From the Sector

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.

ITM 2022, the first major international textile machinery exhibition to be held in the world after a 3-year hiatus during the pandemic process, is getting ready to open its doors. Bringing the leading brands of textile technologies together in Istanbul, ITM 2022 will host world launches and numerous collaborations for 5 days.

ITM 2022- International Textile Machinery Exhibition, organized in partnership with Teknik Fairs Inc. and Tüyap Tüm Fuarcılık Yapım Inc, will open its doors at Tüyap Fair and Congress Center between 14-18 June. For ITM 2022, which will be held in 12 halls on an area of 120,000 m2; hums of 1280 participating companies from more than 40 countries continues. Tüyap Fairground, where thousands of people sweat for stand setups, is getting ready for the big meeting. ITM 2022, where all halls have reached 100% occupancy rate and 1280 exhibitor companies are located, will also attract attention with the stand areas and machine parks that the manufacturers have enlarged compared to the previous exhibitions.

Companies will showcase their state-of-the-art technologies for the first time at ITM 2022
Many companies that focus on product development and new productions under pandemic conditions will have the opportunity to introduce their products to their customers for the first time in 3 years at the ITM 2022 Exhibition. Company owners, managers, employees and sector representatives visiting the exhibition will have the opportunity to see the latest technological innovations for the first time and witness their world launches.

Sector representatives, who will open up new horizons in their minds about textile technologies, will sign new products by transforming the extraordinary and original ideas that they have obtained at the ITM 2022 Exhibition into design. Participating companies will also update their machines in line with the demands and needs from the sector representatives and lead the development of new technologies.

Significant Contribution to Exports Aimed with Machine Sales and New Investment Decisions
The textile industry, which is among the locomotive sectors in Turkey's exports, has made a significant contribution to the Turkish economy, especially with the performance increase it has achieved during the pandemic period. Having achieved an increase of up to 40 percent in its exports of textiles and raw materials, Turkey also managed to increase its exports of medical textiles, technical textiles and home textiles. The industry will further increase this success with the collaborations to be realized at ITM 2022. The textile machinery industry will gain great momentum with the machinery sales and new investment decisions to be made at the exhibition.

ITM 2022, which will be attended by many domestic and foreign companies and visited by thousands of people, will be an organization where both domestic and foreign companies will make sales amounting to millions of Euros and many business connections will be realized.

Intense Interest from Trade Delegations
Trade delegations from dozens of countries are requesting to attend the ITM 2022 Exhibition, which is included in the ‘Domestic Organizations Covered by State Incentives’ list by the Ministry of Commerce. Bangladesh, India, Iran, Serbia, Czech Republic, Pakistan, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Mexico, Egypt and Vietnam are among the countries that requested procurement delegations. The intense application of visitors to consulates and commercial attachés from all over the world clearly reveals that ITM 2020 will host a large number of visitors.

ITM 2022 Exhibition Prepares to Break Both Exhibitor and Visitor Records
Company owners, company representatives and visitors left the 2018 edition of the ITM Exhibition very satisfied. ITM 2018 Exhibition, attended by 1150 companies and company representatives from 64 countries and visited by approximately 60 thousand people from 94 countries made a significant contribution to the export records of the textile industry that year. At the ITM 2022; It is getting ready to break new records with the number of participants and visitors coming from Turkey and abroad.

Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Industry Will Meet at HIGHTEX 2022 Exhibition
On the other hand, HIGHTEX 2022 Exhibition, which will be held simultaneously with the ITM 2022 Exhibition, will be an exhibition where Nonwoven products, raw materials used in their production and the state-of-the-art technologies will be exhibited. HIGHTEX 2022 Exhibition, which is the first and only in its field in Turkey, will host a record number of participants and visitors in parallel with the increase in demand for technical textiles. At the HIGHTEX 2022 Exhibition, companies operating in many sectors, from medical textiles to hygienic textiles, from agricultural textiles to geotextiles, will exhibit their latest products and production technologies. Nonwoven manufacturers will come together with the global players of the sector and have the opportunity to both invest in technology and introduce their newest products.

International technology group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production solutions for wipe applications at the international World of Wipes (WOW) 2022 conference in Chicago, USA, from June 27 to 29, 2022.

ANDRITZ’s “We Care” sustainability program combines all ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) initiatives, goals, and achievements under one roof. For many years now, ANDRITZ has been offering various nonwoven processes to produce best and cost-effective wipes, for example spunlace, Wetlace and Wetlace CP. ANDRITZ also accompanies nonwovens producers in the move towards sustainability with the aim of reducing or eliminating plastic components while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties. This applies to all types of sustainable wipes, such as flushable, biodegradable, bio-sourced, carded-pulp or standard carded wipes. Indeed, hydroentanglement has the advantage of being able to bond any kind of fibers without the use of chemical binders or thermal fusion.

The latest development in this field is the ANDRITZ neXline wetlace CP line, which integrates the card-pulp (CP) process. This is a fully engineered production line combining the benefits of drylaid and wetlaid technologies to produce a new generation of biodegradable wipes.

ANDRITZ has become a member of the board of the Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) in the USA. The RFA is an independent, non-profit trade association committed to educating consumers in responsible and smart flushing habits to help reduce damage to the nation's sewage systems. ANDRITZ is deeply involved in this topic with its technologies for 100% dispersible and biodegradable wet wipes and is highly committed to being part of the RFA.

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.

• Exceptionally high order backlog and sustained strong demand
• Supply chain bottlenecks, COVID lockdown in China and significant cost increases
• Takeover of winding machine business leads to additional costs
• Sales and earnings adversely impacted in first half-year
• Considerably improved market position

Despite an exceptionally high order backlog and sustained strong demand, Rieter’s business situation in the first half of 2022 is characterized by the well-known supply chain bottlenecks, the repercussions of the COVID lockdown in China and the significant increases in material and transportation costs.

Further costs are added in connection with the takeover of the automatic winding business as of April 1, 2022.

These factors are adversely impacting both sales and earnings.

Rieter expects significantly higher sales in the first half of 2022 compared to the prior-year period (first half of 2021: CHF 400.5 million). Rieter anticipates a loss at the EBIT and net result level in the first half of 2022 (first half of 2021: EBIT CHF 9.0 million, net result: CHF 5.3 million).
The company is working intensively on the implementation of measures to minimize the impact of the supply chain bottlenecks, the COVID lockdown in China and the cost increases. The implemented price increases have a delayed effect, particularly in the machinery business. The integration of the automatic winding business is proceeding according to plan.

As soon as the situation in the sourcing markets has normalized, Rieter expects to benefit from the exceptionally high order backlog and the considerably improved market position as a result of the takeover of the automatic winding business as well as Accotex and Temco.
Rieter will provide a detailed report on the business results of the first half of 2022 in July 2022.

International textile producers meet again in Istanbul, Turkey, from June 14 – 18, 2022 on the occasion of the ITM + Hightex Exhibition. In Hall 9 (Hightex) the exhibitors will present the complete industry value chain from nonwovens raw materials, production machines and accessories to the endproduct. The related industries covered include hygiene, filtration, fabrics and apparel, medical, automotive, wipes, home furnishings and upholstery. DiloGroup offers tailor-made production systems from one supplier and will inform about its portfolio and the latest equipment developments from fibre opening to the finished felt.

DiloGroup will inform about complete lines as well as high speed needlelooms for spunbonds. A new, simplified elliptical needle beam drive makes Hyperpunch technology also attractive for standard application. Hyperpunch HαV allows a more uniform stitch distribution in the preneedling process especially in combination with the new needle pattern 6000X. In a complete needling line this felt homogenization process can be improved further. The new needle pattern 8000X is a milestone in the needle pattern development process and results in endproduct surfaces with low markings over a wide range of advances/stroke.

Another strong pillar of the sales program over decades has been fibre preparation and high speed webforming equipment for other nonwoven technologies. The further development of the high-speed layering principle “Hyperlayer” made progress for better CD strength through a combination of inline cards and crossline card with crosslapper. Particularly, carding machines in a working width above 3.5 m up to 5.1 m have been supplied by DiloSpinnbau as complete high speed carding systems, comprising two or even three cards in a line to directly feed the hydroentangling units of various suppliers. Together with DiloTemafa not only have high throughput rates been achieved in the fibre preparation section of the line but also dedusting filtering and air-conditioning systems have been successfully engineered and integrated.

Together with Sicam, Dilo has combined know-how for hydroentangling technology and therefore can provide complete lines as general contractor including equipment for cutting, winding and packaging.

Another interesting machine is the 3D-Lofter, first presented during ITMA 2019 in Barcelona, which offers a wider range of nonwovens applications by exploring the third dimension. A series of single web forming units which work according to the aerodynamic web forming principle deliver defined fibre masses in varied patterns on a base needlefelt. A stress oriented production of technical formed parts resulting in fibre savings or patterned DI-LOUR or DI-LOOP felts with or without repeat are two examples for this technology which explores new application areas for needlefelts.
The 3D-Lofter technology may also be used “inverted” as “IsoFeed” for filling up bad spots in web mats and thus achieves a better homogeneity of spunlace or airlay products.

The DiloLine 4.0 concept offer I4.0 modules which not only support the user but also facilitate quality control and maintenance by a maximum data transparency in production and control of operation. The Dilo solutions “Smart Start” for a fully automatic start of the production line or “DI-LOWATT” for energy savings are accompanied by Siemens solutions which can be selected via App or Data Cloud “MindSphere”.

• Eröffnung Museum Suwa und Website zur Geschichte des Unternehmens

Die Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson") feiert ihr 80-jähriges Bestehen. Zu diesem Jubiläum eröffnet das Unternehmen das „Epson Museum Suwa“ am japanischen Sitz der Zentrale in Suwa, Nagano, Japan. Das Museum besteht aus einem Monozukuri-Museum und einer Memorial Hall. Es gibt den Besuchern einen Einblick in die Geschichte und die Produkte aus achtzig Jahren Epson. Die Memorial Hall befindet sich in dem ursprünglichen Verwaltungsgebäude, errichtet in den 1940er Jahren. Dieses kürzlich renovierte historische Gebäude wird ab heute für die Öffentlichkeit zugänglich sein.

Die Exponate in der Memorial Hall decken den Zeitraum bis in die 1970er Jahre ab, also die Periode, in der das Gebäude tatsächlich genutzt wurde. Von der Technologie und den Fähigkeiten, die in mechanischen Uhren stecken, über die erste Quarzuhr der Welt bis hin zum elektronischen Drucker EP-101, von dem sich der Markenname Epson ableitet, erhalten die Besucher einen Rückblick auf die effizienten, kompakten und präzisen Technologien, die Epson seit seiner Gründung entwickelt hat.

Besucher des „Epson Museum Suwa“ können sowohl das Monozukuri-Museum als auch die Memorial Hall besichtigen. Zudem wird eine Website zum 80-jährigen Jubiläum veröffentlicht, die die Philosophie und Geschichte des Unternehmens seit seiner Gründung nachzeichnet und auf eine Zeitreise einlädt. Daiwa Kogyo, Ltd., das Vorgängerunternehmen von Epson, wurde im Mai 1942 gegründet. In den vergangenen acht Jahrzehnten entwickelte sich das Unternehmen Epson konsequent Presse Information auf Basis des Grundgedankens von Innovation und Manufaktur weiter. Der kontinuierliche Fortschritt in Mikromaterialbearbeitung und Präzisionsverarbeitungstechnologien sowie deren Einsatz in anderen Bereichen haben das Wachstum des Unternehmens vorangetrieben. Epson strebt nach Kreativität und Herausforderungen. Das Unternehmen setzt sich für die Lösung gesellschaftlicher Probleme ein. Es steht für Nachhaltigkeit und möchte die Gemeinschaft insgesamt bereichern.

Ausstellungen im Epson Museum Suwa (Memorial Hall)
• Szenen zur Produktion in der Zeit der Gründung
• Fortschritte bei den mechanischen Uhren und die damit verbundenen Technologien
und Fertigkeiten
• Die Geschichte der Entwicklung der Quarzuhr
• Das Aufkommen und die Entwicklung eines kompakten elektronischen Druckers
Monozokuri Museum
• Produkte und technologischer Hintergrund
• Eine Einführung in die Unternehmensvision Epson 25
• Die fünf Innovationsbereiche von Epson
• Praktische Erfahrung beim Drucken

Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf der Website zum 80-jährigen Jubiläum

Computerized knitting machine manufacturer SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. will participate in the SIMATEX exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 30th of May - 2nd of June 2022.

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 the South American market. Three MACH2VS machines, capable of knitting WHOLEGARMENT® knitwear using every other needle, will be shown in 12, 16 and 18 gauge configurations. The N.SVR workhorse series improves on the SVR series, resetting the industry benchmark for shaped knitting. The N.SVR123SP featuring a special loop presser bed that can produce hybrid inlay fabrics with both knit and weave characteristics. Shown in 18 gauge at the SHIMA SEIKI booth, N.SVR123SP will also 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. N.SSR112 improves on the SSR series and continues to offer industry-leading technology in an economical yet reliable package made in Japan.

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 minimize the need for actual sample-making. This realizes significant savings in time, cost and material, contributing to sustainable manufacturing.

The DiloGroup informs at Techtextil in Frankfurt (June 21 – 24, 2022) about new developments aimed at improving production technologies with a focus on needlefelts.

It becomes more evident that the textile industry comes into the focus of regulatory authorities who push respecting sustainability principles and who initiate a new body of laws. Hence all industrial sectors are requested to achieve savings in material and energy. The textile machine building, of course, plays an important role by seizing this initiative and offering solutions for fibre pulp recycling and reduction of energy, water and ancillaries. DiloGroup has made big efforts to meet these challenges together with a circle of partner companies. In this regard focal points of the development work are:

1. Intense Needling
   Needling per se is a mechanical production method with a high energy efficiency. For this reason, the development efforts of DiloGroup aim at producing nonwovens by “intense needling” instead of water entangling, even for light nonwovens made of fine fibres for the medical and hygiene sector with an area weight of 30 – 100 g/m². This would result in a reduction of the environmentally relevant production costs; per annum to about 1/3 to 1/5 of current.
   Despite the prospective advantages of the mechanical intense needling method over the hydrodynamical, water entanglement is at the moment the most important production method for low area weights and highest production capacity and is also offered by the DiloGroup as general contractor in cooperation with partner companies.
2. “Fibre Pulp Recycling”
   Fibrous material in nonwovens and particularly used clothes can be successfully recycled, if staple length can be conserved in the tearing process. In the classical tearing process, staple lengths are dramatically reduced and therefore these fibres can only be used as base material for inferior uses in thermal or acoustic insulation or in protective textiles, transportation or protective covers etc.
   When recycling textile waste in the context of the collection of used clothes, the so called “filament-saving” tearing using special tearing machines and methods must be used to produce fibres with longer staple lengths which can be fed to a nonwoven installation. Hence product characteristics can be better specified and controlled.
3. Additive nonwoven production
   The additive production method of the “3D-Lofter” is especially suited for automotive parts with differently distributed masses; but there may also be potential for increasing uses in the sector of apparel and shoe production.
4. “IsoFeed”-card feeding
   In the field of card feeding, the “IsoFeed” method offers great potential for a more homogeneous card feeding at the same time reducing the variation in cross-machine fibre mass distribution and thus the fibre consumption while conserving the end product quality.