Alliance Machine and Engraving
The biggest news at Alliance Machine and Engraving is its move to a new facility at 10190 Maple Leaf Court, Ashland, VA. The offices and manufacturing areas have been customized and upgraded to efficiently accommodate their core business – engraving, machine assembly and roll grinding/production. Along with improved plant layout, lighting, storage and material flow, the additional room will allow them to more effectively serve their customer base and entertain new market segments.

Accompanying the move is the purchase of a new laser engraving machine that will also be outfitted with a high resolution three-dimensional scanning head. This direct scanning capability will greatly streamline Alliance’s pattern duplication and QC processes.

The company has an open house planned  September 21-22.
www.alliancemachineandengraving.com 

Andritz Nonwoven
Andritz Nonwoven is one of the world’s leading suppliers of technologies for the nonwoven and textile finishing industry. Its key competences lie in technologies for drylaid, wetlaid, spunbond, spunlace, needlepunch and textile calendering. Long years of experience in the hands of the well-known companies Küsters, Perfojet and Asselin-Thibeau form the foundation of the Andritz Nonwoven technology. The innovative technologies of these companies complement one another ideally in process solutions for a great variety of applications. By uniting forces in engineering and process development, Andritz can provide unrivalled expertise to the benefits of its customers. Complete lines, rebuilds, upgrades and automation are part of the portfolio, as well as business with individual machines. The nonwoven eXcellence brand stands for certified high-quality performance from forming to finishing, top-class service, and prompt, smooth project execution.

As a major player, Andritz Nonwoven is compelled to continuously seek innovative technologies that fulfill customer demands. Andritz Nonwoven has manufacturing facilities and technical centers worldwide that comply with international standards, thus providing high quality assurance and quality control practices.

Running complete lines calls for in-depth nonwoven expertise and excellent service. Andritz offers a full service portfolio and thus can ensure improved uptime, productivity, and product quality. This includes on-site support, specific training, line audits and troubleshooting, upgrades and modernizations, genuine spare parts and service and roll repair centers in Europe, North America and China. Only recently, an additional service center was opened in response to local demands in Torrington, CT, in the U.S.
www.andritz.com

Aurizon Ultrasonics
Aurizon Ultrasonics, a leading supplier of high-power rotary ultrasonic systems for nonwoven processing applications, is introducing a new product, the Sonisolution RS Series, a series of rotary ultrasonic sonotrode assemblies. The units are available in 20 kHz, 30 kHz or 40 kHz with a selection of horn designs up to 75mm in width and power supplies ranging from 750W to 3600W depending on frequency. Subject to the application, the Sonisolution RS Series can operate at speeds of up to 800 meters per minute.      

This new offering is being marketed to customers, primarily OEMs, with the experience, capability and skill necessary to integrate Aurizon’s patented rotary ultrasonic technology into their equipment while at a competitive cost. With the proper tooling, the assembly is suitable for applications including bonding, feature attachment, embossing, sheet lamination, cutting and adhesive-free elastic panel construction.

Aurizon Ultrasonics will continue to offer complete and customized rotary ultrasonic solutions to customers with disposable hygiene manufacturing, flexible packaging sealing and specialty converting applications.
www.aurizonultrasonics.com

Campen Machinery A/S
Campen Machinery A/S, which is based in Denmark, supplies complete airlaid turnkey lines to most product areas of the nonwovens industry.

The new Campen hammer mill can handle a variety of pulp types, and it is integrable with all types of airlaid systems. The new hammer mill ensures lower energy consumption as well as lower noise level as opposed to traditional hammer mills. This ensures a cost efficient fiberization process and minimizes the practical challenges concerning noise reduction. 

Campen has perfected a 20-year-old technology to combine the airlaid process with the spunlacing process to produce a nonwoven for wet and dry wipes which is up to 100% disposable and biodegradable. This nonwoven is characterized by extremely soft wipes with a very high tensile elongation making this raw material a sustainable product without compromising on quality. This gives the client the opportunity to design and produce a variety of unique final products with different product performances.

Campen has also developed a new type of drylaid forming head. This new type of beater forming head is able to process up to 100% man-made fibers at high capacity. It can process fibers such as bicomponent fibers, PP/PET/viscose fibers as well as recycling fibers from textile, cardboard boxes, newspaper, wood pulp, natural fibers, glass, stone-based fibers, etc. The new beater forming head design and process can be integrated together with meltblown, spunbond, carding and spunlace technologies. The first system has been sold and will be delivered at the end of this year.
www.campenmachinery.com

Catbridge Machinery
Catbridge Machinery’s new 324-32 slitter rewinder changes the decades-long approach to nonwoven converting. This model, a turreted slitter rewinder, can narrowly slit various nonwovens and rewind them on a common shaft to either a standard 32” diameter or an extended-range 40” diameter. Traditionally two-drum surface winders have been used effectively for this type of work, but throughput is limited by shaft handling. The 324-32’s cantilevered turret design eliminates shaft handling and allows cores to be loaded while the machine is running.

Unique features, along with the turret’s design, enable two to three times more throughput than two-drum surface winders. A short, controlled distance from slitting to core, regardless of core size or finished roll diameter, helps maintain proper tension and minimize web displacement, even for fragile materials. An automated cutoff and transfer system squarely cuts the web and creates very short tails for roll starts and last wraps.  Precise placement of these tails to roll outer diameters and new cores prevents misalignment and eliminates trimming at the core or re-attachment on the outer diameter. Roll discharge options include a pusher to a tree, conveyor, or table; for heavier materials a cart unloading system is available. As with all Catbridge machines, an industry-leading safety protocol is provided, managed by a safety PLC.
www.catbridge.com

CB Packaging
CB Packaging is a global supplier of packaging equipment for sanitary products, including baby diapers, adult incontinence products, sanitary napkins, panty shields and underpads.

Headquartered in Bagnolo Cremasco, Italy, very close to Milan’s main airports, the company also has two subsidiaries for sales activities and after sales service, one in Shanghai and the other one in Sparta, NJ.

In recent years, the company has focused its attention on new technology and its machines’ flexibility, which has allowed the company to launch new products into the market that have been very successful.

One example of the company’s innovation is the sanitary napkins & panty shields high-speed machine. Another example is its multi-bag machine, with which customers can pack as many diapers bags as they want, in a very big final PE bag, greatly reducing the costs of transport into carton boxes.

Further, a new machine for baby diapers and adult diapers will be launched in 2018.

The usual flexibility, which has distinguished CB over last years, will be combined with a very high speed, always maintaining reliability and very high quality of the final bag.

The steady and strong growth in terms of turnover, that has marked the last few years, can only mean that something good has been done, but of course the company’s goal is to improve even more quickly and significantly.
www.cbpackaging.it

Chase Machine & Engineering, Inc.
Chase Machine & 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

Colombo Filippetti
Colombo Filippetti has 65 years’ experience in designing and manufacturing custom mechanical solutions for high speed/high load machines.

Customers’ drawings and specifications or co-engineered products are designed with an extraordinary attention to quality and mechanical efficiency. A unique approach to customer collaborations is resulted in achieving leadership worldwide for the manufacture of cams and cam mechanisms. 

A new-patented solution is the Sphero-conical Cam. The typical geometric shape of sphero-conical cams provides the best efficiency in motion conversion and ensure faster work speeds than can be achieved by other comparable mechanical cam solutions.

Typically, cylindrical cams are used for this purpose, but the height of engagement between the cam profile track and the follower varies during rotation.

This variation introduces unwanted axial movements into the motion profile.

Whereas in sphero-conical cams, the cam follower is completely in contact with the profile track during the entire rotation.

This constant engagement prevents any axial movement of the cam follower, which in turn increases working speeds, improves efficiency and provides longer life.

An additional important benefit of the Colombo Filippetti Sphero-Conical Cam design is that routine maintenance is not required.
www.cofil.com 

Curt G. Joa, Inc.
Through its Joa and Bikoma brands, Curt G. Joa, Inc. offers expertise and technology for its customers in the hygiene industry. Its current offerings include converting machines that produce: baby diapers and pants; adult incontinence briefs and pants; feminine hygiene products (panty liners, sanitary napkins, light incontinence pads and pants); medical drapes, pads and gowns and specialty products.

In addition to the company’s diverse line of equipment, it enables customer growth by delivering value with its engineering design solutions, purpose-built to customer-specific applications.
www.joa.com

Dan-Web Machinery A/S
Dan-Web Machinery is 100% dedicated to supplying airlaid technology, from stand-alone web forming systems, to complete turnkey installations of airlaid production plants. In recent years, the web forming technology has been re-engineered for improved web formation, higher production capacities and easier maintenance, and a new generation of dedicated airlaid drying and bonding technology has been developed, specifically aimed at meeting the demands for dryers and ovens suitable for use in production of airlaid products, regardless of bonding method.

The new generation of dryers feature highly efficient heat management, innovative cleaning technology for both wire and dryer modules as well as all around accessibility, minimizing downtime and risk of fires.

The new generation of hammermills/defibrators for nit free defibration of fluff pulp have been supplied to airlaid companies around the world, either in connection with new airlaid lines, or as retrofits to existing lines. The mills have also been installed for other applications where high capacity, nit free defibration is needed.

Since 2011, Dan-Web has supplied in excess of 40 hammermills, several forming stations with widths in excess of 3000 mm for combination with other nonwoven technologies, airlaid line upgrades and three complete lines for the production of airlaid products.
www.dan-web.com

Diaper Recycling Technology
Diaper Recycling Technology has developed a breakthrough recycling process that is far more efficient than the existing air-assisted technologies that were developed back in the 1980s.
The new technology has been specifically developed to increase the financial recovery of the diaper QC reject waste stream. Diaper Recycling Technology has the strong belief that if the financial recovery of the recycling operation is high, this will automatically translate into significant game-changing benefits for both the hygiene industry and more importantly planet earth.

The older air assisted technologies that were developed back in the 1980s require excessive amounts of air to operate, which is one of the key drivers to the high on-going energy costs with these systems typically requiring between 175 to 225 kilowatts to operate. The new Diaper Recycling Technology operates without air and can process the same amount of diaper waste using only 10% of the energy.

The innovation did not stop with energy savings alone. One of the biggest process breakthroughs achieved by the engineering and R&D teams were the very high quality of the separated material streams. When SAP is passed through air-fans the fragile cross-linker surface is damaged thereby reducing SAP absorption performance. Diaper Recycling Technology’s unique air-less design requires no process fans, thus the SAP retains its performance with only minimal performance losses. Pulp quality is also best-in-class and with the plastic stream being processed between 300-400 times; the plastic stream emerges clean enough to be converted into pellets ready for high value re-sell back into the plastics industry.

Diaper Recycling Technology incorporates vertical stacking technology and as such by design the entire equipment platform has significantly reduced its footprint with systems starting from just 4 square meters.  The combined package of smaller size, lower FTE requirements, reusable material streams  and reduced energy translates into a process capable of recovering up to 86% value of the diaper waste stream.

Diaper Recycling Technology is available in a variety of sizes from 50 KG/hour up to 1200 KG/hour.
www.diaperrecycling.technology

Diatec
Established in 1992, Diatec has been a world leading company in the hygiene sector for 25 years. With more than 100 customers in 56 countries all around the world, Diatec plays a key role in the absorbent market with its machines and technological solutions for the production of baby diapers, pull-ups, adult incontinence products, sanitary napkins, panty shields and underpads. Always at the forefront of innovation, Diatec has transferred its expertise in dealing with the absorbency requirements to the food packaging segment. The D-Tech Food Pad line is capable of producing customized absorbent food pads, to satisfying customers’ needs in terms of a pad’s typology (edge-sealed pads or opening pads), composition (fluff or airlaid), dimension, absorption performance and packaging (stack or reel). Moreover, the possibility to work with airlaid film or with fluff core and to add active substances (particles/fibers) allows customers to change the rate of absorbency and better tailor that rate to the final application. In addition, Diatec has enriched its machinery portfolio with the new D-Tech Glove and Head Rest line, capable of producing one-layered or two-layered gloves of different shapes and thickness. With appropriate treatment, the gloves can find application in a wide variety of sectors ranging from personal and medical care to pet care and household care.
www.diatec.it

Dilo
New card series “VectorQuadroCard” with variable “intermediate transfer” from Dilo incorporates a completely new “modular transfer group” between the 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 series comprises variable components for all kinds of applications. Focus is laid on high throughput with good web quality.

Also new from Dilo is the Super-DLSC 200: Crosslapper, Speed 200 m/min. This crosslapper type 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.

Dilo X22 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 “VPX 2020 Dilo 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.de

Edelmann Technology
Edelmann Technology from Bavaria is known as a technological leader in winding and slitting nonwovens. As the pioneer of nonwoven winding, Edelmann produced the first winder for nonwovens in 1972.

Since then, numerous innovations have been brought to the nonwovens industry first. 

In recent years, Edelmann has made major developments in various areas. Its latest In-Line winder type 640-12 is specially designed to produce perfectly slit rolls of nonwovens at a speed of up to 900 m/min, but also produce rolls of high loft material in an unsurpassed roll quality.

In the Off-Line winding area Edelmann can report a break through development allowing to keep pace with the throughput foreseen for the newest Reicofil RF5 technology avoiding a second slitter.

The latest spooling machinery, designed for the highest throughput known in the industry, has been awarded a patent for a fully automated, hands-off and simultaneous unloading operation of all spools.

As the sustainability aspect continued to be of greater importance, at the INDEX17, the In-Line and Off-Line spunlace edge trim recovery system was launched. It is capable of returning spunlace fibers to the fiber opening area reusable fibers at a speed of up to 400 m/min, respectively, with the Off-Line version at 800 m/min. This results in a raw material savings of about 5%.
www.edelmann-technology.com

FeltLOOM
FeltLOOM is a revolutionary line of personal needle felting machines that can turn fibers into fabric and transform upcycled materials for new applications. The possibilities are endless for designers, innovators, researchers, sewists, felters and artists.

The FeltLOOM is a stand-alone needle felting machine that can quickly test results of fiber combinations and run small production projects. It is currently being used by fiber artists, universities, textile companies and more. FeltLOOM can be custom built. 
www.feltloom.com

Filcon Fabrics
Filcon Fabrics announces completion of the construction of its new research and development facility at its flagship manufacturing site in Shizuoka, Japan. This new facility aims to boost innovation for products such as its successful Spunpro-6 laydown belt for spunbond producers.

Scheduled to open for operations this summer, the new R&D facility is an integral part of Filcon’s effort to accelerate new product development for release in 2018 and beyond.

Filcon president Hiroyuki Nagura states, “We are dedicated to continuous investment in our facilities in order to advance our technology and ensure a stable supply of high-performance products to our customers worldwide.”

Filcon Fabrics, a division of Nippon Filcon Company Limited, is a global, R&D-driven manufacturer of high-performance forming belts that meet the demanding requirements of today’s nonwovens industry. A trusted partner to over 75% of Japanese nonwovens producers, Filcon has specialized in the design and manufacture of forming wires and belts for various industries for over 100 years. Globally, its number of satisfied customers is steadily growing throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Filcon is confident that its innovative technology can help nonwovens manufacturers improve their levels of quality and productivity. 
www.filcon-fabrics.com

Fives
Fives, an international engineering group, has designed and supplied process equipment and production lines for more than 200 years. Fives’ multi-sectorial expertise has expanded to nonwovens, offering ultimate technologies for carded lines, added value solutions and a wide range of services.

Fives has designed the DMS Elowave carding machine specifically for nonwovens. The machine combines the best of carding technologies due to Fives’ process expertise and mechanical excellence. The main swift was fully redesigned to guarantee better straightness and enhanced stiffness. The machine frame was reengineered to reduce detrimental vibrations during operation and avoid equipment damage in case of fiber clogging. Full modeling of airflow inside the machine allows customers to optimize suction and blowing areas, and drastically reduce fiber accumulation. DMS Elowave can be fully opened during maintenance stops, easing accessibility to any parts of the machine.

Fives also offers a full range of winders and slitters for nonwovens, answering customers’ concerns on bulkiness, thickness, mechanical properties of fabrics and highest required quality of the final reels. These machines were specifically designed for high-added-value products, focusing on production efficiency and maximum waste reduction.

Moreover, Fives has broad experience and expertise in designing and supplying complete processing lines for various industries over years. For nonwoven complete lines, Fives acts as an EPC contactor and project integrator.

Thanks to its team of highly skilled specialists in nonwovens and a flexible approach, Fives also serves the market with equipment upgrades and revamping, as well as a comprehensive range of site services.
www.fivesgroup.com

Georgia Textile Recycling
Georgia Textile Recycling has developed an efficient solution to recycle difficult textiles including diaper edge trim, floor carpeting tiles, automotive trims, mixed polymer waste and contaminated materials. These are usually multiple material composite structures and are heavily bonded and compressed, making them nearly impossible to recycle. Separating polymer types in a mixed material requires considerable time and energy, resulting in higher costs and lower quality material of variable particle and staple lengths. This lower quality material is difficult to process on standard equipment.

Georgia Textile Recycling has successfully trailed these types of materials through its new Short Fiber Processing Line (SFPL). The flexible and energy efficient line reduces the recycling of mixed polymer composites to a simple, all-in-one, easy to operate process, and converts otherwise unusable landfill materials into usable nonwovens.

The waste stream can be an internal plant source, off site or material collection location. Whatever the source, the stream is reduced for easy processing through the preparation equipment of the SFPL. This material is first fed into the SFPL preparation equipment, a series of patent-pending devices, which produce a consistent particle size material stream. This stream can be augmented with additional materials to give special properties to the finished product, such as compression recovery, abrasion resistance and molding ability.

The blended material stream is then processed by the patent-pending SFPL distribution head, which forms an even batt at the required weight and width. The batt can be processed via combinations of hot belt lamination, through air bonding, needlepunching or calendering, producing a wide range of nonwovens for applications including underlayment, automotive trunk trim, insulators, padding and thermal insulation.
Terry Saunders (706) 270-1863 usanonwoven@protonmail.com

GFM Spezialmaschinenbau
GFM Spezialmaschinenbau GmbH has more than 25 years of experience in designing and building tailor-made production and packaging lines for disposables made from nonwovens and film, used in the medical field, the hygiene industry and the catering business. At this year’s INDEX fair in Geneva, GFM had introduced new, highly-sophisticated modules for the fully automated application of pouches and incise film onto surgical drapes and an updated HMI for easier operation of the machines and reduced change-over times. In autumn, GFM Spezialmaschinenbau will open a completely renovated and extended office building in Haltern am See, Germany.
www.gfm-spezialmaschinenbau.de

Gneuss Kunststofftechnik
Gneuss Recycling Lines, consisting of the Gneuss Processing Unit with the MRS Extruder, Rotary Melt Filtration System, Online Viscometer and the new Polyreactor JUMP enable the complete nonwoven fiber waste to be put directly back into the extrusion process. This is done without any compromises with regard to quality (including mechanical properties) regardless as to whether the fibers have been treated with spin finish oils or other treatments. Additionally, in the JUMP polyreactor, the molecular weight of the polymer is accurately adjusted to the required level for reprocessing to fibers.

The first important processing stage, melt decontamination, takes place in the extruder. With its enormous devolatilization capacity, the MRS extruder can process PET waste with high residual moisture levels and/or contamination (such as spin finish oils) without the need for any pre-treatment of the waste. Solid contamination is extracted with the fully-automatic and process-constant Gneuss Filtration System.

During the second important stage of the process, the purified and homogenized polymer is fed into the JUMP. Here, too a large surface area of the polymer melt and optimum residence time of the polymer under vacuum are decisive factors.

The compact and especially efficient Gneuss Recycling Line is specifically designed for direct processing of voluminous waste with a low bulk density and which may include spin finish oils or other processing aids. With it, in-house production waste can be re-used up to 100%.
www.gneuss.com

Hills Inc.
Hills offers nonwovens production machines featuring proprietary multicomponent extrusion technology. This technology combined with spunbond allows for the efficient production of microfiber and nanofiber via splittable pie or islands-in-the-sea fibers. Hills’ proprietary high-speed slot aspirator is especially suited to high-performance polymer applications such as primary carpet backing, roofing membrane substrate, artificial leather and filtration media. Finally, soft, high-loft webs are possible in a single step using this technology. The versatility of this equipment means that many of these applications are possible on the same machine. 

Hills meltblown machines make a variety of products for filtration applications, breathable barriers, and other high-value uses. Sub-micron fibers are particularly useful in HEPA filter media and in minimizing the weight of meltblown media needed. Hills’ dies are designed for high polymer pressure, hole count up to 100+hpi, and unlimited capillary L/D, which permits tailoring to fit the customer’s polymer and product needs.

Bicomponent staple machines may be used for low-melt thermal-bond fibers, islands-in-the-sea for leather production and many more products. 

Laboratory and pilot extrusion machines for all of the above processes are also offered.  Customers may also utilize laboratory machines at the Hills facility in Florida, and at other institutions worldwide, to support their product development work.
www.hillsinc.net

Investkonsult Sweden
Investkonsult Sweden continues their strong tradition of arguably being the primary and preferred supplier of second-hand nonwoven and absorbent hygiene equipment. Investkonsult supplies everything from single machines to complete lines – even on a turn-key basis, from small start-up companies in India and Africa doing their first efforts to come into the AHP market all the way to delivering complete spunmelt solutions to the global players. Few – if any – of the other used equipment companies can say that they have delivered and started-up spunbond as well as meltblown lines in such remote places as Indonesia and India.

Alongside the equipment arm of Investkonsult Sweden is also the consulting part of the business, which continues to grow every year – as more and more nonwoven and AHP producers see the benefits of having an outside objective eye looking into specialty projects and doing small but valuable missions for them.

“We always perform with the highest integrity, transparency towards our principals, on-time delivery and full dedication to the projects we take on,” says Kerim Kalkan, newly appointed sales manager for the company.

As a result of extensive travelling and having visited a large number of production sites over the past 30 years, their database is constantly updated and expanded. The database is completely custom-developed in-house and serves as the brain and heart of all their activities. The geo-mapping system showing the location of almost all global production facilities is also an invaluable tool that they put to extensive use.

Any inquiry is welcome, whether for equipment, parts or consulting missions.
www.ik.se

Kansan
Kansan Machinery has held the pulse of the wet wipe industry for almost a decade now. Now, Kansan has two new machines that are ready to be recognized by the industry globally.

Kansan is introducing an upgraded cross fold line. Unlike other cross fold machines, Kansan’s Flexiwork model is compact, fast and most importantly doesn’t sacrifice hygiene to get high-end results. Up to 500 cuts/minute, Flexiwork functions with only mechanical folding. This provides a fast and convenient production for manufacturers. And if more capacity is requested, Flexiwork can work with 700 cuts/minute with vacuum.

The distance between wetting and cutting is very short on Flexiwork. This gives the opportunity to work with sensitive materials such as wetlaid and airlaid effortlessly with ease.

Length change is done from the HMI screen. No need for mechanical interference, no need for mechanical cam adjustment. Format changes are done in an instant.

Kansan’s Acurapack series for flow pack machines has spread to five continents and is used by both new-starters and giant international manufacturers. Now there is a new model, Acurapack 160, with 150 packs/minute design capacity. It can offer automatic laminate change, a complete quality control system, three labeling units, a mechanism to work with both small and large packs and a control panel that enables customers to make most of the adjustments electronically.
www.kansanmak.com

Maxcess
MAGPOWR recently launched two tension sensing roller series. These rollers are idler rollers with load cells embedded inside to measure tension. They are available as cantilevered rollers (CSR) and as dead shaft idlers supported on both sides (ISR). These new products are faster, easier and less expensive to install than a separate roll and tension sensors.

Maxcess helps its customers maximize productivity through innovative products and services worldwide. By combining more than 300 years of global service and support across the storied brands of Valley Roller, Webex, Fife, Tidland and MAGPOWR, Maxcess offers an unrivaled network of application experts.
www.magpowr.com / www.maxcessintl.com

Mobi-Air
Mobi-Air produces the world’s most advanced air-filtration equipment which has been specifically developed for the hygiene industry in response to operational outages of traditional drum-filter and bag-house technologies.

The new hybrid filtration technology offers the benefits of both bag-house technology and drum-filter technology with none of the operational down-sides. Patented processes are capable to handle air volumes of between 0-75 KCMH allowing unrestricted coupling to adult, baby and fem hygiene convertors with a single equipment platform. The large media surface area packs six times more filter media in the same space as drum filter offering lower energy requirements than baghouse technology with further energy enhancements gained through newly developed media support structure allowing 94% of the filter media to breath.

Despite an active filtration media area of 60 square meters and passive of up to 1800 square meters, the compact machine size allows multi-stage filtration up to six stages all fitting within a standard shipping container allowing vertical start-up with no assembly required. Plug and play modular architecture as well as un-paralleled portability gives unparalleled operational flexibility to hygiene producers.

Best in class power requirements combined with industry-first zero-friction zero-maintenance seals which come with a 10-year warranty give hygiene manufacturers leverage to reduce operation costs in 2017 and beyond. Recently launched low energy PE/PP trim collection with integrated PE/PP pelletizing, high density three-dimensional dust pelletizing and energy free HVAC modules boost operational savings potential further.
www.mobiair.technology

Mondon
Mondon reaches a milestone on its last unwinders by offering a new concept able to change the unwinding direction without any line stop. This performance, added to a new design, avoids any stop in line processing, even if the customer wants to change its product unwinding direction on their line. This equipment is recommended for coating and laminating lines where layers can be installed at several levels on the final product. This new concept offers the flexibility to manage the product processing either with top inside or top outside unwinding. This technology, able to manage unwinding speed over 500 mpm, saves time in production campaign changes. On usual machines, operators are constrained to unthread the machine and prepare it again with a new product way. Mondon’s last unwinder performs this change in line at full speed. Several options are also available on this unwinder such as shaftless technology, bobbin automatic loading and guiding device. The TUW unwinders series manage rolls from 300 mm to 4000 mm in the width and up to 1400 mm in diameter. Mondon particularly focuses on the operator’s interface by offering machineries easy to use and maintain. Suitable with all existing lines, Mondon offers cutting edge solutions to satisfy market quality and performance exigencies.
www.mondon.com

Nippon Tungsten
Nippon Tungsten Co., Ltd. announces the development of a new rotary die cutting technology, the Carbide-Coated Anvil (CC Anvil). Produced with a patented process, the CC Anvil aims to combine the flexibility of conventional steel rolls with the strength and hardness of fully carbide rotary anvils. The company says this development will allow for the use of carbide for cutting patterns that were previously limited either by cost or design factors, such as the presence of a common edge or jointed pattern.

The precisely applied carbide coating allows for a semi-flexible substrate that absorbs pressure from the edge of the blade, reducing wear and increasing the service life of the cutting roll. This flexible substrate, coupled with the hardness of the carbide coating, decreases overall anvil wear and demonstrates a marked increase in cuts between required regrinds.

Founded in 1931, the Japanese company has provided die cutting expertise for more than 30 years, utilizing strict quality standards through vertical integration of the manufacturing process, including powder mixing, pressing, sintering and machining. The culmination of this experience and years of research provides for new technologies in the tungsten market such as the CC Anvil. Nippon Tungsten expects this development to provide customers with additional price and design configurations, and welcomes customer inquiries to pilot the new technology.
www.nippontungstenusa.com

Nordson Corporation
Nordson uses a system approach with four defined tiers to meet the diverse needs of nonwovens manufacturers. While system components are compatible with other Nordson product offerings, defined systems optimize performance in production and material use. When choosing a system, line speed, capability to produce multiple products on a single line, and future production needs should be considered.

Within each tier, melters offer multiple tank sizes and pump capacities to meet the needs dictated by add-on weights and line speeds. Melters in each tier are differentiated by supported features and delivered performance. For example, the tier-2 VersaBlue Plus melter has the advanced capability to provide integrated pattern control and closed-loop flow control.

Each tier has multiple applicator choices that optimize dispensing for continuous or intermittent operation, using spray or slot application. Most tiers offer at least one applicator that uses Universal modules featuring a patented single-screw clamp for quick, easy nozzle changes.

Nordson’s system tiers are refined as innovative technologies are developed. Ongoing innovation represents Nordson’s commitment to helping customers produce the highest quality products by applying the right amount of adhesive in the right place at the right time.
www.nordsonadhesive.com/nonwoven

Oerlikon Nonwoven
Oerlikon Nonwoven, as an engineering specialist, offers process solutions for the efficient production of spunbond nonwovens as well as meltblown and airlaid nonwovens.

The Oerlikon spunbond process is specially designed and developed for the production of nonwovens for special applications. Polymer, filament and web weight flexibility meeting high industrial quality standards and efficient productivity are essential for nonwoven producers in this field.

The Oerlikon meltblown technology enables the cost-efficient production of high-quality meltblown and SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) products. Stand-alone mono and bico meltblown plants produce nonwovens for a variety of filtration, insulation and sorbent applications. “Plug & Product” installations in already existing and in new external SXS plants enable a cost-efficient upgrading of new or existing spunbond plants and offers nonwoven producers access to markets with very high quality demands.

In the airlaid nonwoven production sector, particular attention is now paid to high-quality, lightweight nonwovens at economically attractive production speeds and plant throughputs.
Oerlikon airlaid technology achieves this with the forming head, which can also produce extremely thin nonwovens with its high uniformity and a homogeneous fiber deposit.

In cooperation with Teknoweb Materials s.r.l., Oerlikon Nonwoven offers innovative solutions in the wipe production sector and other disposable nonwovens.
www.oerlikon.com/manmade-fibers

Optima Nonwovens
Optima Nonwovens offers the latest packaging machine technology and in addition, presents a life cycle based service approach: “Optima Total Care.” The Optima Total Care system covers the project, start-up and production phase of the equipment. Among other items, the portfolio includes special move-in concepts for machinery and training. Optima’s remote service will solve production problems immediately. Machine upgrades and retrofit services take flexibility and output to the next level. TCAM and OPAL include Industry 4.0 technology. TCAM is a digital tool for machine condition monitoring (predictive maintenance). The system includes comprehensive digitally linked information such as wiring diagrams, video tutorials and more. The OPAL software analyzes the efficiency of complete lines and manufacturing sites including every detail. It can also be applied to transfer order specific ERP-data automatically to all modules of the production line. For more information about the Total Care portfolio, visit www.optima-totalcare.com.

Optima Nonwovens is an industry leader of innovative technology for packaging machinery. Diapers, sanitary napkins and bathroom tissue rolls are processed and packaged into plastic bags by turnkey lines. The machinery provides the highest output and most stable process. The flexible systems can accommodate anything ranging from the smallest packages to jumbo packs and benefit from quicker format change over times. 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.
www.optima-packaging.com

Osprey Corporation
Osprey Corporation commissioned DEKRA Insight, a global leader in process safety management, to conduct a combustible dust hazard analysis (DHA) on the Osprey Blue-Sky filter for both the American and European markets. The purpose of the study was to determine if there were potential dust explosion hazards that would require the filter to be equipped with explosion protection. The guiding documents for the studies were NFPA 652 and NFPA 654 in the U.S., and the ATEX directive 2014/34/EU in Europe.

Insight analysis from DEKRA’s combustible hazard analysis of the Osprey Blue-Sky filter concludes that “due to the specific design and safety controls that are installed on these systems, operating the systems with control of flammable atmospheres…as a basis of safety the drum filter system will not require explosion protection (i.e. explosion venting).” To ensure that the Blue-Sky filter design is appropriate for each specific application, customers will need to provide information to Osprey on the dust characteristics, dust loading, and process airflows. In addition, customers will need to operate the equipment within the specific operating parameters defined by Osprey based on the DHA.

Customers report several benefits to not needing to install explosion protection on Blue-Sky filters, including:

• Reduces capital equipment costs (explosion protection and isolation can be expensive)
• Eliminates the ongoing maintenance associated with the explosion protection and isolation devices
• Eliminates the need to locate the filter outside, or near outside walls for explosion vent ducting

www.ospreyfilters.com

Rando Machine
Rando Machine designs and manufactures quality airlaid machinery for a wide variety of major industries such as: automotive, abrasives, filtration, health and hygiene and furniture. Its machinery also has a strong history of making significant contributions in other specialty applications such as military, aerospace and agriculture. For nearly 70 years, Rando Machine Corporation has played a leading role in the evolution of the airlaid process in the nonwovens market and it continues to offer its customers opportunities to constantly improve their products.

Rando equipment, in conjunction with that of its strategic partners, provide seamless, high quality turn-key solutions by offering machinery for fiber preparation, web formation, Shredding/Refiberizing (waste reclaiming), as well as Ovens, Winding/Stacking, Controls and other converting equipment. Rando Machine promotes a standard in nonwovens machinery and in satisfying its clients.
www.randomachine.com

Re SpA
WG.705 is the new Re pivoting frame web guiding systems born from the idea to design a compact device that’s easy to install, to cable and to manage, in the narrow web industry such as nonwovens.
As with all Re web guides, WG.705 is provided with the latest generation stepping motors to guarantee a very quick and precise movement and zero maintenance.

WG.705 can be equipped with the keyboard onboard, integrated in the frame to simplify all operations of calibration and management, and with the fixed or movable workboard with listels or pistons. Moreover, if there are problems of space, there is also a reduced version with the remote keyboard.

WG.705 can be used with all the wide range of Re sensors, infrared, ultrasonic or optical in order to detect with precision all kinds of materials to process.

The system can be used both with ReSmart technology, using the MWG 10.1 controller, or SmartMotion technology using the WLigo controller, a very useful technology for the nonwovens industry, since with only one keyboard the operator can smoothly manage more devices.
www.re-spa.com

Sandvik Hyperion
In the ever evolving and competitive hygiene market, the initial investment for new equipment often takes a major importance in the final decision, while it actually has a small impact on the total cost of ownership of a production line. Sandvik Hyperion has developed an innovative approach to identify the main drivers generating savings in the daily operations, based on four pillars: speed, waste, performance and maintenance. By analyzing the process around the cutting unit and the customer requirements, Sandvik Hyperion can give effective recommendations to improve the machine productivity.

To support this approach, two new cutting solutions have been launched this year:

• A-Flex allows a quick change of the anvil by keeping the cutting unit on the line. A-Flex provides savings up to 80% in time for the anvil change, thus minimizing machine downtimes, maximizing productivity and reducing the need for spare parts.
• IQut provides “intelligence” to the cutting unit by measuring the main parameters that influence the cutting performance. IQUT proactively helps operators and engineers to prevent and minimize machine downtimes and improves efficiency through statistical analysis and continuous learning, while increases overall productivity.

www.hyperion.sandvik.com

Sonobond Ultrasonics
Sonobond Ultrasonics has been a worldwide leader in developing and manufacturing innovative ultrasonic textile bonding and metal welding equipment since 1960.
One of its newest applications capability is for the incontinence market.

Sonobond’s SeamMaster High Profile Ultrasonic Sewing Machines help assemble children’s underwear used for bedwetting protection. Several dozen machines have already been purchased by companies needing to produce fully-sealed seams that prevent leaks from occurring between the absorbent insert and the rest of the panty.  Sonobond’s machines bond the insert pocket’s water-repellant material to form a leak-resistant barrier that’s strong as well as soft and smooth against the skin.

SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines bond 100% synthetic woven and nonwoven materials or blends with up to 40% natural fibers. Operating much like traditional sewing machines, they channel high-frequency vibrations into the fabric, causing the fibers to soften and fuse, creating bonded, barrier seams that will not fray or unravel. 

These machines can be used to assemble other types of incontinence panties and personal hygiene products; medical disposable apparel, mattress covers and lint-free wound dressings; protective apparel and ballistic vests; HEPA-rated and automotive filters; commercial and industrial vacuum bags; oil absorbers and oil containment booms; and aviation insulation panels.

Sonobond offers a free, no-obligation Ultrasonic Bonding Viability Test using a customer’s own material so they can determine if one of Sonobond’s machines is right for their application.
www.sonobondultrasonics.com

Spoolex
Major nonwovens producers trust Spoolex to support their critical projects for two reasons. First, thanks to its strong organization, Spoolex Group is able to manage all in-house complete projects from simple problematic to complicated ones. Recently, the French company delivered, commissioned and put in production in due time a complete Pegase 3 Spooling cell on the other side of the world.

Secondly, with more than 60 years’ expertise in converting equipment, 38 jumbo spooling lines and more than 2000 spooling heads for narrow tapes in production worldwide, Spoolex acquired process and product expertise to handle sensitive materials. More than a simple machine manufacturer, Spoolex is a process expert. Its technical team of skilled technicians and engineers with true materials expertise, combined with tension control expertise, allows the company to constantly innovate to offer more and more productivity booster solutions; the company invests each year, 5% of its turnover in R&D and has today a portfolio of 23 patents.

Last year, to support its growth, Spoolex began various actions expected to be complete by the end of 2017:

• Calemard range expansion
• Expansion of testing shop
• Plant expansion (+50% of production area)
• New corporate website

www.spoolex.com

Teknoweb Converting
Teknoweb Converting, founded in 2004, is the ultimate provider of manufacturing solutions for the wet wipes industry. The company, collaborating directly with Ilapak and with other partners belonging to IMA group, reaches a new standard of quality and shapes the innovation along the entire transformation process, combining converting and flow wrapping in one frame.

Cutting-edge technology, high-speed, multi-functional design and modularity make Teknoweb Converting the standard for excellence in wet wipes converting and packaging, offering complete, trouble-free, flexible, efficient, fast and reliable production lines with the lowest TCO.

The latest innovations from Teknoweb Converting and Ilapak are very successful.

The new Exige 4 crossfolded wipes converting platform is the safest and fastest machine for crossfolded wipes. The Exige 4 model is a four lane converting system that can produce crossfolded wet wipes at a rate of 2500 wipes per minute.

Thanks to the integration with Ilapak, this state-of-the-art converting platform can be integrated with the Genesis Pack flow wrapper that produce wet wipes at speeds of 100 packs per minute.

Teknoweb’s Mark II lotioned glove converting machine provides great flexibility for producing dry or lotioned gloves. The web unwinding system and thread management ensure a precise manufacturing. Ultrasonic welding eliminates the need for hot melt usage delivering both cost reduction and flexibility in glove profile design. An outstanding stacker unit with paddles and synchro belt guarantees an exceptional stable stack that is perfectly shaped. It’s easy to feed a downstream packaging equipment, flow wrapper or case packer. Mark II converts lotioned gloves at a rate speed up to 400 ppm and offers the best TCO of the market.

“The Connected Wipes” is the latest innovation in wet wipes production control. It is a digital solution to simply schedule and monitor the entire production process in order to improve the efficiency of converting and packaging line and the capacity of planning.

All operating data are collected and implemented by a software embedded on the platform that releases on demand smart reports and detailed information about the state of the production to any device (PC, tablet, smartphone): a real MES in a box. An automatic tool to manage the shop floor and take control of the performance level, reduce the waste, and save time and money.
www.teknowebconverting.com

Trützschler
Trützschler Nonwovens now offers a dedicated high-speed card. Spunlacing lines for wipe materials often reach 300 m/min and more at the winder and the new card layout opens the door to such high-speed processes.

By re-designing the pre-opening as well as the transfer section, the carding area is significantly enlarged. Depending on the doffing solution, parallel, condensed or random webs can be produced. Trützschler’s Clean Card Concept ensures a high machine availability. Various technical measures reduce the risk of fiber contamination and allow for easy handling.

A new master roll winder answers the needs of offline processes where the spunlaced material is further processed in a second step. This surface-driven automatic winder model is equipped with an integrated cross cutting and engagement system. The basic winder plus its several options meet the requirements of large-scale production lines for robust, spunlaced materials.
www.truetzschler.de

Valco Melton
Valco Melton’s nonwoven systems and components apply important market principles to produce a wide variety of patterns and widths for all hot melt adhesive applications associated with most hygiene product manufacturing requirements. Continued industry specific research has brought the latest and most advanced technology to increase production speed, reduce maintenance costs, and to maximize flexibility necessary for the changing demands of the market. The company’s latest innovations, the SmartMelt series, are the beginning of a brand-new generation of PLC based melting and adhesive dispensing units. The SmartMelt is a fully customizable unit that allows for easy future upgrades via SmartBoxes to get an accurate control of the glue applied and to configure programs depending on each line’s specific requirements. Connectors and communications are 100% compatible, no proprietary electronics are needed. This new concept helps Valco Melton customers keep their initial capital investment exactly at the level their process requires at that moment, but still leaves plenty of room for implementing additional capabilities as their manufacturing demand and process needs are established.
www.valcomelton.com

Weima America, Inc.
For over 30 years, Weima has been a leader in size reduction within the wood, paper, and plastic industries. With its wide range of shredding and briquetting equipment, Weima has a solution that will fit the needs of any operation and turn waste into profit.

With petroleum prices fluctuating constantly, the need for a steady supply of material is of the utmost importance. Many producers of nonwoven materials have integrated a shredder system into their production lines as well as a pelletizer. This allows for the shredding and re-pelletizing of scrap material and reduces the need to purchase costly virgin resin.

Weima WLK single-shaft shredder series offers many custom options for the recycling of nonwovens. The F+ Rotor is most often used for the initial destruction of nonwoven products. It can be outfitted with bolted or welded knife holders, and is ideal for shredding filament-based materials (the “F” stands for “filaments.”)

Weima also offers a chilled rotor option for those materials that have lower melting points. The chilled rotors are hollowed out in such a way that cool water can be consistently run through the inside of the rotor as it shreds. This keeps the rotor temperature down and allows the shredder to process this material as efficiently as possible without melting. This rotor option is available in the larger versions of the WLK series (WLK10 and larger.) Weima America keeps WLK15 shredders with drilled rotors for cooling in stock at their main campus warehouse in Fort Mill, SC.

Nonwovens are extremely durable, but when they are cut or shredded, they often release quite a bit of dust. For example, when the leg holes are cut out in baby diapers, the dust that is released can be both messy and extremely dangerous in production environments.

Installing a briquette press at the discharge of the dust collection system can help eliminate dusting in the plant and increase overall safety. A dust collection system can pneumatically convey any residual dust into a covered briquette press. This eliminates the need for an employee to spend time cleaning up and transporting the dust and keeps the nearby machinery functioning in a dust-free environment.

After all, manufacturers are always looking for ways to make their operations safer and more profitable.

Weima briquette presses use pressure (not adhesives) to compress dust or shavings into small, hockey-puck-shaped briquettes. With a compaction rate of up to 9:1, briquetting can save a company quite a bit of money in dumpster haul-away costs alone. Fewer dumpsters being hauled away means a bigger bottom line and a smaller environmental footprint.
www.weimaamerica.com

Weko Weitmann & Konrad GmbH & Co. KG
Weko Weitmann & Konrad GmbH & Co. KG from South Germany is well-known for its non-contact minimal application system which is used for the functionalization of nonwovens with hydrophilic, hydrophobic or antimicrobial properties as well as the treatment with avivages and aromas.

Nonwovens are finished with special surface-active substances to optimize the physical properties. Many well-known manufacturers and finishers rely on the exact and variable Weko coating technology, achieving significant cost and quality benefits.

Weko recently launched its latest generation of the spraying fluid application system, the new Weko-ProTec. Based on the known rotor technology, an encapsulated rotor carrier was developed, preventing undesirable contamination of the environment securely and reliably. “With the Weko-ProTec we have succeeded for the first time integrating the many benefits of non-contact liquid application into an extremely clean and safe environment,” says Markus Klempin, product manager for Nonwovens.

Harmful chemicals are not applied outside the system thanks to the encapsulation protecting humans from inhaling respirable substances. Moreover the cleaning effort of the machine environment is reduced to a minimum. All in all Weko -ProTec offers ultra-clean precision. The applied chemical agent only lands where it should land – on the nonwoven web. The new system is already used successfully by several users with product widths up to 7 m.
www.weko.net