ACA Flow WR

Water Retention Analyzer for Coating Color Optimization

ACA Flow WR is a modern, semi-automatic analyzer for measuring water retention in coating colors. It supports coating process optimization, helps identify interaction issues between coating and base paper, and improves overall coating color development and quality control.

Compact and easy to use, the ACA Flow WR is ideal for both R&D laboratories and production support in the paper and board industry.

Fast and accurate water retention measurement

ACA Flow WR delivers quick and reliable results on how much water the coating color releases into the base paper. This data is essential for controlling drying, printability, and overall coating quality – directly supporting production efficiency.

Supports coating color development and optimization

Whether you’re developing new formulations or adjusting existing ones, ACA Flow WR helps you evaluate how additives like thickeners or binders affect water retention. This enables more controlled recipe development and faster time-to-market for new products.

Solves coating-to-base paper interaction issues

Poor interaction between coating color and base paper can lead to runnability problems or visual defects. ACA Flow WR helps detect these issues early by simulating real coating conditions, giving you insights before problems occur on the machine.

Enhances quality control and process consistency

By integrating ACA Flow WR into your lab or production support workflow, you gain a repeatable and objective method to monitor coating behavior. This leads to better process stability, reduced waste, and improved end-product performance.

Trusted by

Key application areas

  • ACA Flow WR helps paper and board producers optimize coating performance by providing real-time data on how coating colors interact with the base paper. This ensures better runnability, drying balance, and surface quality. By identifying the right water retention levels, mills can reduce quality issues like mottling or blistering and improve overall process stability and efficiency.

  • For suppliers developing binders, thickeners, or other additives, ACA Flow WR is an essential tool for product testing and customer support. It enables precise comparisons of additive performance in terms of water retention behavior, helping to demonstrate value to customers and refine formulations to match specific end-user needs.

  • In R&D environments, ACA Flow WR offers a controlled, TAPPI-standard method to study coating color dewatering behavior. It’s ideal for academic research, product innovation, or student training in surface chemistry, paper technology, or material interactions, thanks to its compact size, easy use, and reproducible results.

  • When evaluating surface sizing or starch applications, ACA Flow WR can be used to study how base paper absorbs liquids under pressure, providing insight into pickup levels, penetration depth, and interaction with treated surfaces. This helps fine-tune surface treatment strategies and optimize printability, strength, and barrier properties.

Sales & support

Alongside our industry-leading analyzers, we offer a full range of services—from installation and configuration to long-term maintenance and modernization. Whether you’re starting up a new line or optimizing an existing one, our team is here to help.

We’re always ready to explore the right solution for your specific needs—and if it doesn’t exist yet, we can help develop it. Custom applications are part of what we do best.