From the Sector

Wülfing GmbH is one of the oldest but also one of the most modern home textiles companies in Germany, with its main weaving and finishing operations located in Borken, North Rhine-Westphalia, and a further jacquard weaving mill in Steinfurt, as well as with a making up and packaging plant in the Czech Republic.

At its Borken plant, Wülfing has employed a Monforts sanforizing line since 2009 to guarantee the required dimensional stability and shrink-fastness of its high quality bed linen. With a working width of over three metres, the sanforizing process is a central pillar in the production of typical wide-width cotton fabrics for home textiles.

In 2017, the company was able to acquire a second Monforts sanforizing line from another company which, although built in 2005, had been virtually unused. It was overhauled and installed behind a Monforts equalizing frame of a similar age.

“Unfortunately, the two machines had to be operated separately via individual controls and did not represent an integrated unit,” says Schulte-Mesum. “This resulted in deficits in the desired productivity and in the control technology.”

Wülfing consulted with Monforts on a number of upgrade options and opted for a completely new joint control system to merge the two machines, as well as a new connecting inlet, a tensioning and damping field and a steaming unit.

“Monforts provided a fast and precise erection and commissioning of the technology in spite of the difficult pandemic circumstances,” says Schulte-Mesum. “The result has been an increase in production speeds by 20% and enhanced uniformity in fabric width through a much improved guidance system.

“We are also achieving energy savings as a result of the new control and drive technology and operation has been simplified and improved as a result of the unified control. We benefit from simplified access for maintenance work such as the grinding of the rubber blanket, but most of all we have greatly improved our flexibility and now have two almost identical Monforts sanforizing lines.”

For the fourth time, the international start-up competition "Plan B - Biobased.Business.Bavaria." organised by BioCampus Straubing honoured the best new business ideas in the field of biobased solutions.

Dr Crnoja-Cosic, Director New Business Development, and Matthew North, Commercial Director, represented Kelheim Fibres at the award ceremony. The manufacturer of special viscose fibres has been working with the BioCampus Straubing for many years and is a supporter of the competition, this year as prize sponsors. In this capacity, Dr. Crnoja-Cosic congratulated the newly founded team of Microbify GmbH on their third place and presented them with a cheque for 3,000 Euros. As a spin-off from the University of Regensburg, Microbify works, among other things, on the use of old natural gas storage facilities for the production of green natural gas using extremophilic microorganisms.

Driving the change from a fossil-based to a bio-based economy is a declared goal of Kelheim Fibres - their speciality fibres replacing fossil materials in more and more applications. To this end, the fibre manufacturer seeks inspiration and exchange within its own industry as well as with innovation partners from outside the industry, start-ups and science in an open innovation approach.

Der Maschinenbau ist eine Stärke der deutschen Industrie. In Leitbranchen, deren Produkte in einem globalisierten Umfeld starker Konkurrenz ausgesetzt sind, kann der Einsatz Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) dazu beitragen, Industriekapazitäten und Knowhow in Deutschland zu halten, im Maschinenbau und nachgelagerten Branchen. Doch erst durch praxisnahe Anwendung in der Industrie kann KI seine Stärken für Unternehmen voll entfalten. Wie das mit dem Beitrag angewandter Forschung geht, zeigen Textilindustrie und -maschinenbau ebenso wie die Kunststoffbranche.

Mit der Corona-Krise sind Vliesstoffe über die Fachwelt hinaus bekannt geworden, denn sie bilden das Ausgangsmaterial für Schutzmasken. Die aufgetretenen Engpässe am Markt 2020 zeigten, wie stark Deutschland hier von Lieferungen aus dem Ausland abhängig ist. Zugleich ist Deutschland in anderen Vliesstoff-Segmenten und bei Maschinen für die Vliesstoffherstellung eine wichtige Größe auf den Weltmärkten. Damit das so bleibt, arbeitet die Branche an Innovationen. Ein zentraler Baustein dafür: Die Nutzung Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI).

Das Auge auf der lernenden Maschine

Am ITA Augsburg hat man dafür Grundlagen in einem Projekt gelegt, auf denen sich nun aufbauen lässt. Die Vision: Die Maschine zur Vliesstoffproduktion passt die Parameter entsprechend den Erfordernissen im laufenden Betrieb autonom an. Etwaig auftretende Fehler werden von der Maschine selbstständig diagnostiziert, die Drehzahlen entsprechend angepasst. „Wir haben im Projekt EasyVlies gezeigt, wie sich mit der Nutzung von Algorithmen für die Vliesstoffproduktion Material- und Energiekosten einsparen lassen. Zusammen mit Partnern aus der Industrie haben wir erreicht, dass die Maschine zentrale Parameter wie Drehzahlen und Abstände, von denen eine große Kombinationsmenge für das Erreichen der gewünschten Produktqualität notwendig sind, durch das entwickelte KI-Modell vorhergesagt werden. „Die Abstände der bis zu 40 Arbeitselemente in der Maschine bestimmen dabei in Kombination mit den Drehzahlen der beteiligten Walzen die Öffnung der Faserflocken bis zur Einzelfaser und die Bildung des Vlieses“, erläutert ITA-Augsburg Geschäftsführer Prof. Stefan Schlichter. Die naturwissenschaftlichen Zusammenhänge und Wechselwirkungen zwischen den Drehzahlen und den Qualitätsparametern der Vliesstoffproduktion sind nicht eindeutig bekannt. Gerade deshalb kann KI hier seine Vorteile ausspielen. „Denn Künstliche Intelligenz kann auch diffuse Zusammenhänge modellieren und simulieren“, betont Schlichter. Die Algorithmen dafür hat Maschinenbauingenieur Dr. Frederik Cloppenburg aus dem Aachener ITA-Stammhaus entwickelt, 280 Versuche wurden im Zusammenspiel mit der KI-Entwicklung durchgeführt.

In der unternehmerischen Praxis lernen die Algorithmen nun hinzu. Das zeigt  bei einem Vliesstoffbetrieb der Fahrzeugbranche bereits erste Erfolge in der betrieblichen Praxis. Im nächsten Schritt arbeiten die ITA-Forschenden daran, Messtechnik wie Kamerasysteme und strahlungsbasierte Messsysteme für die Gleichmäßigkeit des Vliesstoffs in die Maschinen zu integrieren. Ziel: Fehler so prognostizieren, dass sie gar nicht erst auftreten. Das Aufkommen an Vliesstoff-Ausschuss soll so um 30 bis 50 Prozent sinken. Angesichts von bislang jährlich allein in Deutschland anfallender Ausschussware im Wert von 150 Mio. Euro, das entspricht 10 Prozent des Branchenumsatzes, ein erheblicher Anreiz. „Die hoch qualifizierten Facharbeiter beaufsichtigen sozusagen die lernende Maschine“, erklärt Schlichter.

Industrie 4.0 wird in der Kunststoffbranche künftig auch benötigt, um das Ziel höherer Recyclingquoten zu erreichen. Denn eine weniger einheitliche Rohstoffbasis macht lernende Maschinen noch wertvoller. Das ist auch Ausgangspunkt des vom Bundesforschungsministerium (BMBF) geförderten Verbundprojekts CYCLOPS des Kunststoff-Zentrums (SKZ) und namhaften Partnern aus Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft. Durch den Einsatz von KI sollen Materialströme automatisiert klassifiziert werden, damit sie sich optimal verwenden lassen. „Die Maschinen sollen künftig eigenständig erkennen, in welche Anwendungen produzierte Materialien eines bestimmten Typs gehen können“ erläutert SKZ-Gruppenleiter Digitalisierung, Christoph Kugler. Ein Faktor: Die Fließfähigkeit des Kunststoffs, seine Viskosität. Je kürzer die Polymerketten des Materials, desto größer, vereinfacht gesagt, ihre Fließfähigkeit. Für diese Fließfähigkeit spielt andererseits auch das Druckniveau in der Maschine eine Rolle. Hier kommt wiederum die KI ins Spiel: „Durch Künstliche Intelligenz können Materialeigenschaften und selbst lernende Maschinensteuerungen sehr gut ineinanderwirken, so unsere Erwartung“, erklärt Kugler. Grundlage für die angewandte Forschung im Projekt CYCLOPS sind sowohl Prozessdaten aus den Maschinen, welche die Materialqualität beschreiben können, als auch Daten entlang des Lebenswegs von Material und Produkt. Im Rahmen des Projektes werden damit die Transparenz und die Informationsdichte erhöht, welche nach wie vor einige der größten Hemmnisse der Kreislaufwirtschaft sind.

Neue Expertisefelder wie Erklärbare KI erschlossen

Das SKZ baut mit dem Projekt auf KI-Expertise auf, die über abgeschlossene und noch laufende Projekte erarbeitet wurde. In der Vergangenheit lag der Schwerpunkt in der Entwicklung sogenannter Softsensoren aus Prozessdaten zur Berechnung komplexer Qualitätskennwerte wie z.B. Viskosität oder Vernetzungsgrad des Kunststoffs. Durch die Weiterentwicklung der Technologie werden neue Expertisefelder erschlossen, so z.B. Optimierung der Prozessmodellierung durch KI, Prognose von Materialverhalten unter Last oder auch erklärbare KI (XAI), sie beschreibt den Weg, auf dem Algorithmen zu ihren Ergebnissen gelangen. In den letzten Jahren wurde ebenfalls der Einsatz von digitalen Technologien und KI im Kontext der Kreislaufwirtschaft am SKZ forciert, so in den noch jeweils bis ins nächste Jahr hinein laufenden Projekten Di-Plast und DiLinK. Während Di-Plast ein EU-Projekt ist, wird DiLink ebenfalls vom BMBF gefördert. Mit dem FIR e.V. ist ein weiteres Institut der Zuse-Gemeinschaft im DiLink-Projektkonsortium vertreten, mit dem Fokus auf dem Thema Geschäftsmodelle. Denn diese verändern sich durch das Vordringen der KI in immer mehr Aspekten des Maschinenbaus.

Asahi Kasei's ongoing commitment to strengthen the Bemberg™ fibre value chain from raw materials to final products textile industry and support local people, institutes, and the environment, has been recognized by the United Nations BCtA programme, who has renewed its membership for India. Starting from the company and including the material, Bemberg™ integrates new generations of values such as innovation and responsibility together with design. This important breakthrough showcases how the smart fibre is globally recognized for its innovation, responsibility and ability to deliver high-quality and sustainable ingredients at the same time committed to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Objectives of this initiative include:  

• By 2023, enhance skills of 1,671 employees in the Bemberg fiber industry and advance production efficiency of 55 small to medium scale de-linting, weaving and dyeing manufacturers, through employee training, capital investment and technical support.
• By 2023, develop capacity of 575 young people, especially women, who will lead the Indian textile industry, by providing vocational training opportunities and institutional support for the three schools.
• By 2023 cumulative amount of 40,000m3/day textile dyeing effluent will be treated and recycled back to their own textile dyeing process, which is equivalent to saving daily water access to natural water resources for approx. 25,000 households.

• The Techtextil and Texprocess trade fairs have a positive view of the future and invite the sector to take part at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre from 21 to 24 June 2022.
• Exhibitors who register well in advance benefit from an early-booking discount.

The dates for the next editions of Techtextil and Texprocess have been set and the leading international trade fairs for technical textiles and nonwovens and for the processing of textile and flexible materials are set to attract exhibitors and trade visitors from all over the world to Frankfurt am Main from 21 to 24 June 2022. Thus, the fairs are shifting the biennial cycle of events from odd to even years, which fits in perfectly with the sector’s international event calendar. Companies that book exhibition space at one of the two trade fairs no later than 31 August 2021 benefit from an early booking discount. “We see the future in a positive light and are confident that we will finally be able to give the sector the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas and information in June 2022. The desire for personal encounters, direct communication and new impressions is growing from day to day”, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles and Textile Technologies.

Elgar Straub, Managing Director, VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, emphasises that, “Texprocess and Techtextil are the world’s foremost trade fairs for our innovative sector by a large margin. Both events offer customers an unrivalled overview of state-of-the-art innovations and technological developments – and beyond. Particularly when it comes to the latest trends for sustainability and digitalisation, Texprocess and Techtextil in Frankfurt represent the most important, future-oriented market. This makes it all the more important for both the exhibitor and visitor sides of the sector that we have the opportunity to obtain an overview of the latest market developments, to exchange ideas and information and to initiate new business. We are very relieved about this and hope that, next year, we will once again have the chance to generate new momentum for our sector in the international market.”

For the first time, Techtextil and Texprocess will occupy the western sector of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre with a total of four exhibition halls and, with a hybrid format, offer the best of both the physical and immaterial worlds: personal communication, virtual networking opportunities and maximum digital coverage. With a comprehensive hygiene and safety concept, Messe Frankfurt will ensure that all visitors and exhibitors can take part safely and with a good feeling.

• New air purification and sulfur recovery plant up and running at the Lenzing facility
• Another step closer to meeting sustainability and climate targets
• Self-sufficiency in raw materials further enhanced

Lenzing Group is continuing to make great strides toward achieving carbon neutrality across the Group. The successful completion and commissioning of an air purification and sulfur recovery plant at the Lenzing facility marks another milestone in the Group’s ambitious strategy. Lenzing has invested some EUR 40 mn in this project since construction began in 2019.

Using state-of-the-art technology, the plant will enable carbon emissions to be reduced by 15,000 metric tons at the Lenzing facility. This will also make the group more self-sufficient in securing vital raw materials for processing, which will bolster the site’s competitive standing in terms of sustainability.

“As a result of this investment, Lenzing has made further progress towards implementing its climate targets, while achieving much greater autonomy with regard to one of its core raw materials”, says Christian Skilich, Member of the Managing Board at Lenzing Group.

In 2019, Lenzing set the strategic target of halving its group-wide greenhouse gas emissions per ton of product by 2030. Its goal for 2050 is to achieve climate neutrality.

Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd of Leeds, UK has now commenced construction of a new purpose-built Research & Development Centre to enable continued growth through innovation. This modern two-storey development will be situated on the adjacent site, providing state-of-the-art facilities, including a Visitor Centre and enhanced Process Development Laboratory (PDL) for client testing and product development. Central to FET’s success has been its ability to provide customers with advanced facilities and equipment, together with unrivalled knowledge and expertise in research and production techniques. The new expanded premises will further improve this service.

Clients frequently spend several days on site participating in development trials and technical sales meetings, so the Visitor Centre is designed to make their stay more efficient and comfortable. Sales, administration and design departments will also be housed in the new building.

The addition of the Visitor Centre will free up a considerable amount of space for production and other facilities in the existing premises. This major refurbishment phase for the existing premises is scheduled for completion at the end of 2021. As a result, FET’s manufacturing capacity will increase by more than 50% to cope with customer demand.  

Substantial year-on-year growth has driven this initiative and FET’s current order book in excess of £10million has provided the opportunity for equipping the company infrastructure for the future. Sustainability has been at the forefront of FET’s growth, supporting customers in their development of sustainable textiles and this principle is reflected in the choice of building materials and products for the Visitor Centre wherever possible.

It is expected that the new Visitor Centre will be opened in the first quarter of 2022.

Teijin Carbon Europe introduces a new thermoplastic carbon fiber tape (TPUD) based on PPS. The new Tenax™ TPUD with PPS matrix allows entry in new cost-sensitive markets while offering the typical TPUD advantages like high resistance to chemicals and solvents, low flammability, storage or shipping at room temperature and recyclability.  

Due to its flame retardant properties and low smoke emission, it can be used in interior applications of aircraft or rail vehicles, among others. The maximum continuous operating temperature is up to 220 °C. Very low water absorption, excellent creep resistance even at elevated temperatures and high dimensional stability round off the property portfolio of this new TPUD. It is therefore also suitable for demanding applications in the aerospace, oil & gas, sporting goods or industrial sectors, while remaining cost-effective. These properties make the product perfect for highly automated processing routes such as ATL or AFP in combination with overmolding for complex geometries. Production start for the Tenax™ TPUD with PPS matrix is the first quarter in 2021.

For almost 10 years, unidirectional tapes (TPUD) have been manufactured from carbon fibers and thermoplastics in Heinsberg, Germany. The semi-finished products have so far been offered with PEEK or PAEK – and PPS is now added to the list of available matrixes. PPS allows a lower process temperature compared to PEEK or PAEK. For the industrial market in particular, increasing the production rate to make processes more cost-efficient is an opportunity.

GREENBOATS, Sicomin and Bcomp are nominated as finalists for the JEC Innovation Awards 2021. The three project partners have been selected as finalists in the awards’ Renewable Energy category for their innovative Green Nacelle – the first offshore nacelle manufactured with natural fibre composites (NFC).

The Green Nacelle was designed by NFC innovators GREENBOATS, who were also responsible for the structural engineering, manufacturing and assembly of the nacelle.  By incorporating Bcomp’s ampliTex™ flax reinforcements, FSC certified balsa wood cores and bio-based resins, the Green Nacelle’s NFC construction saves approximately 60% CO2 equivalent and reduces the energy consumption by over 50% compared to a nacelle made with existing GFRP technology.

In addition to the lower CO2 footprint, the natural fibre composite structure also introduces viable options for the end of the nacelles’ life unlike traditional GFRP structures - an issue of increasing concern for the wind energy sector that presents a great opportunity for natural fibre composites to bring a sustainable change to this market.

Sicomin, the formulator and supplier of the leading range of GreenPoxy bio-based epoxy resin systems, supplied its DNV GL approved InfuGreen 810 resin system that was used to infuse the Green Nacelle’s main structural sandwich panels, as well as providing intumescent FR gelcoats, bio-based laminating resins and UV resistant clear coatings for the groundbreaking new nacelle.  Materials, as well as on-site technical support, were delivered by Sicomin’s German distributor TIME OUT Composites.

The winners of the awards will be announced during JEC Connect which will be held on the 1st and 2nd June 2021.

Among other things, Köfner will play a key role in shaping the internationalization of the Lenzing Group and contribute to the implementation of the corporate strategy sCore TEN.

Dominic Köfner (46) will take over as head of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Lenzing AG at the beginning of May. As Vice President, he will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stefan Doboczky.

Dominic Köfner has gained national and international experience over the past two decades at renowned consulting firms, communications agencies and on the corporate side. Before joining the Lenzing Group, Mr. Köfner was Managing Director of the communications agency Serviceplan Austria and most recently Senior Consultant at the agency group Sports & Media in Munich. Before that, he was responsible for the agendas of the Zumtobel Group and the MOL Group, respectively as CMO and CCO. Before he was appointed as crisis communications manager by the Austrian Ministry of Finance to deal with the “Hypo Alpe Adria Bank” case, he managed numerous national and international mandates as a communications consultant for the Brunswick Group.