From the Sector

Trützschler expanded their portfolio to become the first full-liner in the preparation of textile waste – from mechanical recycling to the spinning preparation of torn secondary fibers.

The TRUECYCLED solution is the result of their cooperation with the company Balkan Textile Machinery INC.CO. in Turkey, which they announced at the ITMA 2023 trade event in Milan. Since then, Trützschler has received many inquiries for recycling systems.

Success with a systems approach
Recycling systems face significant technological challenges. On average, torn fibers are much shorter than virgin fibers. The percentage share of short fibers in the fiber mass is much higher. Unopened yarn and fabric particles are also difficult to process. Not surprisingly, much academic and practical research is currently conducted to find solutions for these problems. Dr. Georg Stegschuster, a researcher specializing in textile recycling, believes a systems approach is needed. He is working at the Recycling atelier, a model factory for mechanical recycling in Augsburg, Germany, which is committed to delivering the latest technological insights for textile recycling. “A perfect fine-tuning between tearing and spinning preparation is key for obtaining the best possible quality results and avoiding unnecessary fiber shortening,” he says. “This can be achieved if you are in control of both processes – and have the necessary expertise for both processes too.”

Gentle but effective
In some cases, for example, it may be advantageous to have less aggressive settings in the tearing line. This can help avoid unnecessary fiber shortening. The remaining higher share of unopened fabric must then be handled in a high-performance spinning preparation line. This starts with the right blow room configuration for perfect opening, cleaning and blending. A card that is specially designed for recycling materials, such as the new TC 30Ri, can also enable gentle but effective treatment of fibers.

A shortened drafting process is also a must. The integrated draw frame IDF 3 can make this possible. The draft is high enough to provide excellent levelling of the numerous short fibers, but low enough to prevent floating fibers.

Full-liner in mechanical recycling and preparation of textile waste
Trützschler now offers a complete system covering the whole process, from cutting and tearing textile waste through to carding and drawing secondary fibers. Thanks to this holistic approach and Trützschler’s expertise for the whole process, manufacturers can avoid unnecessary fiber shortening.

Following their entry into the fibres and textiles sector, as announced at K 2022, recycling machine manufacturer EREMA launches the INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV - which has been specially developed for PET fibre-to-fibre recycling - at ITMA in Milan from June 8 to 14. Thanks to its especially gentle material preparation and efficient removal of spinning oils, the rPET produced can be reused in proportions of up to 100 percent for the production of very fine fibres.

PET is regarded as a key material for the production of synthetic fibres. Around two thirds of the total volume of PET goes into the production of PET fibres for the textile industry. This highlights the importance of high-quality recycling solutions for the circular economy. By combining proven INTAREMA® technology with a new IV optimiser, EREMA succeeds in processing shredded PET fibre materials heavily contaminated by spinning oils in such a way that the finest fibres can be produced again from the recycled pellets. The system, which now joins EREMA's machine portfolio as the INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV, is characterised by a longer residence time of the PET melt. This is an essential factor for achieving high quality recycled pellets, as it allows the spinning oils and other additives used to improve the handling of the fibres during manufacturing to be removed more efficiently than in conventional PET recycling processes. Following extrusion, by polycondensation the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the PET melt is increased in the new IV optimiser and under high vacuum to the precise level that is needed for fibre production. "Including filtration the output quality that we achieve with this recycling process is so high that ultra-fine fibres of up to 2 dtex can be produced using these rPET pellets, with an rPET content of 100 percent," says Markus Huber-Lindinger, Managing Director at EREMA. Waste PET fibre from production processes can therefore be further processed into rPET filament fibre, carpet yarn and staple fibre.

While the focus of the fibre and textiles application is currently still on PET fibre recycling, EREMA is committed to driving forward the recycling of mixed fibre materials from classic textile recycling collection in a next project phase. In order to accelerate development work, the EREMA Group opened its own fibre test centre, where a cross-company team is working on recycling solutions for fibre-to-fibre applications. The centre also operates a fully equipped and variable industrial-scale recycling plant. It includes the peripheral technology required and is available to customers for trials.

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

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

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

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

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

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