the great disadvantage of time lag. The recent development of the Q-meter offers a method for the rapid measurement of the moisture content of the moving sheet by the dissipation factor method which has the advantage that no contact with the paper is required. The fact that the dielectric constant of water is very high compared to that of cellulose suggests that the dielectric losses in moist paper could be used to measure its moisture content. Tests were therefore conducted in the laboratory with a Boonton Q-Meter, type 160-A, to determine the dissipation factor of newsprint samples of various moisture contents. A pair of plates with the sample of newsprint between them, but not touching, constitutes the test condenser. The dissipation factor of this condenser depends largely upon the amount of moisture contained in the newsprint. To measure the dissipation factor, the test condenser is tuned to resonance with a high-Q inductor. The amplitude of resonance depends on its Q value which in turn is largely a function of the condenser losses. Hence the dissipation factor may be calibrated against the percentage moisture content. Results of laboratory tests at different humidities and various frequencies showed that the percentage moisture content can be measured with adequate accuracy. The speed tests showed that the speed of the paper up to a velocity of 1800 feet per minute between the condenser plates has no effect on the readings. All these preliminary tests in the laboratory indicate that it is feasible to apply the Q-meter for measuring the moisture content of the moving sheet by the dissipation factor method. Exhaustive field tests under actual mill production conditions should be made over a period of time to compile sufficient data for a fair appraisal of the practical value of this method. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mechanical Engineering, Department of / Graduate

This study analyzes the long-term evolution of the North American pulp and paper industry, and offers a new synthesis of the dynamic forces that spearheaded the expansion and transformation of this large manufacturing industry. The evolution of the North American pulp and paper industry between 1860 and 1960 was driven by successive waves of technological learning that spawned structural change. Such waves transformed and expanded the sulphite and sulphate pulp, envelope, paper container, paper bag, magazine and printing paper, coated paper, board, and many other pulp and paper industries between 1860 and 1960. These waves repeated a pattern of co-evolution of technology and industrial organization that enveloped dynamic forces of change, such as innovation, corporate strategies, industrial relocation, and policy. As distinct branches of the pulp and paper industry passed from the early nascent phase to full maturity, the sources of innovation, nature of technological change, strategy and structure of leading firms, and industrial organization underwent throughout transformation. As these waves of industrial change passed from a nascent phase to maturity, the reciprocal dynamics between organization, corporate strategy, policy, and technological learning co-evolved, and established the evolutionary path of the North American pulp and paper industry.

The paper and pulp industry saw an increase in the number of mergers in 1980s and 1990s. There had been consolidation of a number of smaller companies into larger corporations, which have greater management, financial, and marketing power. This merging trend has resulted in a fewer number of firms and an increasing concentration in the industry. Although the number of firms has decreased, the total industry capacity has been increasing. The combination of these interesting factors has motivated the topic of this masters thesis. The primary purpose of this research is to explore the factors that positively influence a firms decision to vertically integrate into producing its own pulp.

Thesis--University of Florida, 1971. / Description based on print version record. Manuscript copy. Vita. Bibliography: leaves 173-190.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1986.

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