The Thai medium-density fibreboard manufacturer replaces two conventional sifters with one Z-Sifter to improve product quality and reduce energy consumption.
Wisewoods has commissioned a second Dieffenbacher Z-Sifter with Dryer Discharge Conveyor (DDC) at its medium-density fibreboard (MDF) site in Khao Yoi, Thailand. The system has replaced two conventional sifters in an existing production line and is being used to improve material feeding and rubberwood processing.
Rubberwood is the raw material for the majority of Wisewoods’ products. The investment follows the start-up of the company’s new Dieffenbacher Cebro MDF plant in Aug 2024, which also uses a Z-Sifter to process rubberwood.
“Since the latex residue in rubberwood usually has almost the same density as the wood fibres, conventional sifters, while effective at removing glue lumps, metals and large pieces of fibre, cannot remove the latex residues,” said Visarut Palarit, deputy director at Wisewoods.
“That’s why we rely on the Dieffenbacher Z-Sifter, which has a zigzag profile and was specifically developed for producing MDF from rubberwood. The Z-Sifter effectively removes most of the latex stains from our finished product,” he explained.
Palarit said the system’s experience in processing rubberwood was a key factor in the investment.
“Dieffenbacher’s Z-Sifter has an excellent reputation, particularly in Thailand and South East Asia. It’s the most frequently installed sifting system in the region among manufacturers who use rubberwood as a raw material,” he said.
“The unique expertise of the Dieffenbacher team helps us capture the benefits of the Z-Sifter. Compared to other suppliers, they have by far the most experience with rubberwood and have helped us overcome the difficulties of this raw material,” Palarit added.
Wisewoods said the quality of MDF produced on its new Cebro line led to the decision to upgrade its other production line.
“In addition to enhancing product quality, we were able to reduce energy consumption in this area by around 50%. That’s because we have replaced two old sifters with one new Z-Sifter without any loss of capacity,” Palarit said.
Dieffenbacher has supplied 15 Z-Sifters to customers in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia over the past decade. The company says four additional Z-Sifters with DDC systems are scheduled to start operation in Thailand by the end of 2026.
Two will be installed at Panel Plus in Songkhla and two at Metro-Ply MDF in Surat Thani.
All images courtesy of Dieffenbacher.
