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60th anniversary of Eltex of Sweden AB (c) Eltex of Sweden
21.02.2024

60th anniversary of Eltex of Sweden AB

Eltex of Sweden, a pioneer in the adoption of electronic sensors by the weaving machinery industry, is marking its 60th anniversary this month.

The electronic detection of broken or missing weft yarns during production was the problem Eltex founders Åke Rydborn and Ragnar Henriksson set out to solve with the development of the world’s first electronic weft-stop-motion. Its potential was recognised on its introduction at the 1963 ITMA exhibition in Hannover, Germany, leading to the foundation of the company in a modest 12-square-metre workshop in Älmhult, Sweden, in February 1964.

Eltex of Sweden, a pioneer in the adoption of electronic sensors by the weaving machinery industry, is marking its 60th anniversary this month.

The electronic detection of broken or missing weft yarns during production was the problem Eltex founders Åke Rydborn and Ragnar Henriksson set out to solve with the development of the world’s first electronic weft-stop-motion. Its potential was recognised on its introduction at the 1963 ITMA exhibition in Hannover, Germany, leading to the foundation of the company in a modest 12-square-metre workshop in Älmhult, Sweden, in February 1964.

By 1968 the company was operating from a modern 3,000-square-metre plant and beginning to establish a global presence, introducing the first all-in-one printed circuit board (PCB) for its sensor systems in 1971. As exports increased, further Eltex operations were established in the USA and Ireland and the company expanded its product range including energy control devices, temperature and humidity loggers, food handling safety systems, and military grade battery chargers. Further textile milestones in parallel to advances in weaving technology included optical arrival detectors for air-jet weaving machines at the beginning of the 1980s, and the QTV system for warp preparation, which introduced digital stop-motion control to the industry at the start of the 1990s. In 2009, the company branched out into carpet tufting, first with the CoTS clamp-on tube sensor for tufting machines, followed by the Compact sensor for tufting machines in 2013. In 2019 the Compact II further cemented the company’s position in this sector.

Newly developed Eltex EyETM and ACT-R
Most recently, Eltex has launched the Eltex EyETM system for the monitoring of yarn tension on warp beams. Not only does it eliminate problems when warping, but also in the subsequent weaving or tufting processes. Eltex EyETM monitors the yarn tension on all positions in real-time and a minimum and maximum allowable tension value can be set. If any yarn’s tension falls outside these values the operator can be warned or the machine stopped.

The Eltex ACT and ACT-R units meanwhile go beyond yarn tension monitoring to actually control yarn tension. This extends the application range greatly. The plug and play system automatically compensates for any differences in yarn tension that arise, for example from irregularities in yarn packages.

Eltex has been owned by Brian Hicks, Seamus O’Dwyer and Jonathan Bell since 2007, following a management buy-out and the subsequent formation of Eltex Global Holdings in Ireland. Today, its head office, Eltex of Sweden AB, is in Osby, Sweden where it provides research and development, administration and global sales for the group. Eltex Manufacturing in Ireland is now the group’s primary production facility and Eltex US, Inc. provides sales and service for North America.

Source:

Eltex of Sweden

Groz-Beckert: Over 7,000 customers and business partners at its ITMA 2023 booth (c) Groz-Beckert KG
07.07.2023

Groz-Beckert: Over 7,000 customers and business partners at its ITMA 2023 booth

From June 8 to 14, 2023, the leading international trade fair for textile machinery manufacturing ITMA took place in Milan, Italy. In total, over 111,000 guests visited the trade fair. Groz-Beckert was able to present its innovations to more than 7,000 customers and business partners, as well as welcoming many other visitors to its booth – including over 280 students.

An international audience gathered at the Groz-Beckert booth: guests came from 84 different countries. The majority of visitors came from Italy with just under 15 percent, followed by Germany with 14 percent, Turkey with 11 percent, India with 9 percent and the USA with 3 percent. For the first time, HR specialists were on hand at the Groz-Beckert booth to look after the student groups, offering the young people comprehensive insights together with experts from the Technology and Development Center (TEZ).

From June 8 to 14, 2023, the leading international trade fair for textile machinery manufacturing ITMA took place in Milan, Italy. In total, over 111,000 guests visited the trade fair. Groz-Beckert was able to present its innovations to more than 7,000 customers and business partners, as well as welcoming many other visitors to its booth – including over 280 students.

An international audience gathered at the Groz-Beckert booth: guests came from 84 different countries. The majority of visitors came from Italy with just under 15 percent, followed by Germany with 14 percent, Turkey with 11 percent, India with 9 percent and the USA with 3 percent. For the first time, HR specialists were on hand at the Groz-Beckert booth to look after the student groups, offering the young people comprehensive insights together with experts from the Technology and Development Center (TEZ).

Groz-Beckert presented numerous innovations from its six product divisions Knitting, Weaving, Felting, Tufting, Carding and Sewing at the ITMA. One focus of the innovations was on the topics of efficiency, process stability and sustainability. While the topic of sustainability was reflected in the products on the one hand, a separate area in the Groz-Beckert Gallery was dedicated to the topic on the other. Here it was shown what contribution Groz-Beckert is making to making its own productions and its sites sustainable.

Source:

Groz-Beckert KG

(c) Groz-Beckert KG
12.05.2023

Groz-Beckert presents its innovations at ITMA

Groz-Beckert will be represented at ITMA with its six product sectors and will showcase its various innovations. The presentations at the booth will be supported by augmented reality applications. This allows visitors to discover the products both live and virtually.

The Knitting product sector will be represented at the Groz-Beckert stand with its four product groups circular knitting, flat knitting, legwear and warp knitting. In the circular knitting segment, for example, two newly developed knitting systems will be on show which have been realized in collaboration with machine manufacturers. The developments focus on energy savings, extended cleaning intervals and increased process reliability.

In addition to the machines for weaving preparation, the Weaving product sector will present its recently expanded portfolio of technical weaving reeds. The new weaving reeds make it possible to supply customers who produce fabrics with high densities. The weaving reeds are used in the production of special fabrics, for example, in technical filtration, membrane technology, solar cells or touch screens.

Groz-Beckert will be represented at ITMA with its six product sectors and will showcase its various innovations. The presentations at the booth will be supported by augmented reality applications. This allows visitors to discover the products both live and virtually.

The Knitting product sector will be represented at the Groz-Beckert stand with its four product groups circular knitting, flat knitting, legwear and warp knitting. In the circular knitting segment, for example, two newly developed knitting systems will be on show which have been realized in collaboration with machine manufacturers. The developments focus on energy savings, extended cleaning intervals and increased process reliability.

In addition to the machines for weaving preparation, the Weaving product sector will present its recently expanded portfolio of technical weaving reeds. The new weaving reeds make it possible to supply customers who produce fabrics with high densities. The weaving reeds are used in the production of special fabrics, for example, in technical filtration, membrane technology, solar cells or touch screens.

Products and services for classic needling and hydroentanglement will be presented by the Felting (Nonwovens) product area. In the field of felting needles, visitors can look forward to two innovations: a new notch shape and the Groz-Beckert felting needle module. In the felting needle module, the needles are embedded as a module in a plastic mold for the first time. The needle modules are characterized by high deformation resistance and offer new dimensions in needle density.

For the production of tufted floor coverings such as carpets, bath mats or artificial turf, the Tufting product sector will be presenting its proven Gauge Part system.

Various new and further developments will also be shown by the Carding product area. For those interested in the nonwovens industry, for example, the world's finest Interlocking wire for reduced risk of crashis included. For customers of the spinning industry, the division will be presenting further developed stationary flats and revolving tops. The new revolving tops have been adapted to the processing of fine yarns, while the stationary flats have been provided with a new, resistant aluminum profile.

The Sewing product sector is focusing on the presentation of its special application needles, SANTM. The sewing machine needles of the SANTM series have been specially developed for demanding sewing operations – e.g. for sewing technical or finest textiles. The division will also be presenting its new Needle Finder. The Needle Finder is an interactive tool in the online customer portal that helps customers select the right needle.

Source:

Groz-Beckert KG

Photo Phoenox Textiles
10.11.2022

Sellers Textiles Engineers: New Shearing line for Phoenox

As part of an ongoing investment programme ensuring it remains at the forefront of advanced technology for carpet production, West Yorkshire, UK-headquartered Phoenox Textiles has recently installed a new two-metre-wide shearing line supplied by BTMA member Sellers Textiles Engineers.

Phoenox, which has been family owned since its foundation in 1954, develops original creative flooring design concepts for retail brands. Its products are sold through high street outlets, department stores and volume retailers across Europe and North America, in addition to substantial online and catalogue-driven business. All told, the company’s 24-hour parcel service dispatches some 3.2 million orders every year.

Operating from two manufacturing sites, Phoenox manufactures an annual 1.7 million metres of flooring in the UK. Over a combined area of 1,700,000 square metres, the two plants are equipped for tufting, backcoating, cloth printing and finishing along with automated cutting, sewing and packing.

As part of an ongoing investment programme ensuring it remains at the forefront of advanced technology for carpet production, West Yorkshire, UK-headquartered Phoenox Textiles has recently installed a new two-metre-wide shearing line supplied by BTMA member Sellers Textiles Engineers.

Phoenox, which has been family owned since its foundation in 1954, develops original creative flooring design concepts for retail brands. Its products are sold through high street outlets, department stores and volume retailers across Europe and North America, in addition to substantial online and catalogue-driven business. All told, the company’s 24-hour parcel service dispatches some 3.2 million orders every year.

Operating from two manufacturing sites, Phoenox manufactures an annual 1.7 million metres of flooring in the UK. Over a combined area of 1,700,000 square metres, the two plants are equipped for tufting, backcoating, cloth printing and finishing along with automated cutting, sewing and packing.

In addition to the Sellers shearing line, other recent investments for the UK operations have included three new advanced tufting machines and a high-speed Sellers backcoating line equipped to handle widths of up to two metres and coat at six metres per minute. Washable and dyeable foams and eco-friendly applications in different weights are applied for many product areas.

The company’s state-of-the-art Chromo jet printing process line is meanwhile the only one of its kind in the UK, with its 256 jets making possible designs in up eight colours per pattern. With sustainability very much at the forefront of the company’s approach, Phoenox recycles most of its paste and inks and uses organic options wherever possible, as well as recycled water.

“We operate a piece dye colour cloth programme and can dye nylon and cotton with weights of up to 500kg per load, working with direct, organic, vat and reactive dyes,” says Mosley. “We also offer computerised and weighed commission dyeing. Computerised automated cutting machines and photocell pattern recognition enable us to cut at high speed in most cloth densities. With finishing and sewing though, it’s all about the detail, and our team have years of experience and hand-finish our products on traditional high-speed machines.”

The new Sellers Hybrid Shearing Cylinder can provide a competitive edge for manufacturers which is currently being proven in the field, including at Phoenox. It’s one of a number of new innovations BTMA members are planning to showcase at next year’s ITMA exhibition in Milan.

Source:

AWOL for Phoenox Textiles

(c) Eton
22.04.2022

More localised and automated textile manufacturing with TMAS technologies

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.

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.”

Source:

AWOL Media

(c) Autoneum
14.07.2021

Autoneum: Carpets even more eco-friendly

Autoneum carpet systems already meet high standards of sustainable mobility due to their high content of recycled fibers. Thanks to an alternative backcoating (ABC) process, Autoneum carpets are now becoming even more environmentally friendly: By replacing the latex commonly used in standard backcoatings with thermoplastic material, the recyclability of carpets at the end of product life is further  improved. In addition, the innovative manufacturing process greatly reduces water and energy consumption and thus CO2 emissions in production.

Autoneum carpet systems already meet high standards of sustainable mobility due to their high content of recycled fibers. Thanks to an alternative backcoating (ABC) process, Autoneum carpets are now becoming even more environmentally friendly: By replacing the latex commonly used in standard backcoatings with thermoplastic material, the recyclability of carpets at the end of product life is further  improved. In addition, the innovative manufacturing process greatly reduces water and energy consumption and thus CO2 emissions in production.

Lightweight, textile-based carpet technologies such as Di-Light or Relive-1 significantly improve the environmental performance of carpets. For example, Di-Light-based carpets consist of up to 97% recycled PET; aside from that, they are around 20% lighter than conventional needlepunch carpets, thus contributing to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from vehicles. In addition, Autoneum needlepunch carpets are now even more sustainable thanks to the innovative ABC process, which uses a thermoplastic adhesive instead of latex in the backcoating: Unlike latex, thermoplastic adhesives can be heated and melted down together with the carpet components made of pure PET at the end of the product life cycle, which facilitates recycling considerably. Furthermore, since the fibers of the thermoplastic mono-material are easier to open, carpet cut-outs can be reclaimed more easily, thereby reducing the consumption of natural resources as well as waste volumes and thus CO2 emissions. The environmental  performance of Autoneum’s needlepunch carpets, which already contain a high proportion of recycled PET, is thus further improved.

Moreover, backcoatings without latex improve the sustainability of carpets not only thanks to better recyclability at the end of the product life cycle. Since the application of the thermoplastic adhesive using the innovative ABC process consumes significantly less energy than the production of latexbased backcoatings and does not require any water at all, the environmental impact can already be minimized in the manufacturing process. Additionally, thermoplastic adhesives developed in-house by Autoneum will open up new possibilities in the future for adapting backcoatings to the individual needs of vehicle manufacturers in terms of their acoustic performance, stiffness and abrasion resistance.

Models from various customers in Europe and North America are already equipped with latex-free needlepunch carpets from Autoneum. In the near future, backcoatings with thermoplastic adhesives will also be used for Autoneum’s tufted carpets. Production of the new, even more sustainable generation of tufted carpets is scheduled to start in early 2022.

12.05.2021

Groz-Beckert in person and virtually at ITMA Asia 2021

The 7th ITMA Asia + CITME takes place from 12–16 June 2021 in Shanghai, China. Groz-Beckert presents the new products from all six product areas:
Knitting, Weaving, Felting, Tufting, Carding und Sewing.

The products are presented both physically as exhibits and in extended form via augmented reality. Groz-Beckert welcomes guests on-site at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hall 4, Booth C31. In addition to the face-to-face event, the company is inviting industry visitors to its virtual booth.

 

The 7th ITMA Asia + CITME takes place from 12–16 June 2021 in Shanghai, China. Groz-Beckert presents the new products from all six product areas:
Knitting, Weaving, Felting, Tufting, Carding und Sewing.

The products are presented both physically as exhibits and in extended form via augmented reality. Groz-Beckert welcomes guests on-site at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hall 4, Booth C31. In addition to the face-to-face event, the company is inviting industry visitors to its virtual booth.

 

More information:
Groz-Beckert ITMA
Source:

Groz-Beckert KG

Compact II (c) Owl Media
Compact II
03.03.2020

Eltex of Sweden AB reports success with its Eye Compact II yarn

A close eye on quality with the Eye Compact II

Eltex of Sweden AB, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, reports solid success with its Eye Compact II yarn monitoring system for carpet tufting machines, since its launch at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona last June.

The sensor units of the Eye Compact II,Brian Hicks, Eltex CEO explains, have been successfully miniaturised to approximately a third of the size of those with the established Compact system, allowing them to be mounted on the very latest high speed tufting machines that are graphics driven, with limited space at the puller rollers.

Early stage prevention
Unlike the sensor systems that are employed at later positions on tufting machines – in order to detect faults in the formed fabric – Eye Compact II technology is about prevention at an earlier stage, through the detection of missing yarns.

A close eye on quality with the Eye Compact II

Eltex of Sweden AB, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, reports solid success with its Eye Compact II yarn monitoring system for carpet tufting machines, since its launch at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona last June.

The sensor units of the Eye Compact II,Brian Hicks, Eltex CEO explains, have been successfully miniaturised to approximately a third of the size of those with the established Compact system, allowing them to be mounted on the very latest high speed tufting machines that are graphics driven, with limited space at the puller rollers.

Early stage prevention
Unlike the sensor systems that are employed at later positions on tufting machines – in order to detect faults in the formed fabric – Eye Compact II technology is about prevention at an earlier stage, through the detection of missing yarns.

Critically, the sensors need to be installed after the last puller roller and before the tufting needles, because otherwise the roller could still be feeding yarns that will not been successfully taken by the needles. This is only possible with the extremely slim Eye Compact II units, which can also be positioned either above or below the rollers.

Guarantee
Another benefit is that the sensors can be arranged more closely together, with each of them monitoring 16 yarn positions, and their robustness ensures that once fitted, there is little the technicians or operators need to do.

Automatic
The Eye Compact II system easily learns pattern changes and displays the number of yarns involved to the operator for confirmation, and different parameters for different yarns groups can also even be set if required. With its research and development work primarily carried out at its headquarters in Osby, Sweden, and North American sales and service operated from its subsidiary in South Carolina, the manufacturing plant of Eltex has been located at Templemore in Ireland since 1976, providing significant advantages in terms of high flexibility and logistical services to customers on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

More information:
Eltex of Sweden AB TMAS
Source:

Owl Media