Karen McIntyre, Editor08.12.16
A.Celli Nonwovens
A.Celli Nonwovens has been designing and manufacturing machinery for the nonwovens industry for more than 70 years and currently has a recognized leadership position in its core markets.
A.Celli Nonwovens offers a comprehensive range of master roll winders and slitter-rewinders featuring state-of-the-art solutions customized to spunbond, spunmelt, spunlace and airlaid nonwovens roll goods production with a special focus on lightweight fabrics and high speed production. The machinery range is completed by non-stop flying splice unwinders and multi-functional lines.
Iridium is the innovative and flexible A.Celli print revolution developed to offer the highest quality printing onto different kinds of substrates including nonwovens, PP/PE film and tissue with a wide range of basis weights, enhancing the process chain, offering roll goods producers the possibility of adding aesthetic benefits to their products, empowering their brands with high definition designs and images.
A.Celli Nonwovens puts a strong emphasis on the level of assistance and service it offers its customers, with comprehensive plans of expert machinery consultation and software updates, upgrades and retrofits to existing lines, machinery integration and equipment assessments for updates or revamps to improve quality, performance and throughput. The company offers technology transfer and training workshops known as Winding School, which can either take place at the customer’s manufacturing facilities or in Italy at the headquarters in Lucca, Tuscany.
www.acelli.it
Aurizon Ultrasonics
The Sonibond Elastic Entrapment solution from Aurizon Ultrasonics is a patented process of attaching elastic strands to nonwovens without adhesives. Elastic strands and nonwoven substrates pass through a high-speed rotary ultrasonic drum and anvil, entrapping the elastic strands between the nonwoven substrates. This game-changing technology has been extensively tested and is available today.
The removal of glue from the elastic bonding process eliminates delay events caused by adhesive contamination and overspray. In addition, the end user experiences a softer feel, greater comfort and improved elastic performance without creep.
In addition to elastic entrapment, Aurizon offers additional Sonibond solutions for bonding many different nonwoven substrates. The company offers engineered solutions for various applications including feature attachment, core bonding, acquisition layers and back sheets.
www.aurizonultrasonics.com
Calemard (Spoolex Group)
A few months ago, one of Calemard’s Chinese customers decided to increase its spooling capacity to convert its sensitive air-through-bonded nonwovens for hygiene applications and Calemard suggested a special Pegase line with several special features to better respond to this high quality project for the production of spools of acquisition/distribution layers as low as 18 gsm as well as wide strips of top sheet materials (up to 190 mm).
There were several major challenges facing this project. One was to improve the material flow efficiency between the nonwoven line and the spooling by increasing the maximum mother roll width to 1.5 meters. Another was to engineer and manufacture a compact line with a limited footprint, while maintaining the Pegase standards of quality—including no material alteration through the process, production with high reliability and consistency of quality jumbo spools with the requested compaction rate and front walls.
Calemard has met this challenge and at the beginning of last May when it commissioned the widest known spooling line in the world. This customized Pegase integrates both standard and some specially engineered solutions with special unwinders, splicing and slitting modules to accommodate wide mother rolls. In addition, to maintaining high standards on the web and strip tension controls up to 10 heads, Calemard developed some special web and strip tension units.
www.calemard.com
Chase Machinery
Chase Machine and Engineering designs and builds custom web handling equipment that processes films, foils and woven/nonwoven/knit fabrics while controlling, speed, tension and guidance with a primary focus on integrating technologies such as ultrasonics, impulse welding, hot air welding, adhesive dispensing, RF welding, band sealing, extruders and CO2 lasers.
Specialists in manufacturing unwinds, rewinds, slitters, laminators, traverse winders, cut-to-length machines, festooners, accumulators, ultrasonic sewing machines as well as custom machines that produces a plethora of consumer products such as face masks, wipes, safety vests, air/liquid filters, medical devices and hygiene products, Chase can employ its 60-plus years of web handling experience to benefit customers in the filtration, medical, packaging, automotive, textile and geotextile market segments.
www.chasemachine.com
Dienes Corporation
Dienes Corporation has launched Quick Set, a self-contained slitting positioning system designed and custom manufactured for the integration into new or existing production lines. The innovative Quick Set technology developed by the Dienes Group is capable of simultaneously positioning all slitting stations of the top (male) and bottom (female) axis in a matter of seconds, while guaranteeing high levels of accuracy and repeatability.
Using the latest technologies available to the industry, Dienes Corporation designed an automatic positioning system that utilizes specially designed adapters propelled by individual motors in conjunction with an absolute location device to allow for precise and simultaneous movement of all cutting stations at once. The average positioning cycle is accomplished in seconds and the actual positioning time depends upon the number of knife station assemblies utilized and the distances travelled by each cutting station.
www.dienes.com
Dilo
The newly developed card “VectorQuadroCard,” developed by Dilo, incorporates a completely new “modular transfer group” between breast and main section. The flexible and quick change of this “transfer group” makes possible three different card types—as random card with random rollers, doffers, condenser rolls and take-off rollers. The universal model series “VectorQuadroCard” comprises variable components for all kinds of applications. Focus is laid on high throughput with good web quality.
Also new from Dilo is the crosslapper type “Super-DLSC 200” that allows electro-mechanical speeds of up to 200 m/min for web infeed speeds, depending on the fiber specification. It aims at reducing a possible bottleneck for the total throughput of the complete installation. At the crosslapper infeed, Dilo offers the proven “CV1A” web regulation system for an improved evenness of the needlefelt with a great potential for fiber savings.
Dilo’s portfolio also includes a compact line, which is designed for the production of small amounts of high quality felts used in the medical sector and for specialty felts made from fibers such as carbon. The needle module technology has been designed especially for the intense needling of the model series Hyperpunch and Cyclopunch in order to allow an economic needle insertion of these boards with more than 20,000 needles/m/board. The insertion speed and precision are considerably increased by “X22 module technology” compared to single needle insertion.
The new “Variopunch technology” is based on a modified needle module technology, which can erase bad spots in the felt, by a variable needle arrangement in order to achieve a better evenness of the stitching pattern. Variopunch allows a homogeneous distribution of stitches for better surface quality in automotive applications.
www.dilo.com
Dover Flexo
Dover Flexo Electronics, Inc. (DFE) has released the EasyWeb open-loop torque controller to maintain tension on nonwovens web converting and finishing lines. DFE offers the EasyWeb controller which works based on a diameter calculator signal as a lower-cost alternative to the highly precise transducer-based tension controllers for applications that require less web tension precision.
Unlike DFE’s tension controllers that take an input signal from tension transducers (load cells), web tension with the EasyWeb is maintained by controlling motor or brake torque based on the calculated variation of roll diameter as a roll is wound or unwound. An inertia compensation parameter is provided to obtain greater control of web tension during changes in line speed.
www.dfe.com
Elsner Engineering
Elsner Engineering offers converting machinery that promises speed, efficiency and reliability with more than 3000 machines operating in over 60 countries. Its ENR-1000 nonwovens rewinder is a fully-automated solution that can be the keystone of a self-contained wipes production line. For rolled canister wipes, Elsner partners with Shemesh Automation to provide the total solution, from master roll to case packed finished goods. The ENR-1000 also offers the “glueless” ultrasonic tail tie option.
The ZFV-2-20 is a folding machine for most nonwoven fabrics, increasing productivity for dry and wet solutions; the CUPR-50 is an automatic small roll rewinder perfect for coreless undercast padding, yet versatile enough for many nonwoven substrates.
www.elsnereng.com
Filcon Fabrics
Filcon’s Spunpro mesh belt is the company’s latest development for the nonwovens industry. This belt is designed to optimize web formation on spunbond production lines. The innovative and unique belt design offers significant benefits to spunbond manufacturers. Running cleaner is one of the big performance benefits of Spunpro belts. Spunpro performance results show a dramatic reduction in fiber dust. Thus minimizing fiber dust related web defects and machine cleaning time.
The specialized weave structure of this belt has attained best-in-market results with regard to polymer drops resistance. This has been achieved by weave structure, without chemical treatment of the belt. Chemical treatments often have a shorter effective period than the life time of the belt itself. Filcon’s weave structure solution avoids the problems associated with chemical coatings of belts. Cleaning polymer drops off belts can be very time consuming. In effect, the Spunpro belt resists accumulation of such unwanted resin drops, thus shortening cleaning times.
Spunpro was developed with facilitate lightweight webs and high speed machines, accommodating 8gsm and 1000 m/min production.
www.filcon-fabrics.com/nonwoven
Gneuss
Gneuss, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, offers turnkey solutions for processing industrial fiber waste. The method offers the following advantages including direct processing without pre-drying or crystallization, decontamination of contaminants, spinning oils and odors, direct processing of materials, high IV stability even when processing different moisture levels, high melt and product quality, high line flexibility, fast material changes, significant energy savings, and LNO of the FDA even for 100% post-consumer recycling content. A significant element of the process is the modular set-up of the individual components, combined with the Gneuss Processing Unit (GPU). The GPU with the innovative Extruder MRS and self-cleaning, process and pressure constant Rotary Melt Filtration Systems removes moisture, spinning oils or other adhering volatile components and solid contaminants. The melt produced comes close to having the properties of new products.
www.gneuss.de
Herrmann Ultrasonics
In response to customer requests for higher speeds, Herrmann Ultrasonics has increased the speed capabilities of its high-speed ultrasonic laboratory calender (ULC 500), now aptly named the ULC 600+. This latest advancement to the modern lab calender makes it feasible to run faster than 600 meters /min (2000 feet /per minute).
“Industry players come to the Herrmann Ultrasonics’ Nonwoven Lab for material evaluation, feasibility tests and process and product development. We show how ultrasonic technology can be incorporated into their existing production environment. We work with well-known machine builders and manufacturers on nonwoven applications,” says executive vice president and general manager Uwe Peregi.
Ultrasonic vibrations can replace hot melt and thermal calender applications in the hygiene and filter industry. It is energy-efficient and offers fast cycle times without any consumables. A sophisticated control system within the ultrasonic module copes with varying material thickness and enables reproducible runs. The process becomes clean and manageable.
www.herrmannultrasonics.com
Kadant
Kadant Solutions, a division of Kadant Inc., has launched its AccuFlake PRO blade holder for use with OEM drum flaking doctors. The patent-pending blade holder replaces existing clamp-type OEM flaking doctor holders to improve flaking and cleaning performance with its “floating” doctor blade feature. The AccuFlake PRO blade holder’s design permits separation of all parts for thorough and efficient cleaning. The cost-effective blade holder is made of high-strength aluminum and can be supplied with a variety of proprietary coatings for enhanced performance and cleanliness.
Based on data from field trials, the AccuFlake PRO holder can reduce blade change time from several minutes to less than 30 seconds. The new holder also allows for the use of a thinner “floating” blade designs which operate with significantly lower loading pressure. As a result, blade operating life is increased and less wear is placed on the drum surface. The holder is designed for easy disassembly and cleaning and can be retrofitted to virtually any existing OEM doctor system in a short period.
www.kadant.com
Kansan Machinery
Kansan offers revolutionary innovations and state-of-the-art technologies in wet wipe production technologies, proudly adapting to the shifting dynamics, enviably providing projects based on global demands and delivering tailor-made solutions with the purpose of generating success and profit to its clients. This dedication gives Kansan a strongly rooted technological and commercial know-how resulting in executing outstanding projects both in domestic market and more than 40 countries.
Kansan’s professional team helps clients reach their targets with complete satisfaction while staying in the limits of time and budget frame. Each machine is redesigned with every detail engineered according to these needs. The hand-selected R&D team relentlessly strives to create more innovative and efficient methods. Client-focused approach, constant R&D and latest technology applications separate Kansan from its rivals, enabling it to be a reliable long term business partner with a leader position.
The concept of quality shows itself from material selection to after sales customer service. Kansan work with trend-setting component suppliers to create machines with cutting-edge technology and offers efficiency and high speed, fully automatic operation, less manpower and product waste, less maintenance, easy and quick changeover and advanced level of safety and hygiene.
Kansan provides complete and compact wet wipe system solutions. In addition to flat pack and cross fold wet wipe converting machines, it makes wet wipe packaging machines and lid applicators. Its brand new cross fold machine with automatic splice and mechanical folding system (no vacuum) can produce 2400 wipes/min. It became a sensation at IDEA ’16 and received many post exhibition orders. This high speed and high capacity cross fold machine will also be shown as INDEX ’17 along with its new design flat pack machine with automatic splices on both single and jumbo bobbin stands. A fully equipped demo line is constantly running at Kansan’s facility with throughput up-to 200 packs/minute and on single head flow pack with up to 140 packs/minute and its lid applicator with up to 120 packs/min capacity.
www.kansanmak.com
Maxcess
Maxcess is introducing the D-MAX Enhanced web guide controller from Fife, a groundbreaking update to the flagship D-MAX controller. The DMAX Enhanced is an OEM friendly controller building on the power of the original D-MAX, which has been praised in the industry for its “dual rail” power, single or dual drive options and is a GRAF-based state machine programmability with groundbreaking new features. The D-MAX now offers power input reverse polarity protection, standard PTP-2 and PTP-1, Device Level Ring (DLR) connectivity, Add On Profile (AOP) for Rockwell PLC’s, any language support, a C-script programming language and backward compatibility with existing DMAX controllers. The newly enhanced DMAX is a major upgrade for operators.
www.maxcessintl.com
Mondon
Mondon Winding and Converting Machines has been engineering and manufacturing converting machines since 1983. With its 33 year experience in coating and laminating machinery, the company offers products that meet quality, efficiency and reliability.
The automatic turret unwinder TUW Series offers a quick-change function which means a new roll begins automatically when the previous one is finished. Thus, producing lines never stop. The nonstop process aims to unwind reels without stopping the downstream coating or laminating process of the line. During the unwinding process, a new roll can be loaded in hidden time thanks to roll down end and dedicated cartridge. Moreover, the TUW Series unwinder insures a constant speed to maintain tension in the line process. Specially engineered to improve process performance, TUW Series ensure to users easy installation, easy handling and durability.
Downstream the process area, Mondon installs its TW Series winders, achieving high productivity first-class results. This turret winder supports two shafts to unload a bobbin while rewinding a new one. TW Series Winder combines performance with durability and first-rate technology. TW Series technology permits to wind large bobbins or small rolls thanks to a multi-cut station. TW Series Winder control is performed thanks to a network application with the upstream processing line. Thanks to its non-stop process, the winder avoids transition sequences. The accuracy of the TW Series turret winder rotation is a key factor to maintain a very constant tension in the product and to deliver the highest quality reels.
www.mondon.com
Nanoval
Directly spun cellulose nonwoven webs (spunlaid cellulose) that are fully flushable are being made through a new process developed by Nanoval, a manufacturer of spinning systems for cellulose/Lyocell and other materials—such as PP, PE, PA, PET, PLA, PBT, PPS, aramids and others.
Nanoval, located in Berlin, Germany, exploits a unique gas-dynamic effect using a Laval nozzle for atomizing metal melts into spherical metal powders—applied for coatings, thermal spraying and, in the recent past more and more, for three-dimensional printing so-called additive manufacturing, AM—but also for spinning polymer melts and spin-dopes (spin-solutions) to nonwoven webs.
The new and proprietary process is able to produce fully flushable nonwovens in a continuous, wet-laid process as a base for fully flushable wipes.
Nanoval’s split-spinning process was developed in the past decade. Various raw materials for the Lyocell spin-dope, consisting of N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO), water and cellulose material, as dissolving pulp, cotton linters, paper pulp – even waste paper 50: 50 with paper pulp were successfully used.
As reported in the past, the robust process is able to work with large diameters of spinholes so that even functional additives such as super absorbent polymer (SAP), activated carbon or pure wood particles were added to the spin-dope, so that they were incorporated in the filaments during spinning procedure.
Up to now, the filaments of these nonwovens have been mostly continuous, self-entangled and thus the webs were always stable under dry and wet condition.
The latest research by Nanoval on cellulose spunlaids led to a new spinning method to produce nonwovens, which fully disintegrate in e. g. slosh-box trials after short time. As the raw material was pure cellulose, the webs are biodegradable.
www.nanoval.com
National Jet
National Jet Company is a U.S.-based company that manufactures all types of spinnerettes, including spunbond and meltblown dies for fiber producers around the world. Additionally, National Jet repairs and refurbish these dies and spinnerettes, even if they were not produced by them. National Jet focuses on micro hole manufacturing technologies to provide dies that are accurate and consistent. All work is done in the U.S.
www.nationaljet.com
Nordson
Nordson provides innovative solutions to help improve productivity and to optimize adhesive use for disposable hygiene manufacturers. Through a portfolio of variation management solutions, Nordson helps identify and control inconsistencies in material delivery in-line and in real-time.
Nordson’s variation management systems include a broad range of options to meet specific product and production requirements. Manufacturers can measure and/or control flow across the entire machine speed range, even during ramp-up and ramp down phases.
The Nordson TruFlow product series helps manufacturers control material dispensing through innovative, passively driven, gear pumps that enable closed-loop flow control during the demanding ramp-up and ramp down phases, as well as at stable machine speed. Our TruFlow products enable customers to improve production efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for costly motor controls that drive traditional gear pumps.
The TruFlow meter is a simple, positive-displacement device that accurately measures actual material flow rates during all production phases for a wide spectrum of material viscosities and temperatures. TruFlow meters adapt to most production environments and can be added to existing production lines or included with new systems to provide accurate measurement of material flow.
Nordson TruFlow dividers split a single adhesive stream into as many as eight individual flow-metered streams. Splitting material delivery from a single melter to multiple delivery points reduces equipment costs and system complexity. Locating the divider closer to the point of application both improves add-on accuracy and reduces waste.
The Nordson Concert flow controller monitors and controls material flow for up to four channels, measuring and comparing actual material delivery to the production requirement and continuously adjusting melter pump output in real-time. Additionally, this Concert controller expands melters’ capacity by providing individual temperature control for up to five channels.
Nordson’s melter-integrated variation management options include VersaBlue Plus and AltaBlue Touch melters that offer optional melter-integrated flow monitoring and closed-loop control. Integrating flow control simplifies installation and necessary equipment as well as provides ease-of-use for programming and system operating status through the melters’ intuitive, touch screen interfaces.
www.nordson.com
Optima Nonwovens
Optima Nonwovens develops leading-edge technologies for packaging paper hygiene articles. The packaging lines take over diapers, sanitary napkins and bathroom tissue rolls from the production machines in a synchronous manner and packages them in plastic film. The flexible systems can accommodate everything from the smallest packages to jumbo packs. Inspection functions and secondary packaging capabilities are integrated to achieve automated complete lines. In addition to high-volume systems, the product range also includes machines of small to medium capacity. The division guarantees quick, professional service with 13 international locations. Optima Nonwovens GmbH is a member of the Optima packaging group GmbH (Schwäbisch Hall), which employs a workforce of 2,050 around the globe.
www.optima-nonwovens.com
Parkinson Technologies
The Dusenbery 280 Center Surface Slitter Rewinder from Parkinson Technologies is ideal for both high and low volume converting operations seeking the versatility to accurately slit paper, film, nonwovens or foam up to 86 inches (2185mm) wide with center, center-surface or center winding in minimum gap mode. The 280 features a new and innovative direct-acting winding carriage that provides exacting nip control and winding tension as well as an exceptional ergonomic design providing easy/safe access to wound rolls and slitter blades. Slitting options include razor, shear or score. Automatic blade positioning, laser core positioning and an advanced control structure help to consistently produce the highest quality rolls quickly and economically.
The 280 is the newest model in the Flex Series slitter rewinder line from Dusenbery Converting Systems offering exceptional flexibility for slitting and rewinding of rolls up to 50-inch diameter at speeds up to 2500 fpm.
www.parkinsontechnologies.com
Osprey
Osprey focuses its efforts on advancing its technology to bring its customers new and innovative features and services. Its newest innovation is the Osprey App. This latest development will enhance the Osprey Filter experience. The new app’s benefits and features include: date trending and predictive maintenance, fast diagnosis and troubleshooting, remote programming and monitoring, custom alerts and analytics, safe and secure VPN connections, manuals and installation videos, technical service requests and spare parts ordering.
The app also contains customizable options for each filter. Users can check filter status and monitoring at the touch of a button and have access to drawings and schematics at any time, and this can be updated as filters are added. The app’s Notification Center is a valuable tool that will keep your filters on a scheduled maintenance plan preventing excess downtime.
www.ospreyfilters.com
Penn United
Penn United Technologies, Inc., a global leader supplying tungsten carbide components and sub-assemblies, offers rotary die and ultrasonic tooling preforms, semi-finished preforms, and arbor-mounted carbide components to equipment makers in the nonwovens market. As a fully vertically integrated manufacturer of tungsten carbide and carbide/steel sub-assemblies.
www.pennunited.com
Rando Machine
Rando Machine Corporation designs and manufactures airlaid machine applications for automotive, abrasives, filtration, health, furniture, and specialty applications; such as military, aerospace, and agricultural. Rando is a pioneer in airlaid nonwovens technologies headquartered in Macedon, NY, and ships worldwide.
Rando works closely with its customers to develop the right solution to fit their exact application. New innovations in air flow technology and their airlaid machinery line, can directly assist a customer looking to improve both the quality and throughput of end product performance metrics.
www.rando.com
Reicofil
Nonwovens machinery specialist Reicofil has developed new nonwovens technology that will allow it to improve its offerings to hygiene applications while expanding into new market areas. The company’s developments in high loft spunbond technology offers unique possibilities for the manufacture of thick, soft nonwovens that have the potential to unlock new areas of application for its customers, according Michael Maas, operations director Research & Development at Reicofil.
The hygiene market is seeing an uptick in demand for bulky and soft nonwovens, a trend that is being driven by Asian and influencing the European and U.S. diaper markets: These soft touch applications play an increasingly important role, especially in top sheet and back sheet applications where mid-segment product ranges are being gradually squeezed out of the market by premium products. Maas comments: “In the future, our customers will have to offer soft nonwoven products all over the world. It is critical to their businesses to adopt developments early and to be innovative. We already started years ago to develop the technology basis for softer products. Today we are able to offer various solutions for different customer needs.”
Voluminous nonwovens generally consist of self-crimping fibers but the Reicofil bico technology, uses filaments from two different raw materials produced in a side-by-structure and bonded using hot air or a special embossing calendar. The result is a premium nonwoven used as a top and backsheet in premium diapers.
“Our technology is reliable and efficient,” Maas says. “It offers a perfect balance of production costs and product properties.”
The process for 3D nonwovens is being constantly developed at the Reicofil Technology Center, the world’s largest research and development center dedicated to the production of spunbond nonwovens. In Troisdorf, Reicofil uses three high-tech lines to carry out research in close cooperation with customers, institutions and other partners.
Another area where Reicofil sees potential for its high loft nonwovens is in packaging of bulk goods. The company’s “Rethinking Packaging” project includes solutions for packaging bulk materials with nonwovens. The team has developed nonwoven cement bag prototypes. “Imagine transferring this solution to packaging all kinds of bulk goods—there is a gigantic potential for nonwovens in the packaging industry,” Maas adds. “Our current developments will wipe away paper bags and woven polypropylene bags due to its superior performance per weight and its unbeatable price.”
www.reicofil.com
Sandvik Hyperion
Sandvik Hyperion is a global company specialized in hard and super-hard applied materials. Within the nonwovens market, Sandvik Hyperion is a leader in the rotary cutting solutions for the hygiene business. The high quality of its products, combined to the engineering service, customer assistance and global/local service, make it easy to find the right solution for the hygiene producer’s needs.
The hygiene business is evolving to higher converting line speeds, more difficult to cut raw materials, new cutting profiles which all require reliable cutting solutions.
For these reasons, Sandvik has developed the HTC unit, designed with the most advanced technology to ensure reliable, long lasting and repeatable performance. This includes, among other features, a vibration damping system to maximize the tool lifetime, a unique vacuum design for the perfect trim and pad control, a low inertia anvil for short ramp-up and deceleration times.
The result is an almost flat total operating cost, with high machine efficiency, reduced waste and downtimes.
The solution has proven to work on babycare machines running at 600 m/min, achieving hundred millions of cuts without the need of any maintenance.
The Bridge product line is a new generation product line designed for those hygiene producers whose machine technology is not fully exploited with steel cutters and who might not afford the investment for a premium carbide technology.
Hygiene producers are often hesitant to make the big jump between the steel cutter technology, in general a low investment solution generating high operating costs, to the carbide one, a higher investment solution with a payback time which depends on the running parameters of the converting machine. “Bridge” is therefore making the right liaison between those technologies: it allows them to discover the superior lifetime of the carbide material, by granting a performance / investment ratio suitable to the machine technology where the cutting solution is installed.
Bridge is available for the most common femcare and babycare machines on the market today, running at a maximum speed of 250 m/min.
www.sandvikhyperion.com
SonicAire
The SonicAire fan is the only proactive solution that prevents fugitive combustible dust and lint from accumulating on overhead structures. It is powered by BarrierAire technology, creating an air curtain that shields structures from dust buildup allowing facilities to consistently maintain high levels of clean to comply with OSHA regulations on overhead combustible dust.
www.sonicaire.com
Sonobond Ultrasonics
Sonobond Ultrasonics’ units seal, seam, and trim—all in one quick pass. Its high-frequency vibratory waves produce safer medical garments and disposable items with secure, bonded edges without stitch holes, glue gaps, fraying or unraveling to meet tough OSHA regulatory requirements for barrier seams. No thread, glue, or other consumables are required. Sonobond provides free sample bonds using a user’s own material and manufactures a wide variety of machines that assemble many synthetic woven and nonwoven material items, including HEPA-rated filters, industrial and commercial vacuum bags, oil absorbers and oil containment booms, automobile air filters, and filtration products used by the chemical/pharmaceutical, environmental, food/beverage and manufacturing industries.
The popular SeamMaster High Profile Ultrasonic Sewing Machine utilizes a patented rotary operation of continuous bonding, just like a traditional sewing machine. It has a large pattern wheel, high clearance and ability to accommodate bulky materials and hand-guided operations with tight tolerances and curves. In fact, this machine is used by most major body armor manufacturers to seal the inner nylon shell of ballistic vests and produce a bond so reliable that it complies with National Institute of Justice submersion test standards to protect from water leaks.
www.sonobondultrasonics.com
Technology Transfer Services
From humble beginnings Technology Transfer Services, Inc. has leveraged its relationship through a long time partnership with Sail Nonwoven Machinery Co., Ltd. in Changshu, Jiangsu China. Serving the North American nonwoven and recycling markets with machinery and consulting services. TTS provides a comprehensive and custom designed equipment selection process to meet customer specific process requirements with maximum capacities and quality in mind. Areas of expertise are in high loft and needlepunch processes for automotive, furniture and industrial applications. All machinery is designed by TTS and built to the highest of standards. Each build is monitored and supervised by TTS Engineers in China and the U.S. The Control Systems are designed and built in the U.S. and integrated with the machinery at its Spartanburg, SC ,facility prior to delivery and installation in the customer’s plant.
Expertise and equipment selection starts from fiber to the finished products with cost competitive advantages for the customer. Equipment ranges from fiber bale opening, weigh blending, fine opening, carding or aero dynamic web formation. Cross lapping with traditional carriage cross lapper to ultra high speed double belt cross lapper. Needlepunching machines for all kinds of needle products, including velour or structure pattern needling. Air lay web forming and thermo bonding lines, tearing and recycling lines, and mold gantry and fiber blowing lines. TTS also supplies semi automatic to fully automatic winder and pad stacking machinery including guillotine cross cutters.
www.tt-services-usa.com
Teknoweb Converting
Exige 2 from wipes equipment supplier Teknoweb offers real advantages in producing cross-folded wipes at high speeds (1.200 wipes/min) with a low cost per unit and reducing scraps.
The Exige 2 line is characterized by a simple design without equal. It allows users to produce wipes with reduced dimensions, an energy consumption up to 80% lower than the previous versions, a minimum operational staff required and automatic controls of quality.
Exige 2 is able to process all type of materials (even very thin paper based ones) completely automatically.
Undoubtedly, Exige 2 sets a reference point for all who want to develop a technology for cross-folded wipes. Exige 2 has become a reference because of working speed (1400 cuts/min on a two lane equipment), automation (latest technology from Allen Bradley like new L8 Control Logix or KNX 5700) and product safety (pharma standards and vision quality controls).
The Exige range is now expanded to offer even more. The brand new S version and the ultimate high-speed version allow users to reach the extreme productivity of 3.000 wipes/min to boost the production capacity without compromise on quality and performance.
www.teknoweb.com
Treutzschler
The Can Filling Station T-MOVE from Truetzschler is an entirely new solution for filling cans at the card.
In recent years, card productions have increased rapidly. The can changers, however, have not adapted accordingly. To change a can, the delivery speed of the card must be significantly lowered and then increased again after the change. This reduces efficiency and impacts sliver quality.
T-MOVE performs can changes at delivery speeds up to 300 m/min. This is only possible due to the controlled movement of a machine element. The cans remain stationary.
The sliver, of course, is automatically separated at a precisely defined point. Simultaneously with the movement of the filling head, the full can comes to a stop and the empty can starts to turn. All other can changers require reduced speed during the can change. The relatively unstable cans are not suited for the increased accelerations and decelerations.
The use of even larger cans at the card is possible with T-MOVE. The new Jumbo Cans have a diameter of 1200 mm and hold 43% more sliver than regular cans with 1000 mm diameter. This increases economic efficiency and improves quality by eliminating unnecessary sliver piecings in the creel of the downstream draw frame.
www. treutzschler.de
Valco Melton
Valco Melton is a world-leading manufacturer of adhesive application and electronic monitoring equipment. From sanitary products such as baby diapers, feminine towels and tissues, to medical and surgical products, Valco Melton offers a complete line of nonwoven systems and components for producing a variety of patterns and widths for all hot melt applications associated with most hygiene product manufacturing requirements.
www.valco-melton.com
Xerium
Xerium offers the most comprehensive combination of synthetic and wire belts, roll covers and spreader rolls for all nonwoven fabric manufacturing. With a wide variety of uniquely designed products—including Xerium’s exclusive Smart Technology—for nonwovens, converting and embossing applications, Xerium is the expert at providing an exceptional range of products for every line configuration in every global market. Its integrated solutions are focused on helping its customers further reduce operating costs, improve product quality, and get greater value from their assets. Xerium products and solutions may be recognized though the fine divisions of Stowe Woodward, Huyck.Wangner, Mount Hope, JJ Plank and Spencer Johnston.
www.xerium.com/nonwovens
Compiled by Nonwovens Industry Staff
A.Celli Nonwovens has been designing and manufacturing machinery for the nonwovens industry for more than 70 years and currently has a recognized leadership position in its core markets.
A.Celli Nonwovens offers a comprehensive range of master roll winders and slitter-rewinders featuring state-of-the-art solutions customized to spunbond, spunmelt, spunlace and airlaid nonwovens roll goods production with a special focus on lightweight fabrics and high speed production. The machinery range is completed by non-stop flying splice unwinders and multi-functional lines.
Iridium is the innovative and flexible A.Celli print revolution developed to offer the highest quality printing onto different kinds of substrates including nonwovens, PP/PE film and tissue with a wide range of basis weights, enhancing the process chain, offering roll goods producers the possibility of adding aesthetic benefits to their products, empowering their brands with high definition designs and images.
A.Celli Nonwovens puts a strong emphasis on the level of assistance and service it offers its customers, with comprehensive plans of expert machinery consultation and software updates, upgrades and retrofits to existing lines, machinery integration and equipment assessments for updates or revamps to improve quality, performance and throughput. The company offers technology transfer and training workshops known as Winding School, which can either take place at the customer’s manufacturing facilities or in Italy at the headquarters in Lucca, Tuscany.
www.acelli.it
Aurizon Ultrasonics
The Sonibond Elastic Entrapment solution from Aurizon Ultrasonics is a patented process of attaching elastic strands to nonwovens without adhesives. Elastic strands and nonwoven substrates pass through a high-speed rotary ultrasonic drum and anvil, entrapping the elastic strands between the nonwoven substrates. This game-changing technology has been extensively tested and is available today.
The removal of glue from the elastic bonding process eliminates delay events caused by adhesive contamination and overspray. In addition, the end user experiences a softer feel, greater comfort and improved elastic performance without creep.
In addition to elastic entrapment, Aurizon offers additional Sonibond solutions for bonding many different nonwoven substrates. The company offers engineered solutions for various applications including feature attachment, core bonding, acquisition layers and back sheets.
www.aurizonultrasonics.com
Calemard (Spoolex Group)
A few months ago, one of Calemard’s Chinese customers decided to increase its spooling capacity to convert its sensitive air-through-bonded nonwovens for hygiene applications and Calemard suggested a special Pegase line with several special features to better respond to this high quality project for the production of spools of acquisition/distribution layers as low as 18 gsm as well as wide strips of top sheet materials (up to 190 mm).
There were several major challenges facing this project. One was to improve the material flow efficiency between the nonwoven line and the spooling by increasing the maximum mother roll width to 1.5 meters. Another was to engineer and manufacture a compact line with a limited footprint, while maintaining the Pegase standards of quality—including no material alteration through the process, production with high reliability and consistency of quality jumbo spools with the requested compaction rate and front walls.
Calemard has met this challenge and at the beginning of last May when it commissioned the widest known spooling line in the world. This customized Pegase integrates both standard and some specially engineered solutions with special unwinders, splicing and slitting modules to accommodate wide mother rolls. In addition, to maintaining high standards on the web and strip tension controls up to 10 heads, Calemard developed some special web and strip tension units.
www.calemard.com
Chase Machinery
Chase Machine and Engineering designs and builds custom web handling equipment that processes films, foils and woven/nonwoven/knit fabrics while controlling, speed, tension and guidance with a primary focus on integrating technologies such as ultrasonics, impulse welding, hot air welding, adhesive dispensing, RF welding, band sealing, extruders and CO2 lasers.
Specialists in manufacturing unwinds, rewinds, slitters, laminators, traverse winders, cut-to-length machines, festooners, accumulators, ultrasonic sewing machines as well as custom machines that produces a plethora of consumer products such as face masks, wipes, safety vests, air/liquid filters, medical devices and hygiene products, Chase can employ its 60-plus years of web handling experience to benefit customers in the filtration, medical, packaging, automotive, textile and geotextile market segments.
www.chasemachine.com
Dienes Corporation
Dienes Corporation has launched Quick Set, a self-contained slitting positioning system designed and custom manufactured for the integration into new or existing production lines. The innovative Quick Set technology developed by the Dienes Group is capable of simultaneously positioning all slitting stations of the top (male) and bottom (female) axis in a matter of seconds, while guaranteeing high levels of accuracy and repeatability.
Using the latest technologies available to the industry, Dienes Corporation designed an automatic positioning system that utilizes specially designed adapters propelled by individual motors in conjunction with an absolute location device to allow for precise and simultaneous movement of all cutting stations at once. The average positioning cycle is accomplished in seconds and the actual positioning time depends upon the number of knife station assemblies utilized and the distances travelled by each cutting station.
www.dienes.com
Dilo
The newly developed card “VectorQuadroCard,” developed by Dilo, incorporates a completely new “modular transfer group” between breast and main section. The flexible and quick change of this “transfer group” makes possible three different card types—as random card with random rollers, doffers, condenser rolls and take-off rollers. The universal model series “VectorQuadroCard” comprises variable components for all kinds of applications. Focus is laid on high throughput with good web quality.
Also new from Dilo is the crosslapper type “Super-DLSC 200” that allows electro-mechanical speeds of up to 200 m/min for web infeed speeds, depending on the fiber specification. It aims at reducing a possible bottleneck for the total throughput of the complete installation. At the crosslapper infeed, Dilo offers the proven “CV1A” web regulation system for an improved evenness of the needlefelt with a great potential for fiber savings.
Dilo’s portfolio also includes a compact line, which is designed for the production of small amounts of high quality felts used in the medical sector and for specialty felts made from fibers such as carbon. The needle module technology has been designed especially for the intense needling of the model series Hyperpunch and Cyclopunch in order to allow an economic needle insertion of these boards with more than 20,000 needles/m/board. The insertion speed and precision are considerably increased by “X22 module technology” compared to single needle insertion.
The new “Variopunch technology” is based on a modified needle module technology, which can erase bad spots in the felt, by a variable needle arrangement in order to achieve a better evenness of the stitching pattern. Variopunch allows a homogeneous distribution of stitches for better surface quality in automotive applications.
www.dilo.com
Dover Flexo
Dover Flexo Electronics, Inc. (DFE) has released the EasyWeb open-loop torque controller to maintain tension on nonwovens web converting and finishing lines. DFE offers the EasyWeb controller which works based on a diameter calculator signal as a lower-cost alternative to the highly precise transducer-based tension controllers for applications that require less web tension precision.
Unlike DFE’s tension controllers that take an input signal from tension transducers (load cells), web tension with the EasyWeb is maintained by controlling motor or brake torque based on the calculated variation of roll diameter as a roll is wound or unwound. An inertia compensation parameter is provided to obtain greater control of web tension during changes in line speed.
www.dfe.com
Elsner Engineering
Elsner Engineering offers converting machinery that promises speed, efficiency and reliability with more than 3000 machines operating in over 60 countries. Its ENR-1000 nonwovens rewinder is a fully-automated solution that can be the keystone of a self-contained wipes production line. For rolled canister wipes, Elsner partners with Shemesh Automation to provide the total solution, from master roll to case packed finished goods. The ENR-1000 also offers the “glueless” ultrasonic tail tie option.
The ZFV-2-20 is a folding machine for most nonwoven fabrics, increasing productivity for dry and wet solutions; the CUPR-50 is an automatic small roll rewinder perfect for coreless undercast padding, yet versatile enough for many nonwoven substrates.
www.elsnereng.com
Filcon Fabrics
Filcon’s Spunpro mesh belt is the company’s latest development for the nonwovens industry. This belt is designed to optimize web formation on spunbond production lines. The innovative and unique belt design offers significant benefits to spunbond manufacturers. Running cleaner is one of the big performance benefits of Spunpro belts. Spunpro performance results show a dramatic reduction in fiber dust. Thus minimizing fiber dust related web defects and machine cleaning time.
The specialized weave structure of this belt has attained best-in-market results with regard to polymer drops resistance. This has been achieved by weave structure, without chemical treatment of the belt. Chemical treatments often have a shorter effective period than the life time of the belt itself. Filcon’s weave structure solution avoids the problems associated with chemical coatings of belts. Cleaning polymer drops off belts can be very time consuming. In effect, the Spunpro belt resists accumulation of such unwanted resin drops, thus shortening cleaning times.
Spunpro was developed with facilitate lightweight webs and high speed machines, accommodating 8gsm and 1000 m/min production.
www.filcon-fabrics.com/nonwoven
Gneuss
Gneuss, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, offers turnkey solutions for processing industrial fiber waste. The method offers the following advantages including direct processing without pre-drying or crystallization, decontamination of contaminants, spinning oils and odors, direct processing of materials, high IV stability even when processing different moisture levels, high melt and product quality, high line flexibility, fast material changes, significant energy savings, and LNO of the FDA even for 100% post-consumer recycling content. A significant element of the process is the modular set-up of the individual components, combined with the Gneuss Processing Unit (GPU). The GPU with the innovative Extruder MRS and self-cleaning, process and pressure constant Rotary Melt Filtration Systems removes moisture, spinning oils or other adhering volatile components and solid contaminants. The melt produced comes close to having the properties of new products.
www.gneuss.de
Herrmann Ultrasonics
In response to customer requests for higher speeds, Herrmann Ultrasonics has increased the speed capabilities of its high-speed ultrasonic laboratory calender (ULC 500), now aptly named the ULC 600+. This latest advancement to the modern lab calender makes it feasible to run faster than 600 meters /min (2000 feet /per minute).
“Industry players come to the Herrmann Ultrasonics’ Nonwoven Lab for material evaluation, feasibility tests and process and product development. We show how ultrasonic technology can be incorporated into their existing production environment. We work with well-known machine builders and manufacturers on nonwoven applications,” says executive vice president and general manager Uwe Peregi.
Ultrasonic vibrations can replace hot melt and thermal calender applications in the hygiene and filter industry. It is energy-efficient and offers fast cycle times without any consumables. A sophisticated control system within the ultrasonic module copes with varying material thickness and enables reproducible runs. The process becomes clean and manageable.
www.herrmannultrasonics.com
Kadant
Kadant Solutions, a division of Kadant Inc., has launched its AccuFlake PRO blade holder for use with OEM drum flaking doctors. The patent-pending blade holder replaces existing clamp-type OEM flaking doctor holders to improve flaking and cleaning performance with its “floating” doctor blade feature. The AccuFlake PRO blade holder’s design permits separation of all parts for thorough and efficient cleaning. The cost-effective blade holder is made of high-strength aluminum and can be supplied with a variety of proprietary coatings for enhanced performance and cleanliness.
Based on data from field trials, the AccuFlake PRO holder can reduce blade change time from several minutes to less than 30 seconds. The new holder also allows for the use of a thinner “floating” blade designs which operate with significantly lower loading pressure. As a result, blade operating life is increased and less wear is placed on the drum surface. The holder is designed for easy disassembly and cleaning and can be retrofitted to virtually any existing OEM doctor system in a short period.
www.kadant.com
Kansan Machinery
Kansan offers revolutionary innovations and state-of-the-art technologies in wet wipe production technologies, proudly adapting to the shifting dynamics, enviably providing projects based on global demands and delivering tailor-made solutions with the purpose of generating success and profit to its clients. This dedication gives Kansan a strongly rooted technological and commercial know-how resulting in executing outstanding projects both in domestic market and more than 40 countries.
Kansan’s professional team helps clients reach their targets with complete satisfaction while staying in the limits of time and budget frame. Each machine is redesigned with every detail engineered according to these needs. The hand-selected R&D team relentlessly strives to create more innovative and efficient methods. Client-focused approach, constant R&D and latest technology applications separate Kansan from its rivals, enabling it to be a reliable long term business partner with a leader position.
The concept of quality shows itself from material selection to after sales customer service. Kansan work with trend-setting component suppliers to create machines with cutting-edge technology and offers efficiency and high speed, fully automatic operation, less manpower and product waste, less maintenance, easy and quick changeover and advanced level of safety and hygiene.
Kansan provides complete and compact wet wipe system solutions. In addition to flat pack and cross fold wet wipe converting machines, it makes wet wipe packaging machines and lid applicators. Its brand new cross fold machine with automatic splice and mechanical folding system (no vacuum) can produce 2400 wipes/min. It became a sensation at IDEA ’16 and received many post exhibition orders. This high speed and high capacity cross fold machine will also be shown as INDEX ’17 along with its new design flat pack machine with automatic splices on both single and jumbo bobbin stands. A fully equipped demo line is constantly running at Kansan’s facility with throughput up-to 200 packs/minute and on single head flow pack with up to 140 packs/minute and its lid applicator with up to 120 packs/min capacity.
www.kansanmak.com
Maxcess
Maxcess is introducing the D-MAX Enhanced web guide controller from Fife, a groundbreaking update to the flagship D-MAX controller. The DMAX Enhanced is an OEM friendly controller building on the power of the original D-MAX, which has been praised in the industry for its “dual rail” power, single or dual drive options and is a GRAF-based state machine programmability with groundbreaking new features. The D-MAX now offers power input reverse polarity protection, standard PTP-2 and PTP-1, Device Level Ring (DLR) connectivity, Add On Profile (AOP) for Rockwell PLC’s, any language support, a C-script programming language and backward compatibility with existing DMAX controllers. The newly enhanced DMAX is a major upgrade for operators.
www.maxcessintl.com
Mondon
Mondon Winding and Converting Machines has been engineering and manufacturing converting machines since 1983. With its 33 year experience in coating and laminating machinery, the company offers products that meet quality, efficiency and reliability.
The automatic turret unwinder TUW Series offers a quick-change function which means a new roll begins automatically when the previous one is finished. Thus, producing lines never stop. The nonstop process aims to unwind reels without stopping the downstream coating or laminating process of the line. During the unwinding process, a new roll can be loaded in hidden time thanks to roll down end and dedicated cartridge. Moreover, the TUW Series unwinder insures a constant speed to maintain tension in the line process. Specially engineered to improve process performance, TUW Series ensure to users easy installation, easy handling and durability.
Downstream the process area, Mondon installs its TW Series winders, achieving high productivity first-class results. This turret winder supports two shafts to unload a bobbin while rewinding a new one. TW Series Winder combines performance with durability and first-rate technology. TW Series technology permits to wind large bobbins or small rolls thanks to a multi-cut station. TW Series Winder control is performed thanks to a network application with the upstream processing line. Thanks to its non-stop process, the winder avoids transition sequences. The accuracy of the TW Series turret winder rotation is a key factor to maintain a very constant tension in the product and to deliver the highest quality reels.
www.mondon.com
Nanoval
Directly spun cellulose nonwoven webs (spunlaid cellulose) that are fully flushable are being made through a new process developed by Nanoval, a manufacturer of spinning systems for cellulose/Lyocell and other materials—such as PP, PE, PA, PET, PLA, PBT, PPS, aramids and others.
Nanoval, located in Berlin, Germany, exploits a unique gas-dynamic effect using a Laval nozzle for atomizing metal melts into spherical metal powders—applied for coatings, thermal spraying and, in the recent past more and more, for three-dimensional printing so-called additive manufacturing, AM—but also for spinning polymer melts and spin-dopes (spin-solutions) to nonwoven webs.
The new and proprietary process is able to produce fully flushable nonwovens in a continuous, wet-laid process as a base for fully flushable wipes.
Nanoval’s split-spinning process was developed in the past decade. Various raw materials for the Lyocell spin-dope, consisting of N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO), water and cellulose material, as dissolving pulp, cotton linters, paper pulp – even waste paper 50: 50 with paper pulp were successfully used.
As reported in the past, the robust process is able to work with large diameters of spinholes so that even functional additives such as super absorbent polymer (SAP), activated carbon or pure wood particles were added to the spin-dope, so that they were incorporated in the filaments during spinning procedure.
Up to now, the filaments of these nonwovens have been mostly continuous, self-entangled and thus the webs were always stable under dry and wet condition.
The latest research by Nanoval on cellulose spunlaids led to a new spinning method to produce nonwovens, which fully disintegrate in e. g. slosh-box trials after short time. As the raw material was pure cellulose, the webs are biodegradable.
www.nanoval.com
National Jet
National Jet Company is a U.S.-based company that manufactures all types of spinnerettes, including spunbond and meltblown dies for fiber producers around the world. Additionally, National Jet repairs and refurbish these dies and spinnerettes, even if they were not produced by them. National Jet focuses on micro hole manufacturing technologies to provide dies that are accurate and consistent. All work is done in the U.S.
www.nationaljet.com
Nordson
Nordson provides innovative solutions to help improve productivity and to optimize adhesive use for disposable hygiene manufacturers. Through a portfolio of variation management solutions, Nordson helps identify and control inconsistencies in material delivery in-line and in real-time.
Nordson’s variation management systems include a broad range of options to meet specific product and production requirements. Manufacturers can measure and/or control flow across the entire machine speed range, even during ramp-up and ramp down phases.
The Nordson TruFlow product series helps manufacturers control material dispensing through innovative, passively driven, gear pumps that enable closed-loop flow control during the demanding ramp-up and ramp down phases, as well as at stable machine speed. Our TruFlow products enable customers to improve production efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for costly motor controls that drive traditional gear pumps.
The TruFlow meter is a simple, positive-displacement device that accurately measures actual material flow rates during all production phases for a wide spectrum of material viscosities and temperatures. TruFlow meters adapt to most production environments and can be added to existing production lines or included with new systems to provide accurate measurement of material flow.
Nordson TruFlow dividers split a single adhesive stream into as many as eight individual flow-metered streams. Splitting material delivery from a single melter to multiple delivery points reduces equipment costs and system complexity. Locating the divider closer to the point of application both improves add-on accuracy and reduces waste.
The Nordson Concert flow controller monitors and controls material flow for up to four channels, measuring and comparing actual material delivery to the production requirement and continuously adjusting melter pump output in real-time. Additionally, this Concert controller expands melters’ capacity by providing individual temperature control for up to five channels.
Nordson’s melter-integrated variation management options include VersaBlue Plus and AltaBlue Touch melters that offer optional melter-integrated flow monitoring and closed-loop control. Integrating flow control simplifies installation and necessary equipment as well as provides ease-of-use for programming and system operating status through the melters’ intuitive, touch screen interfaces.
www.nordson.com
Optima Nonwovens
Optima Nonwovens develops leading-edge technologies for packaging paper hygiene articles. The packaging lines take over diapers, sanitary napkins and bathroom tissue rolls from the production machines in a synchronous manner and packages them in plastic film. The flexible systems can accommodate everything from the smallest packages to jumbo packs. Inspection functions and secondary packaging capabilities are integrated to achieve automated complete lines. In addition to high-volume systems, the product range also includes machines of small to medium capacity. The division guarantees quick, professional service with 13 international locations. Optima Nonwovens GmbH is a member of the Optima packaging group GmbH (Schwäbisch Hall), which employs a workforce of 2,050 around the globe.
www.optima-nonwovens.com
Parkinson Technologies
The Dusenbery 280 Center Surface Slitter Rewinder from Parkinson Technologies is ideal for both high and low volume converting operations seeking the versatility to accurately slit paper, film, nonwovens or foam up to 86 inches (2185mm) wide with center, center-surface or center winding in minimum gap mode. The 280 features a new and innovative direct-acting winding carriage that provides exacting nip control and winding tension as well as an exceptional ergonomic design providing easy/safe access to wound rolls and slitter blades. Slitting options include razor, shear or score. Automatic blade positioning, laser core positioning and an advanced control structure help to consistently produce the highest quality rolls quickly and economically.
The 280 is the newest model in the Flex Series slitter rewinder line from Dusenbery Converting Systems offering exceptional flexibility for slitting and rewinding of rolls up to 50-inch diameter at speeds up to 2500 fpm.
www.parkinsontechnologies.com
Osprey
Osprey focuses its efforts on advancing its technology to bring its customers new and innovative features and services. Its newest innovation is the Osprey App. This latest development will enhance the Osprey Filter experience. The new app’s benefits and features include: date trending and predictive maintenance, fast diagnosis and troubleshooting, remote programming and monitoring, custom alerts and analytics, safe and secure VPN connections, manuals and installation videos, technical service requests and spare parts ordering.
The app also contains customizable options for each filter. Users can check filter status and monitoring at the touch of a button and have access to drawings and schematics at any time, and this can be updated as filters are added. The app’s Notification Center is a valuable tool that will keep your filters on a scheduled maintenance plan preventing excess downtime.
www.ospreyfilters.com
Penn United
Penn United Technologies, Inc., a global leader supplying tungsten carbide components and sub-assemblies, offers rotary die and ultrasonic tooling preforms, semi-finished preforms, and arbor-mounted carbide components to equipment makers in the nonwovens market. As a fully vertically integrated manufacturer of tungsten carbide and carbide/steel sub-assemblies.
www.pennunited.com
Rando Machine
Rando Machine Corporation designs and manufactures airlaid machine applications for automotive, abrasives, filtration, health, furniture, and specialty applications; such as military, aerospace, and agricultural. Rando is a pioneer in airlaid nonwovens technologies headquartered in Macedon, NY, and ships worldwide.
Rando works closely with its customers to develop the right solution to fit their exact application. New innovations in air flow technology and their airlaid machinery line, can directly assist a customer looking to improve both the quality and throughput of end product performance metrics.
www.rando.com
Reicofil
Nonwovens machinery specialist Reicofil has developed new nonwovens technology that will allow it to improve its offerings to hygiene applications while expanding into new market areas. The company’s developments in high loft spunbond technology offers unique possibilities for the manufacture of thick, soft nonwovens that have the potential to unlock new areas of application for its customers, according Michael Maas, operations director Research & Development at Reicofil.
The hygiene market is seeing an uptick in demand for bulky and soft nonwovens, a trend that is being driven by Asian and influencing the European and U.S. diaper markets: These soft touch applications play an increasingly important role, especially in top sheet and back sheet applications where mid-segment product ranges are being gradually squeezed out of the market by premium products. Maas comments: “In the future, our customers will have to offer soft nonwoven products all over the world. It is critical to their businesses to adopt developments early and to be innovative. We already started years ago to develop the technology basis for softer products. Today we are able to offer various solutions for different customer needs.”
Voluminous nonwovens generally consist of self-crimping fibers but the Reicofil bico technology, uses filaments from two different raw materials produced in a side-by-structure and bonded using hot air or a special embossing calendar. The result is a premium nonwoven used as a top and backsheet in premium diapers.
“Our technology is reliable and efficient,” Maas says. “It offers a perfect balance of production costs and product properties.”
The process for 3D nonwovens is being constantly developed at the Reicofil Technology Center, the world’s largest research and development center dedicated to the production of spunbond nonwovens. In Troisdorf, Reicofil uses three high-tech lines to carry out research in close cooperation with customers, institutions and other partners.
Another area where Reicofil sees potential for its high loft nonwovens is in packaging of bulk goods. The company’s “Rethinking Packaging” project includes solutions for packaging bulk materials with nonwovens. The team has developed nonwoven cement bag prototypes. “Imagine transferring this solution to packaging all kinds of bulk goods—there is a gigantic potential for nonwovens in the packaging industry,” Maas adds. “Our current developments will wipe away paper bags and woven polypropylene bags due to its superior performance per weight and its unbeatable price.”
www.reicofil.com
Sandvik Hyperion
Sandvik Hyperion is a global company specialized in hard and super-hard applied materials. Within the nonwovens market, Sandvik Hyperion is a leader in the rotary cutting solutions for the hygiene business. The high quality of its products, combined to the engineering service, customer assistance and global/local service, make it easy to find the right solution for the hygiene producer’s needs.
The hygiene business is evolving to higher converting line speeds, more difficult to cut raw materials, new cutting profiles which all require reliable cutting solutions.
For these reasons, Sandvik has developed the HTC unit, designed with the most advanced technology to ensure reliable, long lasting and repeatable performance. This includes, among other features, a vibration damping system to maximize the tool lifetime, a unique vacuum design for the perfect trim and pad control, a low inertia anvil for short ramp-up and deceleration times.
The result is an almost flat total operating cost, with high machine efficiency, reduced waste and downtimes.
The solution has proven to work on babycare machines running at 600 m/min, achieving hundred millions of cuts without the need of any maintenance.
The Bridge product line is a new generation product line designed for those hygiene producers whose machine technology is not fully exploited with steel cutters and who might not afford the investment for a premium carbide technology.
Hygiene producers are often hesitant to make the big jump between the steel cutter technology, in general a low investment solution generating high operating costs, to the carbide one, a higher investment solution with a payback time which depends on the running parameters of the converting machine. “Bridge” is therefore making the right liaison between those technologies: it allows them to discover the superior lifetime of the carbide material, by granting a performance / investment ratio suitable to the machine technology where the cutting solution is installed.
Bridge is available for the most common femcare and babycare machines on the market today, running at a maximum speed of 250 m/min.
www.sandvikhyperion.com
SonicAire
The SonicAire fan is the only proactive solution that prevents fugitive combustible dust and lint from accumulating on overhead structures. It is powered by BarrierAire technology, creating an air curtain that shields structures from dust buildup allowing facilities to consistently maintain high levels of clean to comply with OSHA regulations on overhead combustible dust.
www.sonicaire.com
Sonobond Ultrasonics
Sonobond Ultrasonics’ units seal, seam, and trim—all in one quick pass. Its high-frequency vibratory waves produce safer medical garments and disposable items with secure, bonded edges without stitch holes, glue gaps, fraying or unraveling to meet tough OSHA regulatory requirements for barrier seams. No thread, glue, or other consumables are required. Sonobond provides free sample bonds using a user’s own material and manufactures a wide variety of machines that assemble many synthetic woven and nonwoven material items, including HEPA-rated filters, industrial and commercial vacuum bags, oil absorbers and oil containment booms, automobile air filters, and filtration products used by the chemical/pharmaceutical, environmental, food/beverage and manufacturing industries.
The popular SeamMaster High Profile Ultrasonic Sewing Machine utilizes a patented rotary operation of continuous bonding, just like a traditional sewing machine. It has a large pattern wheel, high clearance and ability to accommodate bulky materials and hand-guided operations with tight tolerances and curves. In fact, this machine is used by most major body armor manufacturers to seal the inner nylon shell of ballistic vests and produce a bond so reliable that it complies with National Institute of Justice submersion test standards to protect from water leaks.
www.sonobondultrasonics.com
Technology Transfer Services
From humble beginnings Technology Transfer Services, Inc. has leveraged its relationship through a long time partnership with Sail Nonwoven Machinery Co., Ltd. in Changshu, Jiangsu China. Serving the North American nonwoven and recycling markets with machinery and consulting services. TTS provides a comprehensive and custom designed equipment selection process to meet customer specific process requirements with maximum capacities and quality in mind. Areas of expertise are in high loft and needlepunch processes for automotive, furniture and industrial applications. All machinery is designed by TTS and built to the highest of standards. Each build is monitored and supervised by TTS Engineers in China and the U.S. The Control Systems are designed and built in the U.S. and integrated with the machinery at its Spartanburg, SC ,facility prior to delivery and installation in the customer’s plant.
Expertise and equipment selection starts from fiber to the finished products with cost competitive advantages for the customer. Equipment ranges from fiber bale opening, weigh blending, fine opening, carding or aero dynamic web formation. Cross lapping with traditional carriage cross lapper to ultra high speed double belt cross lapper. Needlepunching machines for all kinds of needle products, including velour or structure pattern needling. Air lay web forming and thermo bonding lines, tearing and recycling lines, and mold gantry and fiber blowing lines. TTS also supplies semi automatic to fully automatic winder and pad stacking machinery including guillotine cross cutters.
www.tt-services-usa.com
Teknoweb Converting
Exige 2 from wipes equipment supplier Teknoweb offers real advantages in producing cross-folded wipes at high speeds (1.200 wipes/min) with a low cost per unit and reducing scraps.
The Exige 2 line is characterized by a simple design without equal. It allows users to produce wipes with reduced dimensions, an energy consumption up to 80% lower than the previous versions, a minimum operational staff required and automatic controls of quality.
Exige 2 is able to process all type of materials (even very thin paper based ones) completely automatically.
Undoubtedly, Exige 2 sets a reference point for all who want to develop a technology for cross-folded wipes. Exige 2 has become a reference because of working speed (1400 cuts/min on a two lane equipment), automation (latest technology from Allen Bradley like new L8 Control Logix or KNX 5700) and product safety (pharma standards and vision quality controls).
The Exige range is now expanded to offer even more. The brand new S version and the ultimate high-speed version allow users to reach the extreme productivity of 3.000 wipes/min to boost the production capacity without compromise on quality and performance.
www.teknoweb.com
Treutzschler
The Can Filling Station T-MOVE from Truetzschler is an entirely new solution for filling cans at the card.
In recent years, card productions have increased rapidly. The can changers, however, have not adapted accordingly. To change a can, the delivery speed of the card must be significantly lowered and then increased again after the change. This reduces efficiency and impacts sliver quality.
T-MOVE performs can changes at delivery speeds up to 300 m/min. This is only possible due to the controlled movement of a machine element. The cans remain stationary.
The sliver, of course, is automatically separated at a precisely defined point. Simultaneously with the movement of the filling head, the full can comes to a stop and the empty can starts to turn. All other can changers require reduced speed during the can change. The relatively unstable cans are not suited for the increased accelerations and decelerations.
The use of even larger cans at the card is possible with T-MOVE. The new Jumbo Cans have a diameter of 1200 mm and hold 43% more sliver than regular cans with 1000 mm diameter. This increases economic efficiency and improves quality by eliminating unnecessary sliver piecings in the creel of the downstream draw frame.
www. treutzschler.de
Valco Melton
Valco Melton is a world-leading manufacturer of adhesive application and electronic monitoring equipment. From sanitary products such as baby diapers, feminine towels and tissues, to medical and surgical products, Valco Melton offers a complete line of nonwoven systems and components for producing a variety of patterns and widths for all hot melt applications associated with most hygiene product manufacturing requirements.
www.valco-melton.com
Xerium
Xerium offers the most comprehensive combination of synthetic and wire belts, roll covers and spreader rolls for all nonwoven fabric manufacturing. With a wide variety of uniquely designed products—including Xerium’s exclusive Smart Technology—for nonwovens, converting and embossing applications, Xerium is the expert at providing an exceptional range of products for every line configuration in every global market. Its integrated solutions are focused on helping its customers further reduce operating costs, improve product quality, and get greater value from their assets. Xerium products and solutions may be recognized though the fine divisions of Stowe Woodward, Huyck.Wangner, Mount Hope, JJ Plank and Spencer Johnston.
www.xerium.com/nonwovens
Compiled by Nonwovens Industry Staff
