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Photo VDMA
12.12.2022

Young Talent Award for AI supported production control of carbon fibres

  • Formula 1 cars will be cheaper in future

Carbon is the stuff Formula 1 cars are made of, at least the bodywork. But until now, carbon has been expensive. It can be produced more cheaply and efficiently if artificial intelligence monitors the production processes. A camera system combined with artificial intelligence automatically detects defects in the production of carbon fibres. This makes expensive manual inspection of the carbon fibres obsolete and the production price of the carbon fibre can be reduced in the long term.

For this idea, the young engineer Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt received the second prize of the "Digitalisation in Mechanical Engineering" Young Talent Award on 6 December.

  • Formula 1 cars will be cheaper in future

Carbon is the stuff Formula 1 cars are made of, at least the bodywork. But until now, carbon has been expensive. It can be produced more cheaply and efficiently if artificial intelligence monitors the production processes. A camera system combined with artificial intelligence automatically detects defects in the production of carbon fibres. This makes expensive manual inspection of the carbon fibres obsolete and the production price of the carbon fibre can be reduced in the long term.

For this idea, the young engineer Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt received the second prize of the "Digitalisation in Mechanical Engineering" Young Talent Award on 6 December.

Carbon fibres are sought after because of their good properties. They are very light - they weigh up to 50 percent less than aluminium. The combination of low weight and good mechanical properties offers many advantages. Especially in times of the energy transition, lightweight materials like carbon are more relevant than ever before. At the same time, carbon fibres are as resistant to external stresses as metals. However, achieving these good properties of carbon fibres is very complex.


Up to 300 individual fibre strands - bundles of individual fibres - have to be monitored simultaneously during production. If carbon fibres tear, it costs time and money to sort out the damaged fibres. This is just one example of various defects that can occur in the fibres during production.


Therefore, Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt attached a camera to the carbon fibre line that takes pictures of various fibre defects during production and collects them in a database. The artificial intelligence in the camera's information technology system evaluates the fibre defects by assigning the images to predefined reference defects. In doing so, it recognises various fibre defects with a classification accuracy of 99 per cent. The process can also be used in other areas that produce chemical fibres.

Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt received the prize from the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He is a Bachelor's graduate at the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University. The full title of his bachelor's thesis is: "Development of a Kl-supported process monitoring using machine learning to detect fibre damage in the stabilisation process". The VDMA awarded the prize to a total of four theses from different universities. The prize is awarded for outstanding theses and was offered in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Source:

ITA – Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen Universit

(c) BTMA by AWOL Media
08.09.2022

Shelton Vision presents new fabric inspection technique

A new fabric inspection technique for accurately detecting the most subtle of defects on patterned fabrics during high speed production has been developed by BTMA member Shelton Vision, of Leicester, UK.

The patent-pending system has been integrated into the company’s WebSpector platform and validated through factory trials on a purpose-built full scale in-house demonstration system with sophisticated fabric transport capabilities. As a result, a first system has already been ordered by a manufacturer of both plain and patterned fabrics, including camouflage, in Colombia. This follows the successful conclusion of a 21-month Innovate UK project in which techniques for the resolution of complex pattern deformations were developed by machine vision and computer scientists in the company, backed up by the machine vision and robotics department at Loughborough University.

A new fabric inspection technique for accurately detecting the most subtle of defects on patterned fabrics during high speed production has been developed by BTMA member Shelton Vision, of Leicester, UK.

The patent-pending system has been integrated into the company’s WebSpector platform and validated through factory trials on a purpose-built full scale in-house demonstration system with sophisticated fabric transport capabilities. As a result, a first system has already been ordered by a manufacturer of both plain and patterned fabrics, including camouflage, in Colombia. This follows the successful conclusion of a 21-month Innovate UK project in which techniques for the resolution of complex pattern deformations were developed by machine vision and computer scientists in the company, backed up by the machine vision and robotics department at Loughborough University.

Restrictions
Traditional methods for defect detection rely on human inspection which is ineffective, with detection rates under 65%, while the Shelton WebSpector machine vision system offers a sophisticated platform for automated defect detection of over 97%, but until now has been restricted to plain textiles.

While pattern matching and neural network approaches have previously been tried for patterned textiles, they have failed to provide a practical solution due to the extreme complexity associated with pattern matching on deformable substrates like textiles, as well as the time required to train a neural network for each pattern type.

Challenges
The challenge is that fabrics are not rigid and can be creased or stretched and are also subject to local distortion,” says Shelton Vision Managing Director and CEO Mark Shelton. “As a result, inspection without the technique we have developed, would lead to thousands of false positives. Our sophisticated pattern inspection software techniques ensure a clean image, allowing the detection of faults on fabrics running at speeds of up to a hundred metres a minute.”

The full system consists of:

  • A camera and lighting system for optimum image capture at high speed and associated image processing hardware.
  • Self-training software utilising statistical analysis to automate the system configuration for new textile products.
  • An advanced suite of defect detection algorithms for the detection of all textile defect types.
  • An AI-driven defect classification system which learns and automates defect naming in real time, as well as a real time defect grading capability based on client decision rules.
  • A system for recording and retrieving complete roll map images for subsequent review and quality control.

The generation of textile roll maps with complete defect data allows for an optimised textile cut plan, improved downstream processing and quality assurance.

Source:

BTMA by AWOL Media

08.07.2022

Swedish textile machinery in Brazil at Febratex

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

Svegea supplies many other bespoke machines for applications in the production of both garment components and technical textiles, including rewinding, measuring, inspection and band knife machines.

Eton Systems, the inventor and world’s leading provider of automated production systems for apparel and other textile-based processes, has supplied a large amount of workstations to Brazilian companies over the years, and believes its newly-launched Opta system is good news for this market becoming more efficient and profitable.

Automation is also high on the agenda of ACG Kinna Automatic, which specialises in automation solutions for filled products such as quilts, pillows and mattresses and also has extensive knowledge in areas such as bed linen and textile filters.

Given Brazil’s extensive forestry sector, the country is a key market for Texo AB, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of weaving machines for the production of paper machine clothing (PMC).

All paper manufacturing machines require a regular supply of PMC, which as large continuous engineered fabrics, carry the paper stock through each stage of the paper production process. With technologically sophisticated designs, they employ fibres and other polymeric materials in complex structures and each paper machine has an average of ten separate fabrics installed on it. Although the PMC business represents just a small proportion of the total cost of manufacturing paper, it can have a significant impact on the quality of the paper, the efficiency of a machine and machine production rates.

More information:
TMAS Febratex
Source:

AWOL Media

Advances in automation from Svegea at Texprocess 2022 (c) Svegea
With Svegea bias cutters, circular woven technical fabrics are fed via a revolving winder and slit at angles.
18.05.2022

Advances in automation from Svegea at Texprocess 2022

  • Svegea, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machine association, is marking a company milestone this year at Texprocess in Frankfurt from June 21-24  – the 70th anniversary of its automatic collarette cutter.

 On its introduction back in 1952, this machine – used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements – caused a sensation with its then-unprecedented output of 300 metres per hour.

Time doesn’t stand still, however, and the latest EC 300 machine Svegea will demonstrate at Texprocess 2022 has a slightly improved output – of around 20,000 metres per hour.

  • Svegea, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machine association, is marking a company milestone this year at Texprocess in Frankfurt from June 21-24  – the 70th anniversary of its automatic collarette cutter.

 On its introduction back in 1952, this machine – used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements – caused a sensation with its then-unprecedented output of 300 metres per hour.

Time doesn’t stand still, however, and the latest EC 300 machine Svegea will demonstrate at Texprocess 2022 has a slightly improved 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 show in Frankfurt and a busy year,” says Svegea 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, and at the moment we’re seeing a lot of interest in the reshoring of operations by our customers, to bring final-stage manufacturing closer to the key European and US markets.”

E-Drive 2
The EC 300 collarette cutter on show in Frankfurt is equipped with the latest E-Drive 2 system providing the operator with a very user-friendly touchscreen, providing full control of the cutting process.

The integrated, fully automatic FA500 roll slitter accommodates diameters up to 400mm and is equipped with three separately adjustable settings enabling three different band widths to be cut within the same cutting cycle. Automatic tube sewing units are provided for sewn tubes in optional rolled or flat folded forms, depending on customer preference.

Niche applications
Svegea supplies many other bespoke machines for applications in the production of both garment components and technical textiles, including rewinding, measuring, inspection and band knife machines.

The ability to produce tubular fabric which is cut on the bias allows customers to provide textiles which not only have improved drape and elasticity properties for complex and intricate shapes, but also offer ways to reduce production costs by eliminating unnecessary wastage from the manufacturing process. Pre-cutting the fabric to a specific bias reduces extra handling of the fabric in further processes, saving customers both valuable production time and costs.

Source:

AWOL Media on behalf of TMAS

Konica Minolta First to Launch Presses with EFI Fiery FS500 Pro Software and New Hardware  (c) EFI
EFI Fiery®
04.05.2022

Konica Minolta and EFI Fiery New Launch

  • Konica Minolta First to Launch Presses with EFI Fiery FS500 Pro Software and New Hardware  
  • Five new Fiery servers reduce job prep time while helping to ensure colour accuracy and higher overall throughput  

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. and Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH (Konica Minolta) have announced a continuation of their long-term partnership with the release of five new EFI™ Fiery® digital front ends (DFEs) based on the newest Fiery platform, Fiery FS500 Pro.
 
The new solutions EFI and Konica Minolta are announcing include:

·        EFI Fiery IC-319 and IC-318 v2 DFEs that will drive the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C14000/C12000 colour production presses for the high-end production printing market
·        EFI Fiery IC-319 and IC-318L v2 DFEs that will drive the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C7100/C7090 light-production colour presses
·        EFI Fiery IC-317 and IC-419 v2 DFEs that will drive the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C4080/C4070 and AccurioPrint C4065 printers.
 

  • Konica Minolta First to Launch Presses with EFI Fiery FS500 Pro Software and New Hardware  
  • Five new Fiery servers reduce job prep time while helping to ensure colour accuracy and higher overall throughput  

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. and Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH (Konica Minolta) have announced a continuation of their long-term partnership with the release of five new EFI™ Fiery® digital front ends (DFEs) based on the newest Fiery platform, Fiery FS500 Pro.
 
The new solutions EFI and Konica Minolta are announcing include:

·        EFI Fiery IC-319 and IC-318 v2 DFEs that will drive the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C14000/C12000 colour production presses for the high-end production printing market
·        EFI Fiery IC-319 and IC-318L v2 DFEs that will drive the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C7100/C7090 light-production colour presses
·        EFI Fiery IC-317 and IC-419 v2 DFEs that will drive the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C4080/C4070 and AccurioPrint C4065 printers.
 
“With these new EFI Fiery DFEs, we continue to extend the range of what AccurioPress users can achieve,” said Olaf Lorenz, General Manager DX Branding Division Konica Minolta, Inc. “We are pleased to be the first to bring these powerful new DFE solutions into our portfolio as they bring more competitive capabilities to Konica Minolta’s digital printing portfolio.”
 
EFI Fiery FS500 Pro servers offer a higher value proposition
 
“The Fiery FS500 Pro new platform offers advanced speed, higher automation and more capability than other digital front ends,” said John Henze, vice president of sales and marketing, EFI Fiery. “Intelligent automation solutions in these new EFI Fiery DFEs also save customers labour cost and time by minimising the need for manual inspection of print jobs, improving automated u management, and eliminating the need to print a test file to determine where to place finishing lines.
 
“All this decreases cycle time and increases customers’ profit opportunities, while ensuring that they can delight their clients with printing that gets completed accurately and quickly. Reducing the time prepress and press operators must spend on these repetitive tasks also helps print business owners make staff more efficient, offsetting the difficulties they have hiring and retaining talent in today’s labour-constrained economy.”

Source:

EFI GmbH

13.03.2022

Baldwin to showcase key innovations at ICE Europe in Munich

Baldwin Technology Company Inc.—a one-stop source for high-performance coating, curing, treating, cleaning and inspection solutions—will feature pioneering new technology for optimizing converting, printing and film-extrusion processes at ICE Europe, which will be held at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany from March 15 to 17.

Baldwin’s innovations can help customers meet the burgeoning demand for film and packaging amid the many economic and logistical headwinds challenging the industry. In addition, Michael Stürmer, Baldwin’s Director of Strategic Accounts, will present “Back to the Future: The 100-year-old processautomation solutions the corrugated industry has overlooked, until now!” at 11:30 a.m. March 17 during the International Exhibition for the Corrugated and Folding Carton Industry, held in the same location as ICE.

Baldwin Technology Company Inc.—a one-stop source for high-performance coating, curing, treating, cleaning and inspection solutions—will feature pioneering new technology for optimizing converting, printing and film-extrusion processes at ICE Europe, which will be held at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany from March 15 to 17.

Baldwin’s innovations can help customers meet the burgeoning demand for film and packaging amid the many economic and logistical headwinds challenging the industry. In addition, Michael Stürmer, Baldwin’s Director of Strategic Accounts, will present “Back to the Future: The 100-year-old processautomation solutions the corrugated industry has overlooked, until now!” at 11:30 a.m. March 17 during the International Exhibition for the Corrugated and Folding Carton Industry, held in the same location as ICE.

Baldwin provides converters with expertise and a broad range of market-leading innovations that offer superior print results, and enhance the economic and environmental efficiency of print production processes. Solutions on display at ICE will include automated cylinder cleaning systems, corona surface pretreatment systems, LED-UV curing and IR-drying systems, hot-air dryers, rotary spray systems, and technologies for color management and defect detection, all of which increase productivity, reduce waste, improve working conditions and provide full control of producing flawless products.

Source:

Barry-Wehmiller for Baldwin

(c) Swissmem
14.02.2022

Swiss textile machinery going digital: Innovative technology for new business models

Digitalization is a big story in the world of business. It’s all about change, making use of technology to transform attitudes and create new opportunities to grow revenue. At its heart is innovation, with new systems and intelligent use of data. In textiles, the entire value chain is going digital, as evidenced by the commitment of Swiss Textile Machinery Association member firms. Their story – presented here in six ‘chapters’ – spans industry sectors through spinning, weaving, finishing and nonwovens.

Digitalization is a big story in the world of business. It’s all about change, making use of technology to transform attitudes and create new opportunities to grow revenue. At its heart is innovation, with new systems and intelligent use of data. In textiles, the entire value chain is going digital, as evidenced by the commitment of Swiss Textile Machinery Association member firms. Their story – presented here in six ‘chapters’ – spans industry sectors through spinning, weaving, finishing and nonwovens.

Cost savings and more
The process of digitalization in the textile industry today is continuous – faster in some segments than others – but noticeable everywhere. Automation is promising in many areas of finishing and making-up, where initial investments are being made. An example is folding of finished goods, previously a slow manual operation. Now, high-performance automatic folding machines from Swiss company Espritech deliver the potential for cost savings, unlocking new options for positive change at this most labor-intensive stage of production. For manufacturers in low-cost areas, the benefit results from its volume and is a simple financial one. In higher-cost segments, the application of this technology can be part of a completely new business model, taking production closer to the end customer.

Better process, better workplace
Pioneering in the field of digitalization embraces social responsibility along with the introduction of bold new technological innovation. That’s a commitment made by Uster, as it aims to shape future working practices in the textile industry in areas where its systems are applied. In fabric inspection, that means combining the strengths of human capabilities with the performance of Artificial Intelligence. Automatic defect classification with machine learning technology is the next leap in digitalization for fabric manufacturers, following on from automated detection of fabric faults, which is already well established in weaving and finishing mills. This will bring benefits in profitability for the manufacturer – as well as an improved working environment for their operatives, freed from repetitive tasks.

Information, flexible and fast
Access to data is critical in the digitalized world of textiles. It must be flexible, fast and secure, and available to all levels of the company – worldwide. Jakob Muller serves the narrow fabrics industry ideally with a digitalization portal, perfectly developed to provide essential production information. The portal is a browser-based production data acquisition system, with direct access to the machine controls. The system offers unique data monitoring and communication on a global framework. Digitized weave rooms present information 24/7 on desktops at the customer’s plant, as well as on tablets and smartphones remotely.

Making the most of it
Rieter takes advantage of latest digital technology to offer customers a unique experience. Their digital spinning suite helps spinners overcome their daily challenges and manage costs and efficiency more effectively. This all-in-one mill management system connects all the machinery, giving quick access to the right information and a holistic view, from bale to yarn. Users profit from full transparency, and are presented with recommendations based on long-standing experience and know-how. This is digitalization at its most practical, applied to allow spinners to make the most of their installed machinery.

Production, service, training – digital everything
As a solutions provider, Saurer puts digitalization at the core of business, integral to its technology offering to customers. Some latest examples include self-optimization of spinning machines, and a fully automated transport of cylindrical or conical cross-wound packages. These are automatically stored in an internal buffer system, for later feeding to subsequent processes. Of course after-sales service is also digital: the e-shop and machine information hub, together with the web-based training centre, ensure that knowledge is transferred to customers – turning employees into experts.

See the future system today
Autefa Solutions uses the concept of digital twinning, visualizing any real-world concept of a nonwovens line to make it easier for potential customers to grasp the idea. It’s also a big help for training and servicing needs. Most of all they digitalize important parts e.g. of a baling press line with perfectly interconnecting software tools. This is an excellent method for reducing commissioning times. Ordered bale presses reach technical readiness in the form of a digital twin, before they are commissioned in the real world. This typically halves the total time to get the line up and running.
Speaking on behalf of Swiss Textile Machinery Association members, André Imhof, CEO of Autefa Solutions Switzerland AG, says: “Making digitalization our friend opens doors for business model innovations, which is essential for our industry competitiveness. The approach is to digitalize everything that can be digitalized. We won’t stop.”

More information:
Swissmem digital Swiss companies
Source:

Swissmem

Folding / Plating (© 2021, Maag Brothers)
16.12.2021

Swiss Textile Machinery: Changes and opportunities through automation

For most textiles, finishing processes are not actually the last stage. Products often need an extra touch of expertise to make them perfectly ready for the customer. At this point in the value chain, that usually means manual tasks – but now there are technical solutions and intelligent systems which can handle complex operations better, while adding extra value and assured quality.
Automation brings reliability and efficiency, ultimately saving costs to produce the right quality every time. Swiss companies are specialized in many of these disciplines, with machinery for fabric inspection and presentation, labelling and tracking, folding and packaging. They have the technology to inspire a new vision at the post-production segment of the textile manufacturing processes. Optimization of workflows, with bottleneck management, is an obvious potential benefit. And it delivers measurable returns on investment. The wider picture with automation will prepare companies for the IoT and Industry 4.0.

For most textiles, finishing processes are not actually the last stage. Products often need an extra touch of expertise to make them perfectly ready for the customer. At this point in the value chain, that usually means manual tasks – but now there are technical solutions and intelligent systems which can handle complex operations better, while adding extra value and assured quality.
Automation brings reliability and efficiency, ultimately saving costs to produce the right quality every time. Swiss companies are specialized in many of these disciplines, with machinery for fabric inspection and presentation, labelling and tracking, folding and packaging. They have the technology to inspire a new vision at the post-production segment of the textile manufacturing processes. Optimization of workflows, with bottleneck management, is an obvious potential benefit. And it delivers measurable returns on investment. The wider picture with automation will prepare companies for the IoT and Industry 4.0.

New business models
The advantages of automation in mills with high-volume production are obvious: consistent quality, increased efficiency, waste reduction in some cases, as well as significant medium-term cost reductions in every case.
That description focuses on the aims of modern mills in low-cost markets. But producers in Europe and USA could reach out for more. For them, automation could be a game-changer, offering unique new opportunities.
Reshoring is a growing trend now. It shows great potential and is definitely driven by sustainability and changes in consumer mindsets. “We believe that the time is right – the machines and solutions certainly are – to push automation also to the very end of the production line, replacing intensive manual work and take the chance for reshoring. The current situation is kind of a transition time which is expected to last for a couple more years in the textile industry,” says Rueedi. He adds that any investments in these prime markets pay off much faster because of higher labour costs.
Innovation transformed through automation can do much more than simply replacing the nimble fingers of humans. It also enables new business models, guaranteeing prosperous future business, alongside greater job security.

Digital workflow and process control
The Swiss company Maag Brothers is a leading supplier of high-end machines for quality assurance in the final make-up processes, specifically fabric inspection, plating/folding, selvedge printing and packaging. Maag reports on a practical example from a mill in India which recognized the potential of automation.
An analysis at the customer’s mill identified the main goals as modernization of the workflow at quality control and packing processes. Maag’s new system covers tasks from fabric inspection to dispatch, and offers transparent and easily adjustable processes with real-time process control. It’s a digital solution, resulting in a slim organization, paperless, and the basis for further optimization towards Industry 4.0 to exploit its full potential. The customer’s own calculation showed a ROI for the installation at less than three years – along with a reduction in manpower and savings in fabric costs for shade samples.

Perfectly labelled, efficient data...
Smooth processes start with a label. Swiss company Norsel is an expert in grey fabric labelling systems, for piece tracking through all textile processes. High-quality label printing and proper sealing on all kind of fabrics ensure readability and sustainability after dyehouse processes such as mercerizing, high temperature dyeing and even hot calendering. No roll mix-up during dyeing, easy sorting of fabric rolls and rapid delivery make processes in the mill much more efficient. Using RFID codes lifts fabric inventory control to the highest level, with all information readily transferred to a database and integrated through any ERP software.
It’s a foolproof way to avoid the risk of human errors from hand-written notes on grey fabrics and article sheets, by opting for reliable, secure and forward-looking solutions.

Sample collections – the silent salesmen
First impressions count, so fabric producers like to present their collection perfectly – and that’s only possible with automated solutions. Swiss producer Polytex continuously refines its solutions, underlining its leading position in sample making equipment. Fully-automatic high-performance sample production lines are designed to satisfy the highest expectations. Fully-automatic lines or robotic machines set the standards for quality and performance. Even the most demanding clients can achieve their goals with impeccable samples, quickly and efficiently made, for flawless collections that are sure to impress.

Automation drives buying
First impressions are also the trigger for quick purchase decisions. The proof is there on every store shelf. Customers of Espritech are also well aware of it. They trust this Swiss producer of automated folding machinery to provide the final touch of class to home textiles and apparel products before they go on display. The folding systems are generally large mechatronic devices, loaded with latest technologies in mechanics, electronics, sensors and pneumatics. “Textile producers are amazed how folding machines solve the tricky task of reliably handling chaotically behaving materials. They see process optimization potential and the impact. We observe a slow but continuous change of mindset installing sophisticated technology even in the last steps of textile finishing,” says Philipp Rueedi, CFO at Espritech.

(c) Autefa
25.08.2021

Swiss Textile Machinery: Top Technology for Nonwovens

Originally conceived as a low-cost, high-volume alternative to knitting and weaving, nonwovens was already expanding its market boundaries by the 1970s with new applications in ‘disposables’ such as diapers, hygiene and teabags.

In the past five decades, the nonwovens business has exploded in all directions, reaching a global market worth USD 40.5 billion in 2020, projected to grow to USD 53.5 billion by 2025. This annual growth rate of 5.7% (MarketsandMarkets, Nonwoven Fabric Market Report) is based on countless new applications and expansion into durable, as well as additional disposable, products.

Major growth drivers include the hygiene sector, and filtration media for power plants and air conditioning systems. Especially during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021, demand in the hygiene sector multiplied. Worldwide capacities for both meltblown and spunlace production rocketed compared to a normal business year. Swiss Autefa Solutions, for example, significantly benefited from this trend, notably with the launch of a fully-automatic machine for producing face masks.

Originally conceived as a low-cost, high-volume alternative to knitting and weaving, nonwovens was already expanding its market boundaries by the 1970s with new applications in ‘disposables’ such as diapers, hygiene and teabags.

In the past five decades, the nonwovens business has exploded in all directions, reaching a global market worth USD 40.5 billion in 2020, projected to grow to USD 53.5 billion by 2025. This annual growth rate of 5.7% (MarketsandMarkets, Nonwoven Fabric Market Report) is based on countless new applications and expansion into durable, as well as additional disposable, products.

Major growth drivers include the hygiene sector, and filtration media for power plants and air conditioning systems. Especially during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021, demand in the hygiene sector multiplied. Worldwide capacities for both meltblown and spunlace production rocketed compared to a normal business year. Swiss Autefa Solutions, for example, significantly benefited from this trend, notably with the launch of a fully-automatic machine for producing face masks.

The automotive industry is the second big growth area, with many new applications being pioneered. The trend to electric and hybrid vehicles has helped this, as nonwovens reinforced with carbon fibres are widely used as battery housings.

Swiss nonwovens competence
Innovative applications across all sectors have driven the rapid evolution of sophisticated nonwovens machinery. Today’s trends demand higher productivity, sustainability and Industry 4.0 compatibility – demonstrated by the full equipment portfolio of Swiss Textile Machinery member Autefa Solutions. With V-Jet Futura, the company recently sealed the link in its product range between web forming and drying technology. This latest Hydroentanglement Machine, together with the SQ-V Square Drum Dryer, embodies advanced technology combined with significant reductions in energy consumption compared to other process solutions.

A vital contribution to nonwovens production is offered by Rieter subsidiary Graf, a leading supplier of clothing and combs for carding and combing processes in spinning and nonwovens. Graf's Hipro card clothings – suitable for any man-made fibres in the nonwovens sector – are focussing on higher productivity. Their superior performance delivers up to 10% higher throughput and greater carding efficiency compared to conventional clothings. These reliable card clothing elements also ensure a consistently reproducible high web quality, as well as 20% fewer failures in the web, thanks to the precise fibre transfer to and from the cylinder.

Another constant trend in nonwovens today is the drive for better quality. Manufacturers want to take charge of contamination levels in their processes, as well as eradicating defects which may arise during production. Uster Technologies, a leading provider of quality management solutions from fibre to fabric, offers a combined solution to achieve both these required quality standards. At the fibre preparation stage, Uster Jossi Vision Shield N ensures the best possible initial inspection and removal of contamination. Then, at the end of the production sequence, Uster EVS Fabriq Vision N handles automated detection and marking of all the main defects caused during production. This combined solution avoids material waste and takes full advantage of the potential for process optimization.

Source:

Swiss Textile Machinery Association