From the Sector

Market and technology analysis confirms big potential for tape inserts in the injection molding process. Following the finalization of a major consortial project led by the Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) and the Institute for Plastics Processing at RWTH Aachen University (IKV), the result is clear: tape inserts offer enormous potential for injection molding parts. For suitable components, product costs and component properties can be positively influenced.

In cooperation with 20 industrial partners, the two renowned Aachen research institutes AZL and IKV carried out a detailed analysis of tape inserts in injection molded components over a period of eight months. The tapes, which are a few tenths of a millimeter thick, are continuous fibers, typically made of glass or carbon, completely impregnated and embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. The tapes can be precisely aligned to the loads in a component and are used primarily in high-performance applications with the aim of weight reduction. The aim of the conducted analysis was the identification of potential applications and the estimation of a wider range of applications.

The project was divided into several phases: Phase I was used to identify the current status. In 20 interviews with representative companies of the injection molding industry, the researchers gathered why tape inserts have rarely been taken into account so far, when defining the material concepts to be analyzed. The lack of information about the material class, the procedure and tools for the development process and the necessary production technologies were cited as major challenges. This is where the consortium will take action and provide comprehensive information during the “Technology Information Day” on the extensively prepared state of the art and the high degree of maturity of the supply chain. Based on the status quo, they developed a methodology for analyzing the technological and economic potential of tape inserts in injection molding applications.

Both the previous results and the planned follow-up projects are the subject of the “Technology Information Day" at K 2019, to which the companies involved in the study, the AZL and IKV, invite all companies along the value chain, from raw material manufacturers to injection molders to OEMs. (Date: 18th October 2019, 10:00 am to 1:30 pm, Trade Fair Düsseldorf CCD South, Room 002).

The consortium, amongst others consisting of Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH, BASF SE, Borealis AG, BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites GmbH & Co. KG, ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH, Huesker Synthetic GmbH, LG Hausys R&D Center, Mitsui Chemicals, Nippon Electric Glass, Polyscope Polymers BV, POLYTEC GROUP, Simcon kunststofftechnische Software GmbH, SABIC and Toray International Europe GmbH, is inviting to the “Technology Information Day” at K 2019. The goal is to inform about the technology and to identify topics for future collaboration.

Heimtextil will launch the new 2020/2021 trend season with the general theme “WHERE I BELONG”. For the official Heimtextil Trend Preview, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam director Anne Marie Commandeur  introduced the new design themes. The presentation in the run-up to Heimtextil (7-10 January 2020) took place at the Textile Museum’s Textile Lab in Tilburg, the Netherlands on 11 September 2019 and was streamed worldwide.

This season, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam is responsible for the Trend Book content and Trend Space implementation at the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles. Alongside Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, London-based studio FranklinTill and Danish agency SPOTT trends & business contributed to the 20/21 global forecast for perspective-related interior design. Together with the Heimtextil management team, these Trend Council participants gave insights into future styles during a workshop.

At the annual international Trend Council workshop, identity was an ever-present topic: part of a broader discussion on gender and cultural diversity, on tolerance and curiosity. Today, the self-identification process seems more complex than ever. Identities are now formed through experiences that take place simultaneously, on different levels. Locally, nationally, globally, both online and offline. Identity therefore can consist of many different layers. In fact, individuals can all have multilayered identities.

Heimtextil Trends 20/21 Overview:

MAXIMUM GLAM

Pleasure seekers revel in layering theatrical influences and glamorous showtime aesthetics, forging a fantastic marriage between the crafted and digitally rendered. Textiles show a ‘more is more’ attitude through a mash-up of glam, gradients and spectrums, fake fur, pile and fringe, jacquard weaves and fantastic prints. The flashy, kitsch colour range becomes brutally glam thanks to electric sheen, synthetic shimmer, digital glitch and artful blur. A riot of clashes and rebellion.

PURE SPIRITUAL

Idealists seek perfection and purity, restoring equilibrium by connecting with the uber-natural. They embrace technology for good while shifting between realism and mysticism in pursuit of a personal haven. To address a renewed bond with nature, organic matter, raw materials and pure textiles are selected which show nature’s traces, organic structures and irregularities. Shades are created from the earth and cultured by man. An elemental and pure range reflects the source of their existence.

ACTIVE URBAN

Urban dwellers confront the challenges of the fast paced, shape-shifting, man-made environment by searching for utilitarian, adaptable solutions. They value tech performance while making smart use of  available and renewable resources. Functionality is prioritised, while looking cool and working well remains key. Interior/sportswear hybrid textiles show smooth surfaces and a fun mash-up of graphic textures. The palette shows uniform blue, asphalt grey and caterpillar yellow.

HERITAGE LUX

Preservers of historic legacies treasure sensuousness alongside the uncanny, enlightenment together with darkness, for a whole new immersive experience. This new narrative translates to a love for luxury and splendour, decoration and embellishment. Finding beauty in history and nature through ornamental patterning and alluring surface enhancement. Reflecting on ancient history results in a palette featuring enigmatic blood red, sapphire and a lustrous mother-of-pearl.

MULTI-LOCAL

Hyper-locals go global, celebrating inclusivity over appropriation, honouring traditional craftsmanship and adjusting the world’s gaze to embrace exchange, creative integrity and diverse identities. Indigenous style meets global influences. This is a celebration of crafted and decorative pattern, from tribal and folkloric to geometric and abstract. Textile colours become part of a wider cultural narrative, linked to local community, cultural heritage and private identity.

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Sappi to present its innovative papers and packaging solutions at FachPack 2019

Environmentally friendly packaging is a hot topic worldwide. Sappi has been a pioneer in the field of innovative and sustainable packaging solutions for years. The company will present its latest innovations at Stand 9-260 at FachPack in Nuremberg. Alongside barrier papers, these include the heat-sealable Sappi Seal paper. This is notable for being completely recyclable and can replace existing PE-coated packaging. The recently launched Atelier paperboard will be another focus of the trade fair presentation. This offers brilliant colour reproduction and a silky touch and feel.

Mayer & Cie. (MCT) is premiering the OVJA 1.1 EETT at the industry’s leading trade fair, ITMA. A premium jacquard machine, it is part of the focus on sports of the company’s “Stay a winner: With Mayer & Cie.” presentation in Barcelona. The industry leader developed the OVJA 1.1 EETT especially for the manufacture of shoe uppers now that “fabrics” are in demand for sports and leisure footwear. The OVJA 1.1 EETT comes with double electronics and double transfer technology, which is reflected in an extra variety of patterns and, in particular, in innovative hole structures.

“The OVJA 1.1 EETT is yet another machine in our portfolio with which customers can claim to be on the winning side in keeping with our ITMA slogan ‘Stay a winner: With Mayer & Cie.’,” says Marcus Mayer, Managing Director of Mayer & Cie. in charge of technical development. “The OVJA 1.1 EETT is most definitely a premium machine and the right choice for especially exacting requirements such as multi-coloured spacer fabrics with a 3D effect or a wide range of hole structures.”

• Clean Technology. Smart Factory.

Remscheid – Oerlikon invites all visitors to this year's ITMA in Barcelona on a journey into the future of manmade fiber production. From 20 to 26 June 2019, the world market leader will show all its guests its vision of a sustainable and automated manmade fiber production in a virtual 4D showroom at its 1,000 m² stand in Hall 7, A101: "Clean Technology. Smart Factory." is the motto of the future. And this is only a stone's throw away from reality at the stand. Because today Oerlikon is presenting four world premieres for efficient machine and plant concepts in a new, innovative industrial design. Together with numerous other innovations, all this forms the new DNA of the Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment.

The challenges for the manmade fiber industry are manifold and Oerlikon shows its customers solutions:

1. Choosing the right business model
Price pressure on fiber and yarn manufacturers is growing due to global market consolidation. Here it is important to position oneself correctly. Are you producing polyester, nylon or polypropylene for the niche market and skimming off good margins with innovative products and ingenious material properties, or are you looking for business success through economies of scale in the volume market such as the constantly growing apparel sector? Oerlikon has the right answers for both business models. And the most important thing: the market leader supplies all solutions from a single source. See for yourself at the world premieres of the machine and system concepts of WINGS FDY PA6, BCF S8 Tricolor and the revolutionary eAFK Evo texturing machine.

2. Finding alternatives for good personnel
Finding good operators in the manmade fiber industry is becoming increasingly difficult, even in emerging industrial nations such as China, India and Turkey. The solution is obvious. What, for example, the automotive industry achieved years ago with the 3rd Industrial Revolution is now also taking its course in the textile industry. And at the same time it is even shifting up a gear. In the next step, automation in combination with digitization will lead to new, sustainable production. Oerlikon will be showing how automation and digitization interact at ITMA. Self-learning machines and systems, artificial intelligence (AI), remote services and edge computing are just a few of the key words in the digital half of the new Oerlikon Manmade Fibers DNA.

3. Guarantee quality and traceability
The qualities of the fibers and yarns must meet the highest demands and their production must be traceable throughout the textile value chain. This no longer only plays an important role in the automotive industry, where safety is of paramount importance. Other branches of industry that use fibers, yarns and nonwovens also want to know where the raw materials they produce for consumer articles come from. Legal regulations are demanding this more and more frequently. Oerlikon offers optimal solutions with its DIN ISO certified manufacturing processes. More than half of the world's manmade fiber producers are convinced every day that the qualities produced on Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven equipment are right – and all visitors to ITMA can do the same on site.

4. Efficient and sustainable production
In the future, the materials produced from manmade fibers must become part of a further improved global recycling economy. The recycling of polyester – with over 80% market share the most frequently used manmade fiber in the world – has not only been on the agenda since today. Oerlikon already has solutions at hand: from PET bottles to fibers and filaments, to textiles and carpets. ITMA is the next step. With the VacuFil® Oerlikon in cooperation with the subsidiary company BBEngineering presents the world premiere No. 4 – a recycling solution within a running polyester production with a waste-free approach.

Vision becomes reality
The Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment thus demonstrates what the ITMA in Barcelona promises as the world's leading trade fair for textile machinery and plant construction: "Innovating the world of textiles – sourcing for a sustainable future". In Hall 7, A101, this is already reality.

Printing textiles and hard substrates with impressive results: this is what Transjet dye sublimation papers from Sappi stand for. The new Transjet Drive is a sublimation paper optimised for industrial printers with a glue-belt system and will be showcased for the first time at FESPA trade fair in Munich. Sappi will also be presenting its inkjet papers for large-format applications, the Fusion Topliner containerboard and various silicone base papers at Stand B6-B30.

A highlight is the Transjet portfolio, with which fashion and home textiles, hard substrates and sportswear can be customised and personalised in strong colours using transfer printing. These papers are also suitable for soft signage, i.e. textile printing in marketing and advertising.

The new Transjet Drive sublimation paper is primarily tailored to industrial printers with a glue-belt system. The exceptionally smooth reverse side is a key feature. This advantage and the remarkable fast ink-drying on the printed side increase runnability and efficiency during the production process. Optimal cost efficiency and consistent reliability are central benefits for this and all other dye sublimation papers from Sappi. At the same time, they ensure consistent ink transfer with minimal ink consumption, are PE-free and contain 100 percent recyclable pulp.

At home, at work, on the street, in the sky, on the water, even in space, technical textiles and nonwovens are swinging towards ever higher performances in amazing applications. Versatile and light, but sometimes stronger than metal, these materials of the future gain their superpowers from the interaction of precisely coordinated textile systems. At Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main from May 14 to 17, 2019 in Hall 3, B06, Oerlikon will be showing chemical fiber applications made of polyester, polypropylene and Co. and what they can do in these fields. However, these exhibits are only a communicative means to an end, as Oerlikon is primarily interested in placing the associated machinery and plant solutions at the centre of discussions with trade fair visitors.

More than two thirds of all technical innovations are directly or indirectly based on new materials, says the German Research Ministry. One could add: The key to a more advanced world, for technological products with amazing functions, breathtaking performance and greater environmental benefits, is also to improve the properties and processing of materials. This applies first and foremost to textiles. Probably no other fabric is so strong as a "team player" who draws its strength from its cohesion. A single polyester thread, for example, looks inconspicuous. Processed into a thigh-thick special weave, however, high-strength High Modulus/High Tenacity fibers anchor floating oil platforms in the deepest waters. These kilometer-long "Mooring Ropes" withstand a breaking load of well over 1,000 tons and perform their task better than steel. For decades, Oerlikon Barmag has been offering special solutions for the production of so-called industrial yarns (IDY) that are tailored to customers worldwide. "We will once again be presenting numerous innovations at this trade fair to inspire our customers," explains Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Chem. Roy Dolmans, Technology Manager IDY and R&D Filament Processing.

Albstadt-based circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. (MCT) is exhibiting at this year’s leading textile and garment technology trade fair ITMA with the slogan “Stay a winner. With Mayer & Cie.” The focus of the company’s presentation will be on sport. Sportswear, active leisurewear and sports shoes are increasingly made of circular knitted fabrics and the long-established German firm has the right machines to cater for this trend. Mayer & Cie. is also going for the improved customer experiences that consistent digitization makes possible.

For years global demand for circular knitted goods has increased continuously. An important growth driver is the sportswear and sports fashion sector, including sports shoes. According to Euromonitor the market segment grew by about seven per cent per year between 2013 and 2017. By 2017 Euromonitor estimated its total market value to be around USD 78 billion. Lightweight synthetic fibres, new patterns and attractive functionalities are the key requirements in this area.

Mayer & Cie. can already fulfil many requirements with a portfolio of machines considered to be the largest in the industry. Lightweight mesh structures, often requested for running shirts, are a speciality of the IG 3.2 QCe interlock machine, for example. Jacquard machines from the OVJA family, in contrast, are suitable for the manufacture of shoe uppers. Compared with the conventional methods flat knitting and warp knitting, circular knitting scores points for productivity and significantly shorter set-up times.

Series production of the Spinit 3.0 E spinning and knitting machine has been under way since the end of 2018. It combines two previously separate processes – spinning and knitting – in one machine. That saves time, space and energy compared with conventional manufacturing processes. Mayer & Cie. has already won several awards for this approach, the latest being the Innovation Prize for the Climate and the Environment (IKU) that the Federal Environment Ministry and the Confederation of German Industry (BDI) award every other year. The company is presenting at ITMA its further developments of this machine.

Along with machine development Mayer & Cie. has set itself another target for ITMA and thereafter: to improve the customer experience, a task of which Sebastian Mayer is in charge. His responsibilities at Mayer & Cie. are for corporate development and digitization. Digitization of the company’s extensive customer and machinery know-how is currently under way. Customers will be able to see and test the initial results at ITMA. Available for testing will be the new Web shop, linked with an analogue model of the high-bay warehouse in Albstadt-Tailfingen, and machine maintenance by means of HoloLens.

• 8^th edition to be held as the “Fair & Convention for Hightech Textiles” at the Carlowitz Congresscenter Chemnitz for the first time on 9 – 10 June 2020 – Textile themes from the LiMA exhibition for lightweight design are being integrated in the new format

 
The “mtex+” is raising its profile and is moving to an attractive setting. The 8^th edition of the international exhibition entitled “Fair & Convention for Hightech Textiles” will be held in the new Carlowitz Congresscenter at the heart of Chemnitz for the first time on 9 and 10 June 2020.
 
“The “mtex+” is a trade event that experts from various sectors greatly appreciate on account of its emphasis on dialogue and in-depth contacts – and because everything is on the spot. The modern, exciting ambiance at the new venue facilitates our desire to create the best possible atmosphere for cooperation in a trusting environment,” Dr Ralf Schulze, Managing Director of C3 GmbH, the organising company, explains. “In its future form, the “mtex+” will act as a source of ideas and inspiration for developers and manufacturers as well as for users of all kinds of high-tech textiles, specifically including composites, to a greater degree than in the past. Textile composite materials are becoming increasingly important for many processors. That’s the reason why we’re transferring the textile themes of the LiMA lightweight design exhibition, which has been held alongside the “mtex+” in the past, into our new trade fair format. Lightweight textile design in all its facets will be one of the major emphases at the “mtex+”.”    
 
The major topics covered by the 8th “mtex+” will include process development, textile engineering, digitalised value-added chains, services with potential for use across different sectors as well as recycling. The highlights of the programme will include workshops on effective and sustainable production, smart textiles, acoustic textiles, a special exhibition on health and protective textiles as well as an entertaining network evening entitled “Excellent connections”.

The North-Eastern German Textile and Clothing Industry Association (vti) believes that this concept exactly matches the needs of its target audience. “Chemnitz is located at the heart of the Central German industrial and research region, which is developing with great dynamism,” says vti Managing Director, Dr.-Ing. Jenz Otto. “Any firm that presents its products and services here will find itself in a very interesting market. Located not far from the border with the Czech Republic and Poland, the “mtex+” will also act as a dialogue forum for potential cooperation partners across sector and international boundaries, both for these and other Eastern European countries.”
 
The “mtex+” will continue to be held in Central Germany’s industrial city of Chemnitz every two years in future too. 159 exhibitors from seven different countries (in conjunction with the LiMA lightweight design exhibition) attended the 7th edition in the spring of 2018. 22 percent of the approx. 1,000 trade visitors came from abroad.

• Innovative BCF S8 platform technology opens up new carpet yarn industry markets for Oerlikon Neumag customers

World premiere at the DOMOTEX World Trade Fair for Carpets and Floor Coverings in Hanover: between January 11 bis 14, 2019‎, Oerlikon Neumag will be showcasing its innovative new development, the BCF S8, to a wide audience for the very first time in Hall 11, Stand B36. Whether commodities or niche products – the new BCF S8 platform technology offers manufacturers of BCF carpet yarns decisive arguments for responding to constantly rising cost pressures and the trend for greater efficiency and quality in fiercely-competitive markets. World record: the system achieves never-seen-before spinning speeds and is able to simultaneously spin up to 700 filaments and produce fine titers of up to 2.5 dpf. This superlative performance is guaranteed by numerous individual innovations in the new platform and, for the first time, also in a new human-machine interface (HMI)-based control system, which opens the door to the digital age of smart carpet yarn manufacturing wide. At the ITMA ASIA 2018, the Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment had already announced that it would be presenting revolutionary solutions in 2019 – both in hardware and software. And the DOMOTEX marks only the start.

According to manufacturer information, the new BCF S8 is the most efficient Oerlikon Neumag BCF system of all times. “We have succeeded in achieving a new level of greater productivity and even broader product diversity. These allow our clientèle to better cater to changing market requirements and achieve a competitive edge in tough market conditions”, explains Martin Rademacher, Vice President Sales Oerlikon Neumag. As a pre-taste, the machine specialists from Neumünster are serving up performance figures and results from comprehensive trials conducted at their own BCF technology center as well as from two pilot systems which have been tried and tested within the market for months now.

BCF S8 performance in numbers
With up to 700 potential filaments per yarn end, the BCF S8 is raising the benchmark considerably compared to the Oerlikon Neumag S+ BCF system (400 filaments) that has dominated the global market to date. Oerlikon Neumag guarantees fine titers of up to 2.5 dpf. Furthermore, the process speed is higher than ever before – 3,700 m/min (winder speed). This permits throughputs of up to 15 percent greater compared to predecessor technologies. Overall, system efficiency is 99 percent – almost unbeatable. True to the Oerlikon Segments Manmade Fibers segment e-save philosophy, energy savings of up to 5 percent per kilogram of yarn are achievable.

BCF S8 innovations – from straight yarn paths to large cooling drums

This comprehensive progress has been achieved with numerous smart innovations. To this end, one key element above all has been optimized. The yarn path from the spinning system to the new, large cooling drum has now been almost completely straightened. This yarn path, unique to the BCF market to date, ensures that the individual filaments are subjected to minimum friction, hence once again considerably reducing yarn breaks and optimizing the overall production process. Especially noteworthy here are the, for the first time, straight yarn inlet in the texturing head – guaranteeing superior yarn quality.

And the considerably reduced distance between the heating godet duo and the texturing head also has a positive impact on the texturing process. It ensures a more even twist to the yarn and reduces the compressed air consumption. Furthermore, the texturing chambers can be removed individually, which additionally shortens servicing times. The now closed units also provide the best possible protection for the texturing jets and lamellar chambers.

The 800-mm diameter cooling drum optimally and gently cools the filaments. And this has a positive influence on the yarn quality. The new cooling drum is now equipped with a V groove for all polymers (PET, PA6 and PP) as standard.

The RoTac3 tangling unit, already established within the market, once again reduces the compressed air consumption by around 50%, while the newly-developed Witras III-37 winder achieves production process speeds of 3,700 m/min.

First intuitively-operable human-machine interface (HMI)
The new BCF S8 is the first Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment system equipped with the innovative human-machine interface (HMI) for intelligent controlling and monitoring. In this case, the interface between man and machine has been oriented on the daily requirements of users in BCF production. With its new ‘look and feel’, it supports intuitive operation and offers direct access to important information as well as actual and target values at each take-up position by means of a touch screen. A completely new ‘alarm philosophy’ also simplifies troubleshooting and malfunction analysis. “This smart HMI system is a logical step in the digitalization of our products”, explains Dr. Friedrich Lennemann, Vice President R&D Oerlikon Neumag.