Question

How is paper manufactured? Write in your own words.

Answer 1

Paper was used as the main means of communication. It was formed from wood pulp or plant fiber. Papyrus was the earliest paper. Paper was often made from things such as tree bark and old fish netting. Papermaking was known in the Islamic world from the end of the eighth century $A.D$.

Complete answer:
Paper is made up of connected fibres which causes it to be very delicate in making. These fibres can be in many forms such as from cloth rags, cellulose fibres from plants and trees. When we talk about the method of paper formation it is essentially a simple one- mixing up of vegetable fibres, and cook them in hot water and this is done until the fibres are soft but they are not dissolved. The hot water also contains a base chemical such as lye, which softens the fibers as they are cooking.
It has to be then taken care of by passing a screen-like material through the mixture and then we have to let the water drip off and/or evaporate and after this squeeze or blot out additional water. This leaves a layer of paper behind.

Manufacturing process consist of four main steps:
1) Making pulp: The process includes the conversion of logs to wood pulp by the help of grinders and it is done by pressing it between huge revolving slabs. Bleach may be added at this stage, or colorings. The pulp is sent to the paper plant.
2) Beating: Pulp is then put through a pounding and squeezing process which is done in a large tub with the help of machine beaters. Other filler materials such as chalks and clays can be added which may influence the opacity of the final product. Paper that will receive a printed design, such as gift wrapping, requires a particular formula of sizing that will make the paper accept the printing properly.
3) Turning pulp into paper: In order to finally turn the pulp into paper, the pulp is fed or pumped into a giant, automated machine and into the Fourdrinier machine. In this we have a moving belt of fine mesh screening. In here, the prepared pulp is squeezed through a series of rollers, while suction devices below the belt drain off water.
4) Finishing: This is done by the process in which the dried paper is wound onto large reels, where it will be further processed depending on its ultimate use. Now the prepared paper is smoothed and compacted further by passing through metal rollers called calendars.

Note: Essential to the process are the fibers, which are never totally destroyed, and, when mixed and softened, form an interlaced pattern within the paper itself. Modern papermaking methods, although significantly more complicated than the older ways, are developmental improvements rather than entirely new methods of making paper.