From the Sector

At the forthcoming Texprocess, Techtextil and Heimtextil shows taking place in Frankfurt from June 21-24 – members of the Swedish Textile Machinery Association TMAS will be showcasing a range of solutions aligning with the growing trend for more localised and automated textile manufacturing.

Digitalisation and the push for more sustainable, shorter and less expensive supply chains are currently making manufacturing in high-cost countries within Europe more attractive and there have been many other contributing factors to this over the past two years.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of many countries to shortages of essential items like PPE while at the same time making the full exploitation of new digital options essential during national lock-downs and long periods of restricted travel. The escalating cost of global transportation, as well as the growth of online retailing and the associated benefits of on-demand digital manufacturing, are further reinforcing the many benefits of short-run and near-shore new operations.

Secure supply
At Texprocess, for example, Eton Systems will be unveiling its latest Ingenious software solution which further enhances the company’s Opta Unit Production System (UPS) introduced in 2021.

“Our automated technology has already had a great impact on the productivity of thousands of garment production lines,” says Eton’s Managing Director Jerker Krabbe. “Our systems help producers across the world to reduce repetitive manual tasks and increase efficiency, which evens out some of the differences between production in high and low-cost countries, making reshoring a feasible option. Creating a diversified production portfolio with a mix of production facilities, some closer to home, makes for a more secure product supply.”

Flexibility
Imogo meanwhile recently installed the first industrial scale dyeing system in Sweden for many years. The Dye-Max spray dyeing line has the potential to slash the use of fresh water, wastewater, energy and chemicals by as much as 90% compared to conventional jet dyeing systems. It is capable of carrying out the application of a wide range of fabric pre-treatments and finishing processes, providing users with unbeatable flexibility in production.

“Here in Scandinavia, we are currently seeing an explosion of companies developing sustainable new cellulosic fibres – many from waste clothing – but a problem is that all of the environmental benefits they deliver can potentially be lost in the further processing, and especially in conventional dyeing,” observes the company’s Founding Partner Per Stenflo. “The Dye-Max system positively addresses this, but interest in it has not just been confined to Europe. We are currently seeing a lot of activity in Turkey – largely as a near-shore partner to European brands – but also in Bangladesh.”

Robotics at Heimtextil
ACG Kinna Automatic specialises in automation solutions for filled products such as quilts, pillows and mattresses and its live demonstrations of robotics in action have proved a magnet for visitors to Heimtextil. This year’s show will be no exception.

“The use of robotics is now standard across many industries dealing in solid goods, but the handling of soft materials such as textiles is a little more complex,” says Managing Director Christian Moore. “Nevertheless, it’s something we have successfully mastered, and our robotic systems are proving highly beneficial to their users. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution when it comes to automation and our approach is always to carefully examine where it will make the difference in each bespoke system. A focus is on identifying and eliminating bottlenecks which will increase product flows.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, ACG Kinna drew on all of its automation know-how and extensive network of contacts to build a new nonwovens fabric converting and single-use garment making-up plant in a matter of weeks, in order to supply the Swedish authorities with urgently-needed medical gowns.

Instant colour
Localised textile production is also booming in the USA, where Coloreel has recently secured multiple orders for its instant thread colouration technology via its US partner Hirsch.

“Coloreel technology enables the high-quality and instant colouring of a textile thread while it is actually being used in production and can be paired with any existing embroidery machine without modification, while also making it possible to produce gradients in an embroidery for the first time,” explains VP of Sales Sven Öquist.

“Advanced rapid colour formulation software and high-speed drive technology allow a single needle to carry out what it previously required many multiples of them to do – and with much more consistent stitch quality. By instantly colouring a recycled white base thread during production, our system enables complete freedom to create unique embroideries without any limitations. Colour changes along the thread can either be made rapidly from one solid colour to another, or gradually, to make smooth transitions or any colouring effect desired. This provides big benefits when it comes to sustainability and design creativity.”

Milestone
Svegea will be promoting its latest EC 300 collarette cutting machine at Texprocess 2022. This machine is used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as waistbands, cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements. With its E-Drive 2 system and fully automatic FA500 roll slitter, the EC 300 has an 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 year,” says 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.”

Sensors
The advanced yarn tension monitoring technologies of Eltex of Sweden meanwhile play an essential role in rectifying defects in  weaving, tufting and composite reinforcement operations.

“A correct tension of the warp and weft threads ensures proper machine operation,” explains Eltex Global Marketing and Sales Manager Anoop K. Sharma “The constant tension monitoring and automatic control of the tension of the thread help to overcome unnecessary problems.

“We continue to make advances in both the hardware and software of our tension monitoring systems, such as the EyE™ for the warping process. With the EyE™, the yarn tension values from all yarns are continuously updated and displayed on screen. In addition, tension values outside the warning level are indicated both on the sensor’s LEDs and on the screen for complete quality control. No fabric can be woven without the appropriate and correct tension.”

• Hundreds of designers, brands, creators, e-com platforms, manufacturers, and virtual fashion pioneers expected to attend VIP events at Kornit’s headquarters, R&D and production centers, and in major venues of Tel Aviv     
• Kornit will unveil future technologies and solutions, including the revolutionary Kornit Apollo fully-digital mass production direct-to-garment (DTG) platform – considered a future game-changer for the mainstream mass production of fashion and apparel, a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity – constrained today by antiquated, analog, and polluting methods of production
• Mass production of textile, traditionally off-shored, is going through an accelerated shift to near-shore production, significantly shorter production runs, lean-to-no inventory risk, and unlimited creativity and flexibility for designers and creators – all possible with Kornit’s new solution for mass production
• Kornit will also unveil its Kornit Atlas MAX Poly – predicted to transform the multi-billion-dollar professional and recreational sports apparel and teamwear markets, suffering today from major limitations with mass customization of polyester

Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: KRNT) (“Kornit”), a worldwide market leader in sustainable, on-demand digital fashionx and textile production, announced today the Company will present the convergence of design, technology, and sustainable fashion at Kornit Fashion Week Tel Aviv 2022, April 3rd – 6th. Rewriting the rules for fashion and textiles, the transformative event will unveil vibrant runway collections together with game-changing industry-first product and technology introductions that bring digital production to the mainstream.

The four-day event is attended by some of the top designers, retailers, brands, fulfillers, and ecommerce players, in addition to global investors and press – and will include exclusive VIP experiences demonstrating the confluence of the design, technology, and fashion worlds. Together, these three elements are central to Kornit’s 4.0 strategy, bringing sustainable, on-demand fashion to the mainstream with end-to-end workflow solutions.

Kornit Fashion Week Tel Aviv 2022

Kornit Fashion Week features an immersive runway showcase produced by worldwide fashion icon, producer, director, and entrepreneur Motty Reif. The week follows successful Kornit events in 2021 across Los Angeles, New York, Milan, and Tel Aviv – displaying the creative freedom associated with sustainable, on-demand fashion fulfillment. Attendees will experience runway events showcasing designer creativity across a broad array of collections. These fascinating collections were created in just a few weeks, unlike typical fashion and textile production processes that take over six months.

Industry-First Introductions

Looking behind the scenes at Kornit Fashion Week, attendees will witness Kornit’s disruptive mass production technology in action. Unveiled for the first time, the Kornit Apollo direct-to-garment (DTG) system addresses accelerated post-pandemic market trends for streamlined supply chains and production nearshoring. Demonstrated at an exclusive VIP event, Kornit Apollo features the Company’s proven MAX technology offering the highest retail quality combined with full automation control and integrated smart curing processes, utilizing functionality from Lichtenau, Germany-based Tesoma (Kornit’s recently announced acquisition). The solution is the most comprehensive digital, single-step end-to-end system for nearshore short-and-medium-runs mass production and offers optimal TCO and highest output per operator. The result far surpasses performance of screen printing and analog techniques. With early customer engagements in the second half of 2022, the system will be available mid-2023.

Physical and Virtual Worlds

Kornit enables customers to exchange supply chain headaches and materials waste for unsurpassed creativity and a frictionless pixel-to-parcel-to-doorstep production experience. Supported by the KornitX workflow solution, customers have access to a scalable and modular ecosystem for on-demand decorated apparel and textiles. Supporting diverse supply chain models, the infrastructure-agnostic system enables on-demand, automated production, end-to-end from initial order to package delivery.

• Innovation begins with creativity
• A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft (Barmag) is founded in Barmen, located in the Bergische Land region, on March 27, 1922. The German and Dutch founders enter unchartered technological territory, one created as the result of a groundbreaking invention: in 1884, French chemist Count Hilaire Bernigaud de Chardonnet used nitrocellulose to produce the first so-called artificial silk, later known as rayon. The following decades see rapid development focusing on the search for synthetic textile fibers and their manufacturing technologies. As one of the first machine factories, Barmag battles its way through the eventful early years of the manmade fiber industry, the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the Great Depression – and suffers the extensive destruction of its factories at the end of World War Two. Rebuilding is successful. With the unstoppable success story of purely synthetic plastic fibers such as polyamide, the company flourishes from the 1950s through to the 1970s, establishing sites in all international, for the textile industry at the time important, industrial regions and garnering prestige across the globe in the process. In the ups and downs of expansion, global competition and crises, Barmag reaches the very pinnacle of the market and becomes the preferred technological development partner for the manmade fiber industries in China, India and Turkey. The company has been a high-impact brand under the umbrella of the Oerlikon Group since 2007.

On the wings of innovation
Today, Oerlikon Barmag is a leading supplier of manmade fiber filament spinning systems and part of the Manmade Fibers Solutions business unit of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. And our aspirations have not diminished: “The striving towards innovation and technological leadership has been, is and will always be part of our DNA”, emphasizes Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions. In the past, this has been observable in such trailblazing innovations as the revolutionary WINGS generation of winders for POY in 2007 and WINGS for FDY in 2012. Currently, the focus of new and further developments is very much on digitalization and sustainability. Here, Oerlikon Barmag has – as one of the world’s first systems manufacturers – been implementing fully-networked smart factories for globally-leading polyester manufacturers since the end of the last decade. Within this context, digital solutions and automation are also helping to provide greater climate and environmental compatibility. This sustainability commitment is not only evidenced by the e-save label introduced for all products back in 2004: Oerlikon is endeavoring to also make all its sites carbon-neutral by 2030 and to acquire its energy exclusively from renewable sources. An ambitious target, whose achievement could be helped by the Oerlikon Barmag anniversary, states Georg Stausberg: “Innovation begins with creativity. And remembering the past provides plenty of motivation and inspiration for the future.”

Display graphics print providers now have a powerful solution for saving media and reducing prep time with newly available EFI™ Fiery® Prep-it™ true-shape nesting and cut-preparation software. The newly available solution from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. connects to any digital front end (DFE) – including full integration with EFI Fiery proServer and Fiery XF DFEs – to increase the profitability of cut jobs printed on wide- to superwide-format inkjet printers.

Media and time savings

Automated cut job preparation

Economic advantages for all display graphics businesses

Whether print businesses do their nesting layouts manually in Adobe® Illustrator®, or use an existing nesting solution, switching to Fiery Prep-it software offers compelling productivity gains and media savings. It has some of the best true-shape nesting technology on the market, including its 1° increment rotation capability and accurate double-sided nesting, giving users the ability to reduce media waste and turnaround time even further.

On top of its ability to generate at least 10% in media savings, Fiery Prep-it also increases profitability by:

• Giving companies the ability to win more tight-deadline business by preparing cut jobs in a fraction of the time required with manual nesting methods
• Reducing errors and expensive rework due to minimal touchpoints in job production with hot folders and automation capabilities
• Removing production bottlenecks with increased utilization of existing printing and cutting equipment.

The software integrates with EFI Fiery proServer and Fiery XF DFE print servers, providing access to an additional 1,300+ cutter and router types on top of built-in Prep-it connectivity options. The software can also connect to any RIP or DFE that accepts PDF files, serving as a central hub for cut job preparation.

Automatex, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, has recently supplied a number of its latest Industry 4.0-enabled automatic fitted sheet systems to customers in Europe.

The Automatex model FDC-77735-B90D-EC system enables the full production and folding of six fully-fitted sheets per minute – approaching 3,000 an average shift – overseen by a single operator and eliminating many of the repetitive cut and sew operations of the past. Elastics insertion –  usually a highly complex labour-intensive task – can be on all four sides of the sheet, two, or simply within the corners, depending on customer specifications.

Fabric is fed directly from the roll, with precise edge guiding and tension control, into a length-wise hemming and elastics insertion section with adjustable tension devices, before being measured and cross cut in an accumulator. It is then transferred to the cross hemming section, again with elastics insertion.

A side drop forming unit pre-forms the sheet before it is transported by a multi-axis clamp conveyor system to the corner sewing section, consisting of left and right overlock sewing heads. Here, the corners are robotically sewn at 90 degrees and labels are also attached when specified.

Further customised systems for folding are also supplied as required.

Kornit Digital Ltd. announced on 26th January the official opening of its new scalable, state-of-the-art ink manufacturing facility in Kiryat Gat, Israel.  

The modern, 11,000-square-meter facility incorporates advanced automation, sophisticated workflows, and innovative technologies for production optimization. The new high-volume production facility is expected to fulfill global demand for Kornit consumables for the next decade.

Recently completed at an estimated investment of $25 million USD, the facility was built in accordance with the highest quality, safety, and security standards, reflecting the Company’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets embedded in Kornit Digital’s 2020 Impact Report.

“This is a key milestone in our journey to become a $1 billion company by 2026 and will ensure we can support the tremendous growth our customers are experiencing, for many years to come,” said Ronen Samuel, Kornit Digital’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud to lead the charge for a cleaner and more responsive textile industry as we continue to write the operating system for sustainable fashion and textiles on demand.”

Zünd has evolved into a complete solutions provider in cutting/finishing workflows and automation. The market leader in digital cutting systems offers customers tailor-made workflow solutions for every step of digital production. In recognition of the wide-ranging benefits and exceptional price-performance ratio of these software solutions, a jury of experts from the European Digital Press Association EDP awarded them the distinction of «Best in Class».

Zünd receives EDP awards for three of its software tools. The jury declares PrimeCenter the «Best Workflow Solution», while the Pick&Place Interface Option and the Visualizing Option are recognized as «Best in Robotics» and «Best Print Support Tool», respectively.

Zünd is known worldwide for its advanced, high-performance digital cutting systems «made in Switzerland». For some time now, the Swiss manufacturer has also been making a name for itself with user-friendly automation software such as PrimeCenter for prepress, as well as the Visualizing Option and the Pick&Place Interface Option for digital production. The latter are two highly effective solutions for removing/unloading cut parts, offering visual support and robot integration, respectively. On account of its exceptional know-how and consulting expertise,

• PrimeCenter automation software serves as control center for creating print & cut files and enables a highly efficient and productive prepress workflow. In a few clicks, users create fully nested print & cut jobs.
   
• The Pick&Place Interface Option lets Zünd Cut Center – ZCC control a robotic device, enabling fully automated parts removal—picking, sorting, and placing at pre-defined locations.
   
•  The Visualizing Option provides visual support for parts removal. Cut parts are labeled via projection or monitor. The user is able to see at a glance which parts belong to which job and can apply labels for continuous Track&Trace.

For more than ten years, EDP has been evaluating products and developments in the graphics industry for excellence and for commendation through an evaluation process involving the EDP technical committee, a jury of experts, and finally, a general award assembly of EDP members.

Montalvo, international specialist in web Tension Control, has hired Steve Franklin as their new Director of Engineering. Mr. Franklin will be overseeing Montalvo’s Electrical, Mechanical, and Automation Engineering teams, directing the development of new products, customized products, and larger-scale projects, while improving processes and expanding the company’s overall Engineer capabilities.

Chief Executive Officer, Bryon Williams says “Steve is an incredible asset to the team. We are continuously pushing ourselves as a company, creating new products, expanding into new markets, and providing additional offerings to our customers as a total web handling and web tension control solutions provider. Steve’s background and experience are only going to accelerate these objectives and our overall growth. Mr. Franklin brings new ideas, innovations, and leadership to the team, and I am very excited to see what the future brings.”

Mr. Franklin has over 25 years of experience as an engineer and 14 years as an Engineering Manager for a global automation supplier, where Mr. Franklin monitored the execution of procedures and processes that Engineering is involved with, and encourage changes that make the company more flexible, competitive, and quality conscious. Mr. Franklin holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Comber machines from Trützschler are already trusted by customers across the textiles industry and around the globe. The TCO 21 is the latest addition to their portfolio and was built to boost productivity,  ensure quality and support increased automation.

High productivity and raw material savings
One of the key benefits of the TCO 21 is its advanced processing speed. This next-generation combing machine is able to produce at a rate of up to 600 nips per minute. the TCO 21 can also be coordinated with Trützschler’s JUMBO CANS (Ø 1.200 mm). They not only reduce yarn defects due to fewer piecings which leads to quality improvements, but also offer a higher efficiency because of their larger dimensions. This, for example, has positive effects on the number of necessary cans and can transports – and results in lower personnel costs.

Excellent yarn quality
The TCO 21 comes with COUNT MONITORING as standard. This feature makes it possible for the machine operator to define limits for count variations via an easy-to-use display. Trützschler’s DISC MONITOR system of sensors measures the count continuously, and the machine alerts the operator and switches off if the limit is exceeded. In addition, the COUNT MONITORING function also includes spectrogram analysis.

Customers can further strengthen their focus on quality by choosing to add the COUNT CONTROL function to the TCO 21. It is managed via the same easy-to-use display, and offers automatic sliver count measurement, as well as spectrogram analysis. It also automatically regulates the main draft during production to balance count variations and ensure the desired sliver count. This feature is particularly attractive for customers who manufacture blends of cotton and synthetic, as it can also be used to avoid variations in the overall yarn composition.

Automatic optimization
The TCO 21 joins the TCO 12 from Trützschler as an combing machine that offers automatic PIECING OPTIMIZER technology, and that finds the right piecing setting without a single laboratory test, because of two functions: First by adjusting the piecing time in the combing cycle (timing function). Whereas the resetting of the detaching point (piecing time) is usually a very time-consuming task, it now takes only a few minutes and is performed automatically at a push on a button. Second the customer is helped to select specific detaching curve types (curve function) for their unique requirements.

Easy operation
The TCO 21 is simple to operate and maintain. The SMART TOUCH display is fast and intuitive, and a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor quickly identifies each user and adapts the information on the display to their individual needs. The multi-colored T-LED display provides visual indications of the machine’s status or quality parameters over large distances which enables the operator recognizing them at a glance in the entire spinning mill. The TCO 21 is built with original Trützschler electronics that ensure high performance and durability: Their intelligent cooling system, that has already proven itself in the draw frame TD 10, contributes to a longer service life by reducing the operating temperature of electronic power components. Even if components have to be replaced at some point, the customer can keep their spare parts inventory small, because they can switch also electronics spare parts flexibly between different machine types, e.g. cards and draw frames. The option to add an automatic greasing function completes the easy operation of the TCO 21.

At the subsidiaries of the German Mahlo GmbH + Co KG, two branch managers are celebrating anniversaries this year. Alan Lavore, CEO of Mahlo America Inc., has been with the machine builder for 25 years. Michel Bruni, CEO of Mahlo Italia, has been part of the Mahlo family for 40 years.

Bruni began his career at Mahlo in 1981 as a service technician in the French branch Mahlo Ouest. Just one year later, he moved to Mahlo Italia, where he was appointed branch manager in 1996. He still holds this position today. Bruni is also sales manager for the Benelux countries, the Maghreb countries and Madagascar. The Mahlo Italia CEO's recipe for success includes expertise paired with experience and passion. To remain loyal to a company for so many years also testifies to a special relationship. "Then as now, I work with a dynamic and committed team. We also have a very good relationship with the employees of the parent company in Germany," says Bruni.

The culture and integrity with which business is conducted in the family-owned company were among the reasons why Mahlo America Inc. CEO Alan Lavore has also been with Mahlo for 25 years. "I just love working with all the great people at Mahlo." Lavore joined Mahlo in 1996 as a territory sales manager and took over as CEO in 2005. During this time, he drove the company's expansion from a textile specialist to a supplier for various production sectors such as film, paper, coating and converting or nonwovens.