From the Sector

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Yanpai Filtration Technology Co., Ltd. (YANPAI®), China, to supply batt forming equipment with an aXcess card and crosslapper for a needlepunch line producing PTFE filtration products at its site in Tiantai. The PTFE felts will be used as smoke filters in waste incineration plants. Start-up of the line is planned for the second half of 2022.

Yanpai is one of the leading Chinese producers of nonwoven filters for dust and air treatment and of woven filter fabrics used in solid/liquid separation. Established in 1990, Yanpai was at the forefront of development work on new industrial filtration fabrics. Today, Yanpai is a company with facilities in China and the USA.

On the occasion of the Techtextil fair in Frankfurt, the Chairman of VDMA’s Walter Reiners-Stiftung Foundation, Peter D. Dornier, has awarded prizes to seven successful young engineers. For the first time, the Foundation awarded two Sustainability Awards. They are awarded to academic works in which, for example, solutions for resource-saving products and technologies are developed.

A Sustainability Prize in the category Project Work, endowed with 3.000 euros was awarded to Simon Hoebel, TU Dresden, for his thesis on recycled thermoplastic fibres for composite components.
Marina Michel, TU Dresden, received a Sustainability Award in the category Master, worth 3.500 euros. The topic of her master thesis was the functionalisation of yarns for the filtration of micro- and nanoplastics from water.

A Promotion Prize in the category Project Work, endowed with 4.000 euros, was awarded to a student group from RWTH Aachen. The teamwork of Luis Gleissner, Leopold Habersbrunner, Frederic Olbrich and Frederik Schicks was the construction of a test rig for tests on oil-adsorbing textiles.

Felix Zerbes, RWTH Aachen, was awarded a Promotion Prize of 3.500 euros in the category Master. He developed a technical solution for air jet weaving to improve the quality of woven fabric.

Monforts is introducing a range of modular upgrades that can be added to existing finishing lines already in production.

The Monforts universal Energy Tower – a flexible, free-standing air/air heat exchanger for recovering the heat from the exhaust air flow of thermal processes – can result in a 30% reduction in the energy consumed by a line, depending on the exhaust air volume and operating temperature.

A Monforts Eco Booster, completely integrated into the chamber design of the Montex stenter, is another retrofitting option. As a single state-of-the-art heat recovery system with automatic cleaning, it can be added to existing ranges. For ranges of up to eight chambers only one module is necessary to achieve significant energy savings.

On an eight-chamber stenter with an operating width of two metres carrying out a fixing process on a 150gsm woven fabric, for example, the energy savings have been calculated to be 35% over an annual schedule of 6,000 operating hours.

In addition, the Eco Booster consumes only minimal amounts of water during the cleaning cycle and the entire process is controlled and monitored automatically.

The Matex Eco Applicator is an alternative to the conventional padding process for energy-conscious finishing and achieving considerable savings in the energy required for drying treated fabrics. The precise amount of chemical can be applied to the fabric and with less residual moisture after application of only approximately 35% so that less drying capacity is required in the stenter, which leads to huge energy savings.

Finishes can be evenly applied on either or both sides of the fabric, and two separate treatments can be applied to front and back. This makes the unit ideal for the production of, for example, double-performance hydrophobic/hydrophilic fabrics for professional clothing, as well as the over dyeing or finishing of denim fabrics.

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, along with its Italian subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., will be participating in the Techtextil exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany from the 21st till the 24th of June 2022.

On display will be SHIMA SEIKI’s latest innovation in flat knitting technology as applied to the field of technical textiles—a prototype weft knitting machine capable of multi-axial yarn insertion. Fabrics produced on this machine use inlay technique for the production of hybrid textiles that combine the stretch characteristics of knitted fabrics with the stability of woven textiles, suited to various technical applications. To this, warp yarn is inserted to further expand its capability to produce 3D-shaped carbon fiber and composite preforms directly on the machine. This is made possible by taking advantage of the fact that flat knitting as a textile production method is capable of producing end products that are shaped-to-form and with added thickness. Compared to current methods of preform production, savings in post-processing time, material, labor and associated costs are immense, realizing efficient and sustainable production. SHIMA SEIKI’s own yarn unwinding technology is also used for optimum yarn feed and tension for use with technical yarns that are otherwise difficult to knit. Industrial textile samples knit on the multi-axial machine will also be available for examination on-site.

SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 3D design system will be available for demonstrations as well. Of particular interest should be its ultra-realistic simulation capability that realizes Virtual Sampling. When countless variations must be evaluated before arriving at a final design, virtual product samples can be used to streamline the decision-making process by minimizing the enormous amount of time, cost and material normally associated with producing actual samples for each variation. When approved, the same data can be converted to machine data for immediate knitting, significantly reducing lead times.

SHIMA SEIKI MFG. will participate in the ITM 2022 International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey.

SHIMA SEIKI will exhibit a wide range of its products, including proposals in seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology that offers an alternative to labor-intensive manufacturing in Turkey and other international markets. Featured is the flagship MACH2XS WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine with original SlideNeedle™ on four needle beds and spring-loaded moveable sinkers with expanded patterning capability, the MACH2VS V-bed machine for producing WHOLEGARMENT® items using every other needle, as well as the compact SWG091N2 for producing smaller WHOLEGARMENT® items and accessories. A brand new proposal in V-bed WHOLEGARMENT® knitting will also be introduced in the form of the N.SVR183 machine. N.SVR123SP features a special loop presser bed that can produce hybrid inlay fabrics with both knit and weave characteristics. N.SVR123SP at ITM will feature the special i-Plating option, capable of alternating yarn colors in any pattern, producing jacquard-like designs using plain jersey stitch for even greater diversity in knit design. Meanwhile N.SSR112 offers industry-leading technology in an economical yet reliable package made in Japan. Also on display is the SFG20 glove knitting machine.

Demonstrations will be performed on SHIMA SEIKI’s SDS®-ONE APEX4 design system. At the core of the company’s “Total Fashion System” concept, SDS®-ONE APEX4 provides comprehensive support throughout the production supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design, to production and even sales promotion. Especially effective is the way SDS®-ONE APEX4 improves on the design evaluation process with its ultra-realistic simulation capability, whereby virtual samples replace physical sampling, consequently reducing time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. The same capability is present in APEXFiz™ subscription-based design software. Installed on personal computers, APEXFiz™ features the same functionality as SDS®-ONE APEX4, but with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environments including teleworking and telecommuting. Digital prototyping using virtual samples on SDS®-ONE APEX4 and APEXFiz™ help to digitally transform the fashion supply chain for realizing sustainable manufacturing. APEXFiz™ will be shown along with SHIMA SEIKI’s yarnbank™ digital yarn web platform that further enhances the realism of virtual samples.

The German machinery producer BRÜCKNER used exactly these chances and repositioned itself during the pandemic period. For more than 70 years, the family-run company has been specialized in individual finishing concepts for textiles, technical textiles, nonwovens and floor coverings. The current challenges in the textile industry are serious. The clear increase of the energy costs and the general uncertainty of the energy supply as well as political requirements make a profitable textile production more and more demanding for many companies.

The company responds to this with a newly developed stenter concept with double heating system. Depending on availability, the lines can be operated with gas or oil, but also other combinations with steam or renewable energies are possible. This means that production delays and machine downtimes can be avoided as far as possible. In addition, developed intelligent assistance systems for its machines have been developed that support the machine operator in using the best possible process to operate the line as energy-efficiently as possible. Further energy savings are possible with new energy-efficient motors or heat-recovery and exhaust air cleaning systems. This also helps to avoid harmful emissions.

But many textile producers are also focusing on reducing chemicals. For this purpose, BRÜCKNER's further developed ECO-COAT minimum application unit can make a decisive contribution. Knitted and woven fabrics, but also nonwovens can be finished on one or both sides via different fabric paths. With the minimum application via an engraved roller, a single-sided application of up to 100 g/m² can be achieved. A double-sided and higher application quantity is achieved, for example, by impregnation in the nip. Irrespective of the selected fabric path, a very small liquor reservoir means that only minimal quantities of waste water are produced when changing batches or liquors, and the use of chemicals can also be significantly reduced. In addition, less water has to be evaporated in the subsequent drying process than, for example, in the case of impregnation in a water bath, so the energy requirement is significantly reduced.

On the two upcoming trade fairs ITM in Istanbul and TECHTEXTIL in Frankfurt in June, interested customers can personally get an idea of BRÜCKNER's new developments.

• Svegea, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machine association, is marking a company milestone this year at Texprocess in Frankfurt from June 21-24  – the 70th anniversary of its automatic collarette cutter.

 On its introduction back in 1952, this machine – used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements – caused a sensation with its then-unprecedented output of 300 metres per hour.

Time doesn’t stand still, however, and the latest EC 300 machine Svegea will demonstrate at Texprocess 2022 has a slightly improved output – of around 20,000 metres per hour.

“Advances in automation are only making the specialised, bespoke machines we engineer even more efficient and we are expecting a very busy show in Frankfurt and a busy year,” says Svegea Managing Director Håkan Steene. “The garment components our collarette cutters produce make it logical for them to be integrated into the operations of making-up operations wherever they are, and at the moment we’re seeing a lot of interest in the reshoring of operations by our customers, to bring final-stage manufacturing closer to the key European and US markets.”

E-Drive 2
The EC 300 collarette cutter on show in Frankfurt is equipped with the latest E-Drive 2 system providing the operator with a very user-friendly touchscreen, providing full control of the cutting process.

The integrated, fully automatic FA500 roll slitter accommodates diameters up to 400mm and is equipped with three separately adjustable settings enabling three different band widths to be cut within the same cutting cycle. Automatic tube sewing units are provided for sewn tubes in optional rolled or flat folded forms, depending on customer preference.

Niche applications
Svegea supplies many other bespoke machines for applications in the production of both garment components and technical textiles, including rewinding, measuring, inspection and band knife machines.

The ability to produce tubular fabric which is cut on the bias allows customers to provide textiles which not only have improved drape and elasticity properties for complex and intricate shapes, but also offer ways to reduce production costs by eliminating unnecessary wastage from the manufacturing process. Pre-cutting the fabric to a specific bias reduces extra handling of the fabric in further processes, saving customers both valuable production time and costs.

At Techtextil from 21-24 June in Frankfurt, Mahlo will be demonstrating how manufacturers of technical textiles can optimise their production even further using measuring and control technology.

Special straightening technology for technical textiles
Mahlo's range also includes solutions for straightening distorted goods. Best suited for technical textiles are, for example, the symbol of the straightening machine, the Orthopac RVMC-15 and the reinforced version Orthopac GRVMC-15. Frame, bearings, and rollers are designed for high loads and allow large working widths of up to 5,400 mm. As the latest development from Mahlo, the experts present the Orthopac CRVMC-15 automatic straightener, which is particularly interesting for the glass & carbon fabric industry and some special applications.

The Mahlo team will present the wide portfolio of intelligent scanners and sensors that record product and process parameters, such as distortion, fabric temperature, dwell time, basis weight, coating weight, thickness, moisture content, residual moisture, exhaust moisture, air permeability, etc. online. Among other things, visitors can expect to see the Famacont PMC-15 weft density measurement system in live operation. The system measures the weft or course density on the running web and compares it with the target value stored in the recipe data management system. The detected deviation from the target value is used to fully automatically control the overfeed during the needling process at the stenter frame and to ensure a constant weft/course density over the full width of the product.

ANDRITZ has received an order from Manifattura Fontana, part of Sioen Group, to supply a complete neXline needlepunch line for the production of geotextiles to its site in Romano d’Ezzelino, Italy. Start-up of the line is planned for the fourth quarter of 2022.

The ANDRITZ needlepunch line will cover all process steps from fiber opening to automatic packaging of the product. The line will also include the latest ProWin profiling technology to enhance web weight evenness on cards and crosslappers. Another important feature is waterproof roll packaging, which is increasingly in demand on the market. Thus, Manifattura Fontana will be one of the very few players in the world to deliver fabric rolls with waterproof protection.

This will be the second line in only three years to be supplied by ANDRITZ to Manifattura Fontana. Manifattura Fontana is part of the Belgian technical textile group Sioen Industries. It is a leading company in the global geotextile market and provides its customers with added-value geotextiles for many applications, such as the construction of roads, railways, reservoirs, dams, and tunnels, as well as for earthworks, foundations, erosion control, drainage, waste disposal, or containment.

• Turkish circular knitting market offers prospects in turbulent times

After a four-year, Covid-related break the German circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. is exhibiting with its Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik (MMÜ) once more at the important International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITM) in Istanbul. At Booth 713 in Hall 8, Mayer & Cie. will present three machines: the D4-2.2 X interlock machine, the OV 3.2 QCe for double jersey structures and the MV 4 3.2 II for single jersey fabrics. For the Mayer & Cie. and MMÜ team the focus will be on in-person contacts with customers, suppliers and partners. Despite the tense international situation both the manufacturer and its representative are positive about the medium-term outlook for the Turkish market.

Turkey is a market with prospects
“The challenges that the global economy faces are at present enormously wide-ranging, of course,” says Mayer & Cie.’s Turkey specialist Stefan Bühler. “The Russian invasion of the Ukraine, supply chain outages, shortages of raw materials and skyrocketing energy prices all create uncertainty.” And then there is galloping inflation in Turkey and elections in 2023. Yet despite, and in part because of, this state of affairs Bühler and Kahraman Güveri, CEO of Mayer & Cie.’s Turkish representative MMÜ, hold a positive view of the market outlook for the years ahead. Large orders, especially for standard products, are on the increase, Kahraman Güveri explains. That leads to new investments, new companies and a growing demand for refurbished machines that then need to be replaced by new machines elsewhere. And former commission merchants are now enterprises in their own right.

“Apart from that, Turkey benefits from its proximity to Europe, transport routes are manageable,” says Stefan Bühler. “This location advantage attracts brand manufacturers who together with their orders bring new approaches, new designs and new technologies into the country.” And Turkey’s already very highly developed textiles sector benefits too. That, says Kahraman Güveri, is why one can be confident for the next few years, “at least for as long as nothing unforeseen happens”.

Established machines with that something special: OV 3.2 QCe for double jersey structures
The portfolio of machines that Mayer & Cie. is exhibiting at the ITM is tried, trusted and popular. The OV 3.2 QCe is a specialist for interlock fabrics and double jersey structures that it knits in both filament and synthetic fibre yarns. With a conversion kit the OV 3.2 QCe also qualifies as a producer of 8-lock structures, spacer fabrics and fine gauges. The machine is available in a choice of three frames: from open-width and industrial to giant frame. Stefan Bühler, regional sales manager for Turkey, has this to say: “Not for nothing has the OV 3. 2 QCe been one of our most popular machines for years. It is mainly used for sportswear and for leisure- and outerwear.” In Istanbul the OV 3.2 QCe on show will be a 30-inch, E40-gauge model.

D4-2.2 X for fine rib and interlock fabrics
The double-jersey D4-2.2 X is an obvious choice for knitting fine rib fabrics of up to E28 gauge. Spacer and interlock fabrics are also part of the machine’s established repertoire. And it can produce elastomeric plating in both cylinder and dial cam. No matter which of these tasks is assigned to the D4-2.2 X, it performs it with impressive productivity.

MV 4 3.2 II for flexibility in the single jersey sector
In the single jersey sector, the long-established German firm delivers a literally fine solution. The MV 4 3.2 II on show at the ITM knits to an E38 gauge. The machine can also be supplied for gauges from E14 to E60. It is, in addition, highly flexible, with a repertoire that ranges from piqué and double piqué to one-thread fleece and smooth single jersey.