Abstract
Should paper be tested in-line or off-line? No one will argue that in-line continuous measuring of paper quality is the ultimate solution . Much progress has also been made in this direction, but we are still not there. When we do get there, we shall have to design systems for sampling, treatment and use of the in-line information before we can discard routine, off-line paper testing.
In the meantime, paper testing goes on in the routine control laboratories much as it always has. This, of course, is not necessary. When we look at routine paper testing, we ought to distinguish between the limitations inherent in the process and those that are there because of our neglect. If we do, we shall find that there is a lot more to off-line paper testing than is generally believed. If we feel a need to justify economically such a reappraisal of established methods, we can examine the cost of present paper testing. A survey in Sweden a couple of years ago showed that the operating cost of the control departments (wages, social security, testing implements) amounted to 5-6 dollars per 1 000 dollars of product. Considering that this activity has felt little impact of modern technology, it would not be unreasonable to assume substantial economic gains from a more up-to-date technique.
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