KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — It’s taken a year to install but WMU its new Pilot Paper manufacturing machine is the only one of its kind in North America.
The machine, which was donated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and installed at the Paper Tech facility at the Parkview campus has the ability to turn out multi-ply paper.
90% of the time the machine wil be used by companies in the paper industry who are trying to develop new paper products or refine old ones.
10% of the time it will be used by students for their projects.
WMU Paper Pilot Plant General Manager Lon Pschigoda says the machine’s smaller size will make it easier and more flexible to experiment with, because it takes less time to load formulas and run samples. It’s also been modified and updated to capture data.
They plan an official unveiling Tuesday.
