Paper
Paper is used everywhere in the world for almost every purpose. For example, newspapers, in diaries, for printing
purpose, toilet paper and many more.
We use paper for making paper airplanes, for keeping oily food materials.
Let us learn how wood is processed and turned into paper.
History:
Paper from wood was first discovered by Egyptians about 6000 years ago.
Raw material required:
Wood is the raw material required to make paper. Wood cutters cut wood in heavy dense forests and are then carried
to factory where woods are processed and paper is made.
When logs of woods arrive at the factory, they are at first passed onto de-barking drum where every wood log collide
with each other and are rub together. During this process, bark from woods are removed. Barks are nothing but the
outsider skin of wood which is generally found rough and of no use. Once all wood logs are passed through the
de-barking drum, barks are collected separately and are used as fuel in the power boilers. This way, barks are also
used for heating purpose thus an efficient way to reduce the usage of actual fuels.
When barks are removed from the wood, remaining part is actual wood. These are then converted into small chips and
are kept outside in bright sun. Then these chips are loaded into large vessels called as digestors. In digestors,
these small chips of wood are steamed under pressure and the mixture is turned into wet. This mixture looks like oatmeal
when mixed with milk for breakfast, a thick mixture.
This process removes unwanted substances from the mixture and wood fibres are then freezed up. This freezed woods parts
are then suspended into appropriate amount of water. The amount of water are typically in the ratio of 200 parts of
water : 1 part of fibre.
Then these fibres are run onto fast running mesh screen loop. During this process, water gets extracted from the fibre
and thus fibres are turned into mattes of paper. After this, mattes of paper are then passed into steam heated drying
cylinders where the remaining water from the paper is removed, if any. Then a starch solution is applied on the paper
surface which restrictes paper to absord excessive ink during printing.
Once starch solution is applied, sheets of paper are then ironed between heavy polished rollers. This process is
called as calendering. This process gives smooth finish to sheets of paper.
Then these sheets are then passed onto a roller where they are formed in a shape of reel, just like we have a reel
for threads for weaving clothes. These reels usually are in long shape. These reels are then cut into small rolls.
Then as per requirement of paper, some of the rolls are sent for shipment and the remaining are sent for packing
purposes.
This way paper is made and is used as per its requirement.
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