From the Sector

At ITMA 2023, XORELLA, a specialist in steam setting and conditioning equipment for yarns and fabrics, will launch XO AUTOMATION for the double door XO SELECT conditioning machine series, and XO SOLID, a new machine series to complement XO SMART, XO TREND and XO SELECT machines.

XO AUTOMATION
The new XO AUTOMATION system consists of roller conveyor systems for loading and unloading two-door XO Select conditioning machines. Additional pallet wrapping machine with a turntable, weighting station, label printer, safety fence and security system can complete the system. The XO Select controller and automation system can handle and store individual customer-specific material and packing programmes.  

XO SELECT and XO AUTOMATION are designed for yarn steaming on multiple pallet dimensions and heights up to 2,650mm. The linear material flow passing conveyor and steaming machine avoids any mix between steamed and un-steamed materials. XO AUTOMATION fills the gap between the XO automated moving platform and the fully automated transport system – from spinning hall to warehouse.

XO SOLID
The new cubical XO SOLID combines a high loading space of 1,800mm x 1,700mm x 4, 000mm (H x W x L) through double row pin trolleys or pallets for easy manual loading of six units on floor level without a pit or platform. XO SOLID is therefore designed for installations on upper floor levels. The new frame design combines all necessary components factory preinstalled on a single frame, for easy ‘plug and play’ installation at the customer site. Additional smaller steamer dimensions for two and four loading units are also at the planning stage.

The new XO SOLID incorporates all the renowned features of XORELLA machines based on the long term experience in high temperature dyeing vessel production of FONG’s, including:

• A Siemens controller with OPC UA interface and XO data tool for batch storage.
• A XO EcoPac waterless claw pump or two-stage water ring vacuum pump.
• A high energy efficient accumulator for steam, electric and combined heating.
• Vessel and piping in world-class stainless steel.
• European key components such as pumps, heating elements, valves and sensors

Established in Switzerland in 1967, XORELLA became known in the global textile industry for its innovative indirect steaming system. Since 2002 the company has been a member of the CHTC Fong’s International Group, and a member of SINOMACH Group (China National Machinery Industry Corporation) since 2019.

When the nonwoven industry meets at the leading trade fair INDEX in Geneva from 18 to 21 April, Mahlo GmbH + Co KG awaits trade visitors from all over the world to inform them about the right measurement technology enabling more efficient and high-quality production of nonwovens.

With a wide range of sensors, different measuring techniques and the corresponding measuring bridges, practically all tasks regarding the control of basis weight, moisture, thickness, fibre content, and air permeability can be solved in a cost-efficient and practical way.

As an example, Wulbeck mentions spunlace products. They mainly consist of fibres such as cotton, PE, PET or rayon. They absorb light in the near-infrared range. Water and all other materials have different spectral ranges and can thus be distinguished. The near-infrared sensor Infrascope NIR determines the moisture content and the basis weight of different materials by attenuating the light in certain wavelengths. Due to its very high spectral resolution, the sensor can distinguish between components with very similar but not identical IR absorption and achieves high measurement accuracy. "Up to 0.05 g/m2 of the respective coating weight is possible," says Wulbeck.

"We want to support manufacturers in optimising their production processes and thus also the end product," says Matthias Wulbeck, Mahlo product manager for QCS. Because, like many other industries, the nonwoven sector is struggling with challenges such as rising prices for energy and raw materials, long delivery times and uncertain supply chains. In order to continue to produce economically and on time, it is therefore necessary to save resources and avoid faulty production as well as unnecessary process times. "Our Qualiscan QMS measurement and control system helps to do just that."

The recent Techtextil show in Frankfurt emphasised the diversity of applications for nonwovens and technical textiles, according to finishing technology specialist Monforts.

“We fielded enquiries at top management level from an extremely wide range of companies, all with very different ideas for new product applications during the show,” said Alexander Fitz, who joined the company a year ago as engineer for textile technologies and co-ordinator of the Monforts Advanced Technology Centre (ATC). Fitz brings a background in both technical textile technology and processes to the role, having previously worked for a nonwovens machinery builder and a roll-goods manufacturer.

Trials
“We are now looking forward to interesting new trials and pilot production runs, as well as the commissioning of new orders for machines resulting from the extremely busy exhibition,” he says. “Obviously, everyone at the moment is looking to make energy savings, and we have developed a range of options for helping companies increase their resource efficiency, both on new lines and as retrofitted systems, but this is not stifling innovation at the new material level.

“There was a lot of interest in what is possible with the Montex®Coat coating system and the range of different techniques it enables, and at our ATC in Mönchengladbach, a Montex®Coat unit is integrated into the full technical textiles pilot line, on which it is possible to run new fabrics in widths of up to 1.8 metres.”

Explosion proof
The technical textiles line at the ATC incorporates a Montex four-chamber stenter and is fitted with an explosion-proof coating application chamber in order to allow treatment to be carried out with organic solvents and other volatile materials.

Every single component within the chamber has to meet the standards of the European Union’s ATEX directives for working in a potentially explosive atmosphere. A range of sensors linked to alarms operate at various levels within the chamber to ensure the specified lower explosion limit (LOL) is never exceeded and the ventilation adapts accordingly.

Advanced functions
Special features on the finishing line relate to further advanced functions such as the ability to treat materials not only at temperatures of up to 320°C, but also to be able to treat the top and bottom faces of certain materials at different temperatures within a single pass through the machine.

To achieve this, the first two chambers of the stenter are fitted with special, heavy duty TwinAir ventilation motors and separate burners for individual top/bottom temperature. A temperature differential of up to 60°C can be achieved between the upper and lower nozzles within the chamber, depending on the treatment paramenters.

Another key feature of the technical textiles line at the ATC is the special stretching device which is capable of pulling ten tons in length and ten tons in width – a huge amount per square metre of fabric and necessary in the production of materials such as woven or 3D knits for high temperature filter media.

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.”

• Post-Pandemic Market Opportunities, New Technologies and Sustainability Highlight Conference This Fall in Arizona

 
The global absorbent hygiene and personal care markets are enthusiastically anticipating the return of Hygienix™ 2021 as a live, in-person conference Nov. 15-18, in Scottsdale, Arizona, focusing on post-pandemic opportunities, sustainability, new technologies and award-winning products.

The event will offer exciting opportunities for Hygienix participants to engage with new and existing customers in a face-to-face setting, and discover the latest innovations over four days at the Westin Kierland Resort. Highlights include two nonwovens workshops, a welcome reception, opportunities for 60 tabletop displays with receptions, eight intriguing panel discussions and presentations for the Hygienix Innovation Award™ and the INDA Lifetime Service Award.

As the market emerges from the pandemic, trends in sustainability such as replacing plastic with natural fibers, recycling and composting will present new opportunities that will be addressed by 30 presenters from industry companies. Conference participants also will discover how new technologies such as smart sensors and haptics — the use of technology that stimulates the senses of touch and motion — are helping to change the consumer experience.

Hygienix sessions featuring moderated discussions with industry-leading experts and Q&A opportunities are focused on the following themes:

• New Options for Responsible End-of-Life
• Haptics: Four Approaches to Assessing Feel
• Products and Process Innovations in Global Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPS)
• Absorbent Hygiene Products Market Stats, Trends and Policy Insights
• E-Hygiene Advancements
• Feminine Care: Challenges to the Status Quo (presented in two parts)
• New Approaches and Unmet Needs in Baby and Incontinence AHPS

Hygienix will address the latest research and statistics including:

• Understanding the State of the Nonwovens Absorbent Hygiene Market, COVID-19 Impact and Baby Boom or Bust
• Direct-to-Consumer Winners, Losers & Insights
• Evolution of Sustainable Hygiene: Opportunity, Challenge, and Future Growth
• Single-Use Plastics Policy Developments in North America
• Understanding Consumer Needs and Desires When Considering Incontinence Products

A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG will demonstrate a range of new advances made possible by Industry 4.0 techniques at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona, Spain, from June 20-26.

At stand D101 in Hall 2, visitors will discover the possibilities of ‘digital twin’ capability – now being made available for all Monforts machine systems – and that by exploiting the latest advanced sensor technology, comprehensive technical machine data can now be virtually mapped in the cloud in real time. The data can be easily accessed using the new Monforts Smart Support and Smart Check apps for an instantaneous status overview. All specifications relating to machine performance and the production process can be mapped, to enable vastly simplified and targeted analysis for controlled planning and production. Insights harnessed from such analysis can be used to optimise the actual production process. At the same time, potential sources of error can be anticipated and eliminated, enabling improved machine availability while considerably minimising downtime.

Parts prediction
In addition, the digital twin system provides information on the individual wear parts of a system, such as, for example, converters or gears. “Operators and mill managers are informed by Smart Check sensors when maintenance or the replacement of key components will be required, well ahead of time,” explains Monforts Vice President Klaus A. Heinrichs. “Direct access to the integrated Monforts webshop allows users to instantly order such parts when they are needed, virtually preventing machine downtime.” On request, Monforts can also virtually monitor machine performance and pro-actively alert customers to the need for preventative action. In such cases, however, data is only ever called from the cloud by Monforts when customers have given their full consent, in the interests of data security. Data from Smart Check, for example, can even be used to analyse a system’s energy requirements, allowing machine operation to be optimised by tailoring production runs to the peaks and troughs of electricity costs.

A focus on customer service, aligned with the drive to constantly innovate, has long ensured that the member companies of TMAS – the Swedish texile machinery manufacturers’ association – stay well ahead of the curve.

“All of the Swedish textile machinery companies are doing really well in major markets such as Europe, China, India and the USA,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “They are now gathering forces to prepare for the most important show – ITMA 2019 in Barcelona in June. I expect to see new players and partnerships as we enter the industry 4.0 era for real. We are ready to display an even higher degree of the real time monitoring of processes, automation, flexible customisation, and the incorporation of robots into production lines.  Our customers expect a lot of in terms of knowledge and our ability to customise and offer turnkey solutions.”

The forward-looking attitude of the Swedish companies is perhaps best summed up by Reimar Westerlind, the owner, since 1961, of ACG Gruppen.
At the age of 90, Reimar still travels to his office every day to oversee the operations of the diverse companies operating under the ACG umbrella.
“Everything now is about automation and digitisation,” he says. “We have to be on that track or we will be lost – innovate or die.”

Robotics
One ACG Gruppen company moving rapidly forward with new innovations in this area is ACG Kinna, which at ITMA 2019 will be providing dramatic live demonstrations of its new robotic pillow filling system.
This has the ability to fill and finish some 3,840 pillows per eight-hour shift, which is a considerable improvement on what is currently possible with existing systems, resulting in significant savings in both labour and energy for busy home textile businesses.

At ITMA 2019, Eton will be demonstrating a complete material handling solution with advanced software providing real-time information covering every aspect of the process.
“Our systems are a natural fit with the major Industry 4.0 networked manufacturing plants that are now being constructed worldwide for sectors such as the garment and home textiles manufacturing and automotive industries,” says Eton’s Sales and Commercial Director Roger Ryrlén.

Sensors
Advanced senor developments are playing a large part in moving many areas of the textile industry forward too.
Eltex of Sweden, for example, is achieving considerable success with its yarn fault detection and tension monitoring systems across a range of sectors, including the tufting of carpets, the creeling of woven materials and even the production of woven reinforcements for the composites industry.

At successive ITMA shows, IRO AB has also consistently introduced new milestones in the field of yarn feeding technology for weaving machines, and ITMA 2019 will be no exception.
“Following significant investment in our R&D capabilities, we have been making great progress in further boosting the efficiency and performance of our expanding X3 range,” says IRO AB Managing Director and Chairman of TMAS Mikael Äremann. “I can’t remember a time since the 1980s when we had so many new innovations to unveil at an ITMA, and I’m greatly looking forward to the positive response to them we are anticipating in Barcelona this June.”

Resource savings
ITMA 2019 will meanwhile see the launch of TexCoat G4 – the next generation of Baldwin Technology’s non-contact precision application system for fabric finishing. The TexCoat G4 enables a continuously high-quality and productive textile finishing process with zero chemistry waste and minimised water and energy consumption.
The non-contact spray technology brings a range of advantages including single or double-sided application,  the elimination of Foulard bath contamination, low wet pick-up levels leading to the elimination of drying steps, zero chemistry waste in changeovers of chemistry, colour or fabric, and the possibility of batch reporting, visibility of pad loading, chemical usage etc.

Other TMAS companies exhibiting in Barcelona include Texo AB, whose wide-width weaving looms make the belts for machines on which half of the world’s paper is made, ES-Automatex, which specialises in bespoke automation concepts and Svegea, a company leading the field in a number colarette machines and cutting and slitting equipment.

“At the last ITMA in 2015 in Milan, there was much talk about Industry 4.0 technologies but certainly from the perspective of TMAS, ITMA 2019 will be the place for concrete solutions as to how data and the new tools we have available can be exploited to the full,” says Therese Premler-Andersson. “There is already much more networking between the companies, with software very much the enabler and common interfaces bringing ideas closer together. We are greatly looking forward to further exchanges of ideas when meeting with customers old and new in Barcelona.”