Tara Olivo, Associate Editor08.04.21
A.Celli
A.Celli Nonwovens, a current leader in its market, has been manufacturing nonwovens machinery for over 75 years.
The Italian company offers a comprehensive range of Master Roll Winders & 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 finishing & reprocessing lines including R-WAY Automatic Packaging System a modular, flexible and customizable system for reel handling and packaging, adaptable to any layout and any production line.
Thanks to the R-WAY Automatic Packaging System it is possible to manage the entire packaging process:
A.Celli, among the various integrable solutions, also offers a reel data tracking and archiving system, iREEL, which allows customers to keep the detailed history of the product, from the mother roll to each individual reel of finished product.
www.acelli.it
Absolut Manufacturing
The Absolut WiNDR is a 50" wide coreless nonwovens canister rewinder. Independently servo-driven mandrels and a servo-positioned rider roll provides the ultimate in control over roll density no matter the substrate. Whether it’s winding half-folded or flat products, the WiNDR produces quality products at speeds up to 800 feet/minute or 20 separations/minute. The WiNDR is the ideal line for finished roll diameters ranging from 2.4-12 inches.
The WiNDR also features the latest in motion control technology including a fully integrated Category 3 PLd safety system keeping people safe and production rolling. With a perf range of 5–13 inches, the WiNDR will deliver years of reliable production and provide customers with the flexibility needed to stay ahead of today’s changing marketplace.
The WiNDR joins all other Absolut and Bretting products that are serviced and supported by Bretting’s industry leading global support team.
www.absolutmfg.com
Allertex of America
For more than 30 years, Allertex of America has focused on supplying high quality machinery to the nonwovens, technical textile, and textile recycling markets. It strives to provide its customers with the ideal solution to their manufacturing needs. Allertex’s scope of supply includes turn-key nonwovens facilities and plants, complete production and processing lines, individual machines and systems, upgrades and retro fits, and process control equipment.
With years of supplying complete fiber processing lines and technical solutions for a durable yet sustainable environment, Allertex has also specialized in natural fiber processing, such as hemp, flax, jute, cotton, sisal, coco, etc. Finding the right technology to handle tough biomass is no easy task. However, Allertex has proven global experience in processing bast fibers, and the OEM’s it represents have technical centers to demonstrate and optimize the process for a customer’s specific needs, specializing in a soft process for high quality fibers for nonwovens and/or spinning applications.
www.allertex.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, converting and textile calendering.
Recently, Andritz acquired Laroche SAS, a leading supplier of fiber processing technologies such as opening, blending, and dosing, airlay web forming, textile waste recycling, and decortication of bast fibers. The product portfolio further complements and enlarges the Andritz Nonwoven product range.
One focus of this product range lies on complete recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial waste to produce fibers for re-spinning and/or nonwoven end-uses. Customer awareness and regulations are pushing apparel brands to recycle their waste in their own products. Recycled fibers can also be used in the nonwovens industry for various applications such as automotive, insulation, mattresses, and furniture felts. To support Andritz customers, a process know-how team is at customers’ disposal to conduct customized trials in Andritz’s advanced technical center located at the Andritz Laroche facilities.
www.andritz.com
Autefa Solutions
For needlepunching, Autefa Solutions has developed monitoring and quality improvement techniques with its patented 3-level Closed Loop Control System. A scanner evaluates weight distribution in the final product, while the control system adjusts the profile at the crosslapper Topliner and the card feed accordingly. The 3-level Closed Loop Control System also incorporates the WebMax Web Profile Control, which ensures that the fabric profile is regular in both directions. This results in excellent fabric uniformity, with consequent savings in materials and costs.
Autefa Solutions lines cover the needs of the highly competitive nonwovens market. An improved and uniform surface quality has been set as a key objective by the customers. Therefore, Autefa Solutions offers the service of a customized needle board pattern. The needling simulation software i-Point 3.0 increases the capacity and the quality of needlepunched fabrics. This customized design of the needle pattern, which takes into account draft and shrinkage, is focused on the target range of PPCM required by the customer. The latest development was designed for high needle density to promote faster production speeds with almost no needle marks on the felt surface.
The spunlace sector is becoming increasingly competitive for end product manufacturers. Autefa Solutions offers complete lines to produce direct and crosslapped spunlace products.
The Hydroentanglement Machine V-Jet FUTURA and the Square Drum Dryer SQ-V, bring considerable cost saving thru innovative process development. This new technology offers a significant reduction of energy consumption in both bonding and drying processes compared to any state-of-the-art line. Autefa Solutions Square Drum Dryer SQ-V combines the advantage of a horizontal belt dryer and the optimized drying efficiency with the space advantage of a drum dryer, resulting in increased drying length with a small footprint.
Autefa Solutions high-speed oven HiPerTherm HS distinguishes itself with an improved airflow system operating at high production speeds. The double nozzle system allows the creation of extremely uniform product properties. The key strengths of the Autefa Solutions belt dryers are highest uniform airflow with precisely adjustable temperature distribution and the ability to maintain loft. The machine has been especially designed for the manufacturing of top sheets and ADL markets which demand utmost accuracy.
www.autefa.com
Balemaster
A market leader in the baler industry since 1946, Balemaster provides innovative solutions based upon solid engineering, expertise and experience.
As nonwoven baling needs have changed over the years, Balemaster has continually responded by offering products capable of cost-effectively meeting any automatic waste handling challenge. Whether a customer bales diaper trim or personal care products, airlaid, drylaid, or wetlaid, a baler from Balemaster can be outfitted to best suit a customer’s specific requirements. Its goal is to make customers’ baling processes more profitable.
Balemaster’s E-Series balers are a perfect match for this industry. The E-Series is the flagship of the Balemaster auto-tie baler line. These balers are fully automated so man-hours are kept to a minimum, allowing workers to concentrate on other things. The heavy-duty automatic wire-tier completes the tie-off cycle in less than 30 seconds. Balemaster’s unique bale density control system automatically and continuously regulates the tensioning pressure and creates the proper squeezing force to achieve the highest bale density possible. No adjustments are required.
Add to all of this, energy efficient hydraulic power packs available up to 225 horsepower that meet any capacity demand, along with a comprehensive touch screen controller, and customers have a baler equipped with the features and benefits to keep up with any demand the industry has to offer.
www.balemaster.com
Beta
The Beta “Mammoth” Padder is the brand-new creation from Beta, an Italian machine manufacturer in the field of padders and calenders since 1959. It boasts a tablewidth of 6500mm and is used to impregnate and squeeze nonwoven webs and fabrics of any kind.
Beta’s machines have always been recognized worldwide as highly performant, sturdily built, and with a long life span. The heart of Beta’s technology is the exclusive Beta-Roll, which guarantees a uniform squeeze on the web/fabric at any working pressure.
The impregnation of the web takes place in a stainless-steel trough that can be filled with any sort of dye or chemical (antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, antistatic, waterproof, flame retardant, UV resistant…).
www.betaspa.com
Brückner
The Brückner group is a worldwide acting owner-run mechanical engineering company with more than 70 years of tradition and experience. The company is situated in Southern Germany and plans, builds and installs machines and ranges for the dry finishing of textiles, technical textiles, nonwovens and floor coverings. With nearly 6000 innovative systems and ranges supplied all over the globe so far, Brückner is one of the leading international manufacturers.
Brückner can offer the following machines and technology: Stenters and dryers for knitted and woven fabrics, sanforising ranges, compacting calenders, continuous dyeing ranges with hotflue and infrared dryers, relaxation dryers, complete coating and laminating lines for textiles, technical textiles, carpets and nonwovens, heat-recovery and air purification systems and energy saving concepts. In addition, Brückner gives technological advice to all customers in order to run their processes as optimized as possible. In its own technology center at its headquarters in Leonberg near Stuttgart, Brückner can run trials for customers and interested parties at any time. All Brückner machines are efficient and high-quality products and are 100% made in Germany.
In the nonwovens sector Brückner has developed a lot in the last years. The different ovens in Brückner’s product portfolio dry and consolidate nonwovens materials for a range of fields, such as hygiene and medical textiles, building and geotextiles, filter materials as well as fabrics for clothing, cleaning, care and vehicles. Brückner’s product range in the nonwovens sector comprises the following: impregnation units, coating units, accumulators, calibration calenders, lamination calenders, cutting machines (lingitudinal- / cross-cutters) and
winding machines.
www.brueckner-textile.com
Catbridge Machinery
Catbridge Machinery is the only U.S. based OEM of a full (turnkey) meltblown production line with in-house engineering, fabrication & support. Its advanced meltblown / BMF (blown micro fiber) production lines offer precision, flexibility, speed and easy maintenance. Catbridge Machinery’s meltblown lines feature an innovative die tip design for extremely precise laydown control. The resulting ultrafine web fibers are ideal for high-performance filters and face masks as well as applications such as wipes and hygiene products. Turnkey meltblown lines include extruder, meltblown forming system, web charger, web handling equipment, all mechanical connections, controls package, all electrical panels and a high degree of safety.
The 1.6m line single beam with forming belt (additional beams can be added):
Made in the USA, Catbridge Machinery is a self-sustaining equipment manufacturer with the ability to build, service and support its machinery. With a 25-year legacy in precision engineering and expert machine building, Catbridge leads the industry in designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art web converting solutions. Catbridge delivers innovative, highly-productive slitter rewinders and converting machinery.
www.catbridge.com
Chase Machine and Engineering
Since 1954, Chase Machine and Engineering has been designing and building custom converting equipment to process films, foils and woven/nonwoven/knit fabrics, while controlling speed, tension and guidance. It specializes in integrating technologies such as ultrasonics, impulse welding, hot air welding, adhesive dispensing, RF welding, band sealing, extruders and CO2 lasers.
Chase Machine manufactures unwinds, rewinds, slitters, laminators, traverse winders, cut-to-length machines, festooners, accumulators, ultrasonic sewing machines as well as custom machines. Its equipment is utilized in the manufacturing of consumer products such as face masks, wipes, safety vests, air/liquid filters, medical devices and hygiene products. Chase Machine uses its 65-plus years of web handling experience to benefit customers in the filtration, medical, packaging, automotive, textile and geotextile market segments.
www.chasemachine.com
Comerio Ercole
Helix is a thermal bonding calender having two engraved rolls with a special three-dimensional pattern design. Comerio Ercole has patented a revolutionary process based on the combination of its hot heated thermal bonding calenders, equipped with “monoblock” peripherally drilled rolls, and a new double-engraving concept. All this in order to laminate nonwovens webs and/or films with final better mechanical performances and technical features.
The Helix process is based on a specific combination of two engraved rolls having special three-dimensional pattern design patented by Comerio Ercole: the result of the laminated nonwovens product is absolutely new, with higher quality compared to any previous traditional process.
The traditional system for a thermal bonding calender is based on one engraved roll vs. one smooth roll. The traditional system consists in thermobonding the web on one side only therefore the bonding efficiency is limited by the ratio: engraving depth/thickness of the processed material. Moreover, the resulting embossing shape is on fabric on one side only.
The Helix process is based on two engraved rolls granting a double side three-dimensional effect. The Helix system consists of thermobonding the web on both sides with equal force and temperature therefore the system efficiency is doubled on the processed material. Moreover, the embossing shape is three-dimensional on both sides.
www.comercole.it
Dan-Web Machinery
Dan-Web Machinery is a leading supplier of airlaid technology, such as complete turnkey airlaid production plants for production of all types of airlaid products, as well as standalone airlaid web forming systems, for combination with other nonwoven technologies, for instance carding and spunlace.
Dan-Web’s portfolio also includes:
Diaper Recycling Technology
Focused on sustainability with passion, Diaper Recycling Technology provides turn-key state-of-the-art recycling solutions enabling end-users to achieve true zero-waste-to-landfill. Best-in-class pulp and SAP extraction rates combined with best-in-class energy efficiently maximize profitability for end-users who typically enjoy a 12–to-15-month payback period. Multi-award winning airless recycling technology has the flexibility to process a wide range of QC-rejected hygiene products and offers end-users a range of tangible benefits:
Best-in-class recycling process:
www.diaperrecycling.technology
DiloGroup
Dilo Group is a leading supplier of complete lines for nonwoven fabric production, traditionally specialized in all types of needling lines for staple fiber products as well as high speed needlelooms for spunbonds.
Another strong pillar of its sales program over decades has been fiber preparation and high-speed web-forming equipment for other nonwoven technologies. During these years, there has been a shift to higher throughput rates, and a requirement for improved MD/CD strength ratios of hydroentangled products. In addition, our further development of the high-speed layering principle “Hyperlayer” made considerable progress for better CD. Particularly, carding machines in a working width above 3.5 m up to 5.1 m have been supplied by DiloSpinnbau as complete high-speed carding systems to directly feed the hydroentangling units of various suppliers. Together with DiloTemafa not only have high throughput rates been achieved in the fiber preparation section of the line but also dedusting filtering and air-conditioning systems have been successfully engineered and integrated.
Until recently, Dilo did not supply complete lines including water-jet units, ovens and end-of-line equipment. This has changed and Dilo is glad to confirm its partnership with Sicam, Italy. Together with Sicam, Dilo has combined know-how for hydroentangling technology and therefore can provide complete lines as a general contractor including equipment for cutting, winding and packaging.
On the basis of its considerable fiber preparation and web-forming know-how Dilo is looking forward to a successful cooperation with Sicam covering the market with its related activities.
www.dilo.de
Dukane
Dukane is a global leader in designing and manufacturing high speed ultrasonic bonding and cutting equipment. Dukane’s rotary ultrasonic horns, rigid horns & blades and automation ready ultrasonic generators offer clean, consistent and fast processing for joining and cutting nonwoven materials.
Dukane’s patented Rotary Ultrasonic bonding technology provides high-speed continuous or intermittent bonding of nonwoven materials. Manufacturers get the following benefits by using rotary ultrasonic bonding technology:
www.dukane.com
Edelmann
In 2021, Edelmann has been successfully developing its product capabilities further.
With the mother roll winder Type ET5, Edelmann Technology established in the spunbond market over the last years a state-of-the-art mother roll winder which ensures a very reliable fully automatic doffing at up to 1450 m/min and up to 6 m width. The same equipment can also be equipped with a slitting system producing highloft spunbond slit reels.
In combination with the non-stop mother roll unwinder and the latest Edelmann slitter, it has been proven that the newest high-speed spunbond lines being brought to the market can be operated with only one slitter also with 8gsm spunbond material. The speed of the off-line slitters has been continuously increased. While in 2018 for the first time in the nonwovens industry it has been proven a speed with standard spunbond material at 2200 m/min, in 2021 it could be confirmed at 2500 m/min.
Also, in the in-line winding area the development does not stop. The latest design of the in-line slitter rewinder type 640-12 has been presented to several customers at a speed of up to 1000 m/min.
Besides the high speed of this equipment, it also ensures that the material characteristics of very soft, bulky and highloft spunbond material are not influenced negatively as known from off-line slitter rewinders. In comparison to off-line slitting lines, in-line slitter rewinders are by far the most competitive alternative in regard to purchase price and operating cost.
Both types of machines can be completed with options and customized solutions. For example, high efficient dust suction systems and fully automated “hands-off” automatic core cutter with shaft handling system is recommended.
Both product lines are continuously developed further and customized as needed to fulfil a customer’s business needs.
www.edelmann-technology.com
Emmebi Impianti
In 1989 Emmebi Impianti srl started operating in the aerotextile filtration and air conditioning sectors, distinguishing itself for high quality solutions designed for major Italian fashion brands. The company developed its production capacity in the following years, integrating vertically up to producing every single component in its factory in Milan, and also dedicating itself to textile machinery production for other European machine producers. Emmebi Impianti srl began to shift its focus to the nonwovens sector in 2000, and, starting from its great experience in the textile and cotton sector, it created its first specific solutions for first medical and hydroentangled products. Emmebi Impianti has grown steadily in the following 20 years, becoming a solid reality in the filtration, conditioning and waste recovery sector for all types of nonwovens, wipes and disposables, as well as a quality and efficiency benchmark for all medical and spunlace applications, working with all the largest manufacturers in the world, installing more than 2000 systems worldwide to date.
The company offers high technologic and patented solutions for waste recycling, for filtration, energy and heat recovery and air conditioning of every type of production process using synthetic and natural fibers, cellulose powder, SAP, extruded and manmade fibers and sells its plants worldwide, guaranteeing assistance service as a direct on-site service through specialized technicians living in the area on the territory of Russia and of the U.S. Thanks to its official partnerships with great interpreters of the machinery construction sector, Emmebi Impianti is able to offer a project leading service for engineering and complete turn-key plants realizations.
In the last year of the pandemic, the company has confirmed itself in the sector that is most congenial to it and will carry out an expansion of its production plant by the end of 2021 with the integration of industry 4.0 technologies, in order to improve its competitiveness, flexibility and speed in the delivery of orders. With the automation and robotization of its key processes, Emmebi aims to create the most automated production plant in Italy for the production of aerotextile systems.
www.emmebi-impianti.it
Enka Tecnica
Enka Tecnica, a division of the Reifenhauser group, manufactures precise replacement smart spinning beams, cassettes and spinnerets that are custom designed and 100% compatible with any existing spunbond or meltblown line in the marketplace. The difference is noticeable in significantly improved cycle times and fewer rejections. These cost-effective solutions will maximize ROI, creating a positive difference to a customer’s bottom line.
www.reifenhauser.com
Fagus GreCon
Common causes of fires are heat, sparks, embers and hot particles. One of the most efficient measures to prevent fire or dust explosion is the early identification of the ignition source.
Sparks and embers are often the source of larger fire and explosion events. Preventive fire and explosion protection is an important measure, not only to protect production, but also the company and the people working within.
Fagus GreCon’s new DLD 1/9 Spark Detector offers additional protection to industries with new intelligent detection technology (IDT). IDT not only identifies hazardous moving ignition sources before a fire breaks out, but the DLD 1/9 detector is also able to differentiate between dangerous sparks or harmless incidence of extraneous light due to leaky/damaged pipes or an opening of an inspection flap.
The system provides excellent preventive protection, as it does not wait for an actual fire or explosion to erupt. The system prevents the development of a fire or explosion by the early detection and elimination of the ignition source. With a GreCon system it is possible to detect and eliminate ignition sources before a fire or a dust explosion occurs. IR detectors monitor the conveying paths and activate high-speed water extinguishing within milliseconds. The diversion or shut-off of product flow is also an option if extinguishing with water is not possible for the application.
www.grecon.us
Focke & Co
A new packaging system for diapers that stands for utmost care in product treatment, solidity, durability and proven technology, developed by Focke & Co, will be launched live at INDEX 2021. The modular machinery design of the new Focke stacker and bagger equipment offers economic solutions for various applications for the diaper industry. Increased efficiency and an open design enable easy operations and maintenance. Neither various bag styles nor sustainable materials affect the operation planning with this packaging line.
The stacker module itself stands for high flexibility to combine multiple modules such as one or more bagger and / or cartoner, flow wrapper, case packer as well as further packaging solutions. Using the new Focke Stacker Bagger model offers benefits of standard equipment customized to the needs of the operation, high compression capability and unique in-line compression for gentle product handling. Innovative machine functions supported by servo driven motion design sequences provide additional value to packaging.
Equipped with Focke VISU 3000 and in connection with digital services such as remote or condition monitoring aspects, this equipment is future proven. Focke VISU 3000’s new modular design allows simple extension by further functions and requirements. The on-screen help as well as integrated machine documentation support the operator in his tasks and enable quick solutions to any issues.
Focke & Co is a leading manufacturer of packaging machines worldwide and offers customer-specific packaging solutions for the hygiene & tissue industry.
www.focke.com
Frankl & Thomas
Frankl & Thomas (F&T), a systems, machines, parts and equipment supplier for textile manufacturing, announced that it now represents Italy-based nonwovens machinery producer Ramina S.r.L. in the U.S.
Ramina manufactures machines and turnkey plants for the nonwovens industry starting from fiber processing up to the realization of finished products in rolls or panels for the building industry, the furniture industry, the automotive industry and other industrial sectors.
Ramina also produces machines and turnkey plants for the PET bottle recycling industry, from the selection of post-consumption bottles to the realization of flakes to be used in the spinning spunbond process, and in the short spinning lines for the production of fiber.
“Ramina is a world-class company that Frankl &Thomas is proud to be associated with,” says F&T vice president Michael Alexander.
Established in 1946, F&T, represents numerous suppliers around the world from its office here. The company is a leader in unique, high-performance products for weaving, spinning, finishing, nonwovens and other sectors.
In 2019, Ramina debuted its new Leonardo 1.0 SMS line featuring spunbond, meltblown and composite technology as a pilot line and showroom for the new developed technology. During the difficult days of the global pandemic, Ramina launched a new initiative and to being running this line to produce meltblown fabric for face masks.
www.frankl-thomas.com
Graf Metallic of America
Since 1971, Graf America has been committed to providing partnerships built on the best value for money. The company’s key success factors include an unmatched range of card clothings, a 50,000 square foot warehouse, shop facility, and highly professional technical assistance.
Celebrating 50 years in operation in May 2021, Graf Metallic of America is the oldest continuously operating supplier of card clothings in the USA. The company was established as a sales and full-service business enterprise by Ralph Graf in 1971. Graf + Cie AG was founded in Rapperswil (Switzerland) in 1917.
Through expansion, textile market contractions, the rise of nonwoven products, the advent of natural, synthetic and specialty fibers, and the need for continuously improved performance, Graf Metallic of America positioned itself as global leader in card clothing. Innovative designs and materials such as Hipro tooth designs, multiple material alloys, and material finishes have firmly established Graf products as the industry’s top performers.
Graf Metallic of America’s employees are highly trained and committed to providing technical assistance, winding services, in-shop roll repair and field services for all types of roller top and flat top cards. With over 1000 styles and types of materials inventoried in its 50,000 square foot warehouse area, the company offers a wire for any need.
Located in the heart of the textile belt in Spartanburg, SC, Graf Metallic of America even operates a certified Graf shop located in one of its customer’s facilities with a full-time team servicing their carding equipment. “Our technicians are rigorously trained, highly experienced and fully equipped to provide superior service for all types of customer needs true to our motto of providing Partnerships Built on Best Value for Money,” says Jan Justice, market head of Graf.
Building on half a century of success, Justice celebrates this milestone and looks to the future with confidence: “Visit us on www.graf-companies.com as we celebrate: 50 years in the U.S., shaping one of the world’s most important textile markets through innovation, dedication and excellence!”
www.graf-companies.com
HCI Converting Equipment Co., Ltd.
Established in 1982, HCI is the leading company in Taiwan supplying converting equipment to medical, food, electronic and other flexible packaging industries with practical solutions.
HCI’s new “FSC-V” recently launched and is capable of making different types of sterile pouches including header bags, heat-seal and self-sealing type sterilize pouches, flat and gusset sterilize reels.
Heat seal’s sealing pressure and temperatures are two critical parameters for ensuring the quality integrity of sterilize pouches. The FSC-V sealing device utilizes a compact cylinder delivering well balanced, all round pressure to the top and bottom sealing molds, keeping material deformation within 0.01mm during the sealing process. This is especially suitable for paper and film sealing, delivering a stronger seal and neat bond.
On sealing temperature, FSC-V could be customized to utilize four to eight independent temperature controllers according to a customer’s requirement. Every set of temperature controller comprises heaters, thermocouples and PID thermal controller. Each temperature controller will independently control each zone using HCI’s unique heat distribution technique, temperature on each sealing mold is kept within +/- 2.5 °C, ensuring zero sealing defect.
Based on 40 years technical experience, HCI specializes in designing and manufacturing converting equipment such as slitting, rewinding, laminating, medical sterilization pouch/reel making, bag making, sleeve sealing machines and equipment for whole plants. It will continue to bring in new advanced technology and providing the most practical packaging solutions to its clients.
www.hci.cc
Hergeth
Hergeth’s successful batch opening and blending system Big Bin has a small brother. As the Big Bin opens and blends bales and fibers for batches 500 – 2000 kg some customers required even smaller batches to meet the demand of their special customers. So, Hergeth created a mini Bin for batches of just 200 – 300 kg in bale or loose form. The company sees a strong demand in saturated markets for highly individualized products. This means they must be able to serve the market with small batches without much effort. Big Bin and mini Bin fill this need with minimum cleaning time and no rubber or spiked aprons.
www.hergeth.de
Hills, Inc.
Since 1971, Hills, Inc., continues to develop and supply commercialized fiber extrusion equipment for high value specialty fibers and nonwovens. Hills equipment is in operation throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Hills meltblown machinery produces filtration media with high value uses including N95, FFP2 and other face mask types. Hills’ technology utilizes patented thin plates to create extrusion dies that permit great design and operating flexibility. Hills dies offer high polymer pressure capability, hole counts to >100 hpi, and unlimited capillary L/D. Customers’ dies may be tailored to make specific products (choice of polymers including high-viscosity polymers, fiber sizes from under 250nm average to 10+ microns in diameter, and/or bicomponent fibers).
Hills also manufactures spunbond machinery with sophisticated bicomponent extrusion technology, polymer temperature separation, high pressure capability, ultra-high-spinning-speed slot draw units, and characterizable forming tables. Hills provides:
Hills also offers high-capacity mono- and bicomponent staple fiber machinery, and also affordable conversions of existing “blended polymer” staple machines to bicomponent production of dividable islands-in-the-sea fibers, for uses such as artificial leather and microfiber wipes.
Hills customers can work in its in-house laboratory to develop multicomponent and nanofiber meltspun products. In addition to supplying extrusion equipment and R&D support, Hills upgrades existing extrusion machines as well as offers contract manufacturing for small-scale/high-value fibers and fabrics.
www.hillsinc.net
Idrosistem
Idrosistem srl has specialized in the water filtration for spunlace lines over the last 25 years. The aim of the water filtration is to remove the rest of the production’s fibers from the water. In this way Idrosistem can avoid problems to the injectors of the plant and with the quality of the finished product. It also means that the manufacturing process does not have to stop to clean the safety filters.
Idrosistem srl has developed a new specific technology for bacteria control in the spunlace water loop and specifically for wet wipes production. The target of its solution is to avoid the releasing of any kind of toxic matter, in particular chlorides and bromate based products, in the water. The base of this technology is the Chlorine Dioxide, a water sterilization system that keeps its efficiency independently from the pH of the water and that can reach the lowest limits for bacteria control, in terms of CFU/ml, required by the end users.
Summarizing the features of this system:
Investkonsult Sweden
Investkonsult Sweden is a highly specialized consultant and broker (of used equipment), serving the nonwoven and absorbent hygiene producers globally.
The company was extremely busy during Covid (March 2020–May 2021), contrary to what it believed it would be at the start of the pandemic. Johan Berlin, managing director explains: “I was sure that our machinery sales would drop to zero, as we only do used equipment, and people generally like to inspect physically when they are purchasing a used line. However, it quickly became clear to us, that those customers that needed machinery, turned to trusted sources that have been active many years, rather than shopping around at machinery websites that don’t have much of a physical real presence. So, all in all, we had one of our best years ever.”
During the period the company was also very busy with consulting and actively engaging in various work with industry organizations such as EDANA. Studies on both meltblown and facemasks were conducted for many clients – both existing producers as well as total newcomers.
Among the sales, it is worth mentioning some major projects like selling and relocating two adult incontinence lines from South America to Europe, one complete spunbond line from the Middle East to Europe, one complete spunbond line from South America to Mexico, six baby diaper lines from South America to the Middle East, among many other projects.
The company will remain busy for the rest of 2021 with the relocation and sale of a complete PP fiber spinning line as well as a complete 7000 mm geotextile line. Now that travelling has opened up again, Johan Berlin and Kerim Kalkan are eager to get back on the road to re-visit old customers as well as introducing their company to new potential customers.
A major milestone during 2020 was also overseeing and arranging for the first dedicated meltblown line (brand new) in Scandinavia as well as handling project management for an intro-company move of an extruded film and lamination line from Europe to South America.
For more info about Investkonsult Sweden, check its website. Investkonsult Sweden will also be present both at the INDEX show in Geneva later this year, as well as the IDEA show in Miami next year.
www.ik.se
JacoTech
JacoTech offers the nonwovens industry cylinder engraving of unique male and female master mold tooling for nonwoven sheet/roll manufacturing as well as roll molds for extrusion, embossing, casting and calendaring processing. JacoTech handles big parts to 36”/915mm diameter x 127”/3225mm wide up to 3.25 ton weight. JacoTech ships around the globe. Parts are made in-house in Chicago, IL.
www.jacotech.com
Kansan
Kansan, an engineering, technology and machinery group that creates essential manufacturing solutions for all aspects of wet wipes production from converting, packaging, lid application to case packing and palletizing, unveiled Acurapack 160, the high-speed flow wrap machine which has 160 packs a minute output speed on a single line with a single crimper head.
Innovation and experience are at the center of Kansan’s corporate identity. This game-changer technology is created to ensure the best performance and packaging quality to meet and exceed not only today’s but also tomorrow’s expectations.
Acurapack 160, one of the fastest flow wrappers in the industry, stands out with incredibly easy handling and utmost flexibility at high speeds, new crimper head design (patent pending), pneumatic lifters at die-cut for easy passage of film splices, online fully autonomous QC systems to eliminate unfit product and splice points without operators’ intervention. The new system ensures a high sealing quality, flexibility and low waste values. It has the following differential advantages
www.kansanmak.com
Maxcess
Maxcess, a global leader in innovative solutions for web applications, expanded its nonwoven solutions when it merged with RotoMetrics in 2020. RotoMetrics is the global leader in rotary tooling solutions. RotoMetrics has just designed a through hardened, D2 Steel tool specifically engineered for nonwoven applications, including diapers, feminine care, wipes, and medical/PPE materials. Development of this new solid die was based on months of research and customer feedback addressing the current challenges in converting nonwoven materials. The RD300 NW delivers consistent performance and reliable support.
The fully integrated manufacturing processes allows Maxcess to deliver a premium, through hardened D2 solid die with exclusive coatings for adhesive control in half the time of the competition. Additionally, Maxcess can repair and re-sharpen the die faster through its regional and global repair facilities. This helps keep its customers up and running, increases output and decreases downtime.
www.maxcessintl.com
Mechanical Specialties
Mechanical Specialties is a leading manufacturer of quality core chucks, mandrel/core chuck combinations and core cutter machines.
Since 1958, Mechanical Specialties has been making core chucks and core cutter machines that are easy to use, reliable and affordable.
Its self-locking core chucks can go in either direction, self-adjusting to the web tension pull. Immediate gripping of the core, no slipping. Mechanical Specialties makes standard, long projections, specialty and custom chucks. Core I.D. sizes from 1 inch to 20 inches.
Its manual core cutter machine produces uniform, accurately cut cardboard cores with clean edges and no burrs. Its core cutter eliminates the constant replacement of cutting knives because of the combination of its unique cutting platen and limitation roller.
Mechanical Specialties also offers custom manufacturing. It is a full-service machine shop able to manufacture and fabricate any of a customer’s specific needs. All it needs is an authorized drawing or sample of a customer’s existing product.
All products from material to production are made in the USA. See the full line of products with photos and video demonstrations at Mechanical Specialties’ website.
www.msccorechucks.com
Mobi-Air
2021 has been an exciting year for the Mobi-Air team after successfully completing production scale up of the segmented drum filter range. Mobi-Air is already exporting this low-energy technology to end-users globally and welcomes visitors to witness firsthand how they can slash their filtration energy costs by 50%. Specifically designed for end-users seeking a significant reduction in ongoing power consumption, segmented drum filter technology uses the core processes of conventional drum filter processes which have been put together in a new efficient and unique format. The high surface area of the segmented drum filter enables large areas of filter media to be incorporated within the filter, thereby reducing media face velocity down to just 0.2 – 0.3 M/S; conventional drum filter technologies run at a higher speed of 0.5 – 0.6 M/S. This reduction in media face velocity not only improves air filtration performance and extends the media change-over period, but perhaps, of even more environmental importance, the reduced pressure drop across the filter media enables customers to achieve main system fan energy savings that typically range between 40%-60% when compared to traditional drum technology.
Key attributes of this patent protected technology include:
During the Covid pandemic, Mobi-Air has expanded its Multi-Vortex filtration technology, which will be going into 24/7 demonstration testing in 2021 and is ready for a 2022 launch. Multi-Vortex, inspired by the naturally-forming multi-vortex tornados, runs at over 10 times the G-Force of cyclones while requiring only one third of the energy to operate versus a conventional cyclone. Requiring no filter media, the 244 independent tornados operate at over 1000G, ensuring best-in-class filtration performance. The breakthrough patented technology not only significantly reduces running costs through reduced energy requirements and reduced spare parts, it also fully eliminates dust explosion risks, thereby negating the need for explosion venting.
Capable of supporting any hygiene production machine, the Multi-Vortex process has been described by leading air experts as the most significant technological breakthrough since air filtration began. “The Mobi-Air team is very proud of their breakthrough achievements, which will benefit many industries and perhaps, more importantly, planet earth,” says Martin Scaife, CTO.
Further enhancements to the Zero Energy HVAC have also taken place. This new patented plug-in HVAC technology, when operating in closed-loop configuration, can reduce customer HVAC costs between 45-85% depending on factory location.
www.mobiair.technology
Mondon
French company Mondon has been designing and manufacturing converting machines for four decades. Thanks to its large experience in winding and unwinding machinery, Mondon company offers equipment for the hygiene, healthcare, automotive and construction sectors.
From standard to tailor made machines, Mondon offers a full range of solutions suitable for existing lines or new processing lines. Thanks to its flexibility, Mondon has recently supplied its automatic unwinders to meltblown producers in short time, helping to fight against Covid-19.
Its portfolio includes unwinders, slitter rewinders, turret winders and spooling lines in several formats. Great attention has been paid in the capacity to manage very accurate tension control to low grammage product at very high speed. A performance obtained thanks to its background engineering expertise developed on large scale product machines and tests. Additionally, Mondon offers its SH Series machines, specifically designed and engineered for web sheeting, which combines high speed, high efficiency and intelligence.
Mondon machines meet quality, efficiency and reliability. They can be applied on existing lines by adapting the design to the product. They are available in different widths from 1600 mm to 4000 mm, with optional devices such as a lifting table to load or unload the rolls.
Interface parameter adjustment and mechanical design offer to the end user easy to use and easy to maintain
equipment.
www.mondon.com
MS Ultrasonic Technology Group
The MS Ultrasonic Technology Group acts as a technology and innovation leader in ultrasonic technology, develops and builds flexible special machines, pioneering series machines, modular systems and efficient components for high-performance complete solutions. MS Ultrasonic thus covers the demanding needs of customers in the automotive, packaging/food, textile, medical technology, consumer goods and electrical components industries.
This enables them to optimally weld, punch, seal, cut and rivet thermoplastics, textiles and nonwovens, as well as cut food and other materials.
The MS Ultrasonic Technology Group is part of the listed MS Industrie AG with internationally active companies.
In addition to the company’s well-known activities, MS is now placing a new focus on the continuous welding of nonwovens and other materials.
The company is incorporating its many years of experience in mechanical engineering with drive and control technology, in combination with ultrasonic technology, into the new business area. This means that customers receive ready-to-integrate systems with maximum precision from a single source.
The new MS Competence Center in Ettlingen, Germany, provides continuous welding with an innovative location and maintains a high level of vertical integration through the headquarters in Spaichingen, Germany.
The newly developed systems (MS sonxSYS Combine) for the nonwovens segment have already been tested in the high-speed range up to 850 m/min and will be presented to the trade public at INDEX.
The analysis and evaluation of various welding tasks is just as much a part of this as the in-house production of engraving rollers through to complete systems.
www.ms-ultrasonic.de
Nordson
Nordson’s new Harmony Applicators support a great variety of adhesive dispensing ranging from continuous contact or spray to demanding ultra-high-speed intermittent applications.
The Harmony Applicators have a high degree of spare parts commonality reducing the cost of ownership for this product family immensely. Configuration options include multiple hose inlets/hydraulic zones, and mixing of dispense modules as well as easy upgradability in the field.
Training and maintenance is simplified through innovative design and advanced new features that support a single-minute exchange of certain items, including spray nozzles, filters, modules, solenoids and OptiStroke sensors.
“Harmony Applicators deliver performance, flexibility, and improved value to meet and exceed the demands of a wide range of dispensing applications. During the upcoming INDEX trade show in Geneva in October, our customers will be able to see the features and benefits of our new applicator for themselves,” states Kai Kröger, Nordson vice president, Global Nonwovens.
Nordson, the global leader in high precision dispense technology, has developed an innovative product with the Harmony Applicator aimed at helping its clients enhance their manufacturing efficiency and product quality around the world.
For more information on Nordson Harmony Applicator technology, visit www.nordson.com/en/divisions/adhesive-dispensing-systems/products/applicators/harmony- applicators.
Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Westlake, OH, Nordson has operations and support offices in more than 30 countries.
www.nordson.com
Ramina
The future is now with Leonardo 1.0, the technological plant for the production of spunbond, meltblown and composites, designed and made by the Italian company Ramina Srl, which builds turnkey plants for the production of nonwoven fabric for the healthcare, filtrating and industrial sector.
Leonardo 1.0 makes a large production of nonwoven fabric possible thanks to its technology. This concept was presented through the pilot line installed inside the factory, comprising two spunbond beams and one meltblown beam (SMS). The line is 1.6 meters wide and can process PP as well as PET and PLA polymers, with a maximum speed of 1000 m/min, and a productive potential of max. 200 kg/h/m for each spunbond beam and 50 kg/h/m for each meltblown beam. The various formats requested by the market go from 1.6 meters to 5.2 meters, and nonwoven fabric with spunbond treatment has a grammage from 8 to 150 gr per square meter, while the meltblown treatment goes from 10 to 400 gr per square meter.
The name of this excellence in the production of nonwoven fabric is clearly inspired by one of the greatest geniuses of humanity: Leonardo Da Vinci, artist of the Renaissance, scientist and inventor.
But what is the reason for this particular juxtaposition to such an iconic figure as Leonardo? The answer is simple: because Leonardo 1.0 represents the essence of innovation. Thanks to its technology, Leonardo 1.0 is the ideal solution to obtain a perfect balance between production costs and high quality of the final product. All of this is possible thanks to its flexibility, affordability and safe reliability which make it possible to optimize energetic costs, in a “green” perspective, producing quality products quickly.
From a technical point of view, Leonardo 1.0 is a completely automated plant, which generates minimum product waste, even with production changes, and can produce up to 1000 meters of fabric per minute without compromising quality. The plant is efficient also in terms of technology thanks to a quick cleaning and maintenance process which, through the physical management of the staff reduced to the minimum and through a significant decrease of down time, allows customers to save time and increasing revenue.
Leonardo 1.0 is innovative also for its ability to process PLA (polylactic acid), a polymer of vegetal origin, biodegradable and compostable, which makes it possible to increase productivity in the spunbond and meltblown process and which, also from a sustainability point of view, has less impact of the environment thanks to its disposal capacity: a process which transforms bioplastic in soil and fertilizer, becoming a useful resource for the planet.
www.ramina.it
Saueressig Surfaces
Saueressig Surfaces unites decades of experience and a wide range of expertise in all areas of surface refinement. Formerly Saueressig Ungricht, Saueressig Surfaces now appears as one of five international leading business units under a common umbrella brand focusing on reliability, quality and international group strength. As a leading international supplier, Saueressig Surfaces offers a strong technical expertise in the field of tissue, hygiene and nonwovens.
Recent developments include three-dimensional pattern visualization taking into account the base material, engraving pattern, basis weight and color, Saueressig Surfaces is able to produce three-dimensional visualizations for customers to develop optimal solutions for their end products.
In addition, Saueressig Surfaces has new developments in the areas of three-dimensional embossing and apperaturing both offline using high precision heated rollers with complex and highly precise engraving patterns as well as in line in the hydroentangling process using nickel sleeves. In both cases, the door is open to produce new and extraordinary designs with three-dimensional effects with improved tensile strength, elasticity, pressure resistant and high air/liquid permeability.
www.saueressig.com/surfaces
Shemesh Automation
Shemesh Automation Wet Wipes announced the introduction of three extremely exciting new innovations.
1. SAS160 & SAS500: Round Wipes Canisters Stuffers
For the 160ppm SAS160 model, Shemesh is using the exact same proven technology as its current 120ppm SAS120, while slightly increasing the turret size in order to achieve the
higher throughput.
The SAS500 also uses the same proven technology which is then multiplied from one to four turrets inside one monoblock, resulting in 48 stuffing stations into which four rolls are simultaneously fed via four independent chutes.
SAS500 main advantages:
2. CITADEL X: 100-120ppm All-In-One Downstream Packaging Machine for Round Wet Wipes in Ready-Made Bags
Following the success of its Citadel-R and Citadel-J monoblock models (for all-in-one packaging in lower speeds of refill/consumer and jumbo rolls respectively), the Citadel-X is Shemesh’s most recent in-line design for higher speeds of 100-120ppm all-in-one downstream packaging for dry and/or wet applications when packing up to 300ct rolls in stand-
up-pouches.
3. TKS200: A-Z Canister Wipes Line. From Master roll to Palletizing.
Meet the all new Shemesh TKS200 complete A-Z canister wipes line. The TKS200 includes a Shemesh made stuffer, filler, sealer, capper, labeller, cans descrambler, end of line case packer, palletizer, rewinder integration, buffers, smart continuous sealer and labeller magazines as well as built-in quality control features throughout the TKS200, which is designed to run at a constant speed of 200ppm.
www.shemeshautomation.com
Sonic Corporation
Typical method for delivering liquid solutions to wet wipe nonwovens involves large, costly batch tanks and agitation over time. The wet wipe solution contains large amounts of water and to tank this is wasteful. It is far more efficient to meter water alongside other ingredients using Inline Blending & Homogenization. Sonic designs and fabricates multiple-feed inline liquid processing skids that take water and other ingredients from bulk and meters and mixes them inline without space consuming batch tanks. Twenty to 30 GPM of continuous product can be delivered to the packing or canister lines in a footprint not much larger than a pallet.
www.sonicmixing.com
Sonobond Ultrasonics
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), facemasks and other medical nonwoven items require strong, fully sealed barrier seams that meet regulatory requirements. Ultrasonics is the preferred assembly method for these items, since it utilizes high-frequency sound waves that cause heating and plasticization of nonwoven materials, creating high-quality, regulatory-compliant bonds that eliminate leaking caused by stitch holes and glue gaps.
For ultrasonic assembly of PPE, facemasks and other medical nonwoven items, manufacturers most often request Sonobond’s SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines. The SeamMaster’s patented rotary operation – similar to a conventional sewing machine – channels the ultrasonic vibrations to create smooth, soft-to-the-touch seams that are also strong, sealed, secure, and ultra-reliable. While ultrasonic “plunge bonding” equipment also produces regulatory-compliant bonds, they cannot provide the rotary “soft seam” assembly that is increasingly preferred as PPE and facemasks are being used more frequently and for longer periods of time.
Since SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines resemble and operate like conventional sewing machines, minimal operator training is required. In addition, since they are faster and easier to use than other methods, and require no thread or other consumables, manufacturers realize lower production costs and greater production output without sacrificing quality.
Sonobond Ultrasonics has produced a “how to” video for assembling regulatory-compliant face masks in just one minute using its SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines.
www.sonobondultrasonics.com
Spoolex
Since its first Jumbo spooling line 25 years ago, Spoolex has never stopped strengthening its leading position in high-capacity spooling equipment. Dedicated to a wide range of applications, Spoolex’s well-known Pegase spooling lines are mainly used in hygiene, medical, wire and cables.
This year, at least three more Pegase lines will be joining the big Pegase family already in production worldwide, one of them with a world premiere.
Spoolex has a high expertise in responding to critical tension management challenges. The proof: Each of these three Pegase lines will be slitting and spooling three very different materials. Spoolex’s solutions are adapted to a wide range of materials, from ATB nonwovens to natural based ones, as well as absorbent cores, three-dimensional apertured plastic films, elastic laminates and water blocking tapes.
Machine key features:
to come.
www.spoolex.com
Teknoweb Materials
TKW Materials is an Italian global manufacturer of complete, innovative and sustainable plants to produce pulp plus polyolefin coformed substrate materials.
TKW Materials is part of Oerlikon group, a market leader in advanced materials, surface engineering and polymer processing.
As part of Oerlikon, Teknoweb Materials intends to always operate by researching innovative solutions with forward-thinking technologies that empowers customers to do more, in a different way and better than ever before.
That’s what the hybrid coforming plant is realized for; enabling substrates for many markets, for many products and for many direct and indirect savings.
Nothing to do with previous nonwovens technologies. Phantom technology has taken the best of airlaid, spunlace, meltblown and the best of technology over the last 30 years and has created a brand new technology capable of making substrates for consumer disposable products ranging from wet wipes to diapers’ cores and from filters to absorbents.
And what is most important of all, Phantom does not use hydroentanglement or chemicals to bind cellulose pulp and polyolefins together, with the wasteful and polluting consequences, but uses thermalbonding, vacuum mechanisms, disciplined coaxial air flows and a treatment that has respect for the molecules involved in the process.
Savings and sustainability are therefore in the way in which the Teknoweb Materials plants are made, they are in the functioning of the plants and are also in the substrate, the first that integrates up to 90% for cellulose. And the research doesn’t stop there. Research on the plant technology and technologies is evolving including polymer usage.
www.tkwmaterials.com
Tentoma
Automatic insertion of core plugs in nonwoven rolls is now an option for the RoRo StretchPack packaging machines from Tentoma.
The RoRo StretchPack packaging machinery has become popular and especially for packaging of nonwoven rolls. The reason is that the horizontal packaging of rolls in a seamless tubular stretch film provides a 100% waterproof and uniformed packaging. It has clients within the nonwovens industry who have requested to include a core plug applicator in the packaging process.
The new core plug applicator can insert core plugs in rolls with diameters up to 1400 mm. The diameter of each roll is measured automatically to ensure that the core plug is centered. The applicator has a magazine for 100+ core plugs. This way customers can enjoy the high capacity from a fully automated packaging line without any bottlenecks.
Besides better packaging quality, RoRo StretchPack also provides more sustainable packaging solutions. RoRo StretchPack is stretching the film while packaging, which means that customers avoid excessive use of film. Customers have seen a reduction in film consumption by 25-60% compared to conventional stretch film wrapping and heat shrink packaging. The energy-consuming heat shrink process is also removed from the packaging line as RoRo StretchPack packs and seals in one single operation.
RoRo StretchPack is based on well-proven technology for vertical stretch hood packaging of pallets. Tentoma has refined the technology, so it also can be utilized horizontally integrated into a highly productive production line.
www.tentoma.com
Tokuden
Tokuden is a leader in the design and fabrication of induction heated rolls since it built the world’s first induction heated roll in 1964. Its most recent development is the Air-Cooled Hybrid Roll.
The air-cooled hybrid roll is a system that enables the roll to be cooled to room temperature very simply by vacuuming air through the roll without the need for water or air utilities. Compared to other methods, this system’s ability to lower temperature is excellent. The only challenges with this design are the dependency of a clean air supply, air temperature and a higher noise level due to the vacuum system.
The utilization of the roll can be divided into two types: rapid cooling and balanced operation. The purpose of rapid cooling is to improve the productivity of multi-product small volume production. In the daily production schedule, the cooling time of the roll can be decreased rapidly allowing for quicker start up times between grade or material changes.
The purpose of balanced operation is to maintain a constant roll surface temperature. In many applications, the material temperature entering the roll will be higher than the set point temperature of the roll; thereby increasing the roll surface temperature above the set point. When this occurs, the control system will automatically switch on the air cooling, maintaining the set point temperature.
The option of using air-cooled technology adds only a nominal increase in price over standard rolls.
www.tokuden.com
Trascar
Speed, product care and precision are the main advantages that Trascar automations, since 1996, offer in end-of-line activities for nonwoven rolls, from preparation (handling and packaging) to final storage in automatic warehouses.
Trascar consolidates in the market acquiring an important order from Global Nonwovens, an Indian producer of spunmelt and spunbond materials. Global Nonwovens produces a wide range of excellent quality products for the hygienic and medical sectors, distributing its products all over the world.
The new latest generation spunbond production line allows the production of rolls up to 5.5 meters wide: the Trascar automation is able to handle slit rolls with widths from 60mm to 2.700mm, with diameters up to 1200mm and reaches a capacity of 330 slit rolls per hour. Slit rolls handling is fully automated, it includes automatic labelling, in core and outside and robotized stacking on different stacking points positions. The automation will allow the winding of the reels package up to 2700mm in height and 1200mm in diameter. The complete solution can manage up to 65 packs/hour and up to 12 doffs/hour.
Thanks to the solution engineered by Trascar, Global Nonwovens will be able to increase productivity in a reduced space without the intervention of operators in handling and packaging activities, while also preserving the quality and integrity of the reels in compliance with zero contamination policies.
The Trascar solution will interface with other machines in the production line and with the customer’s ERP: the high construction standards and the highest quality commercial components complete the supply.
The complete solution will go into full operation in 2022.
www.trascar.it
Truetzschler Nonwovens
Truetzschler Nonwovens offers complete production lines for carded/spunlaced, carded/air-through bonded and, in cooperation with Voith, for wetlaid/spunlaced nonwovens. The portfolio comprises efficient solutions from bale opening, web forming and bonding to drying and winding the finished nonwoven.
Customers can take advantage of the Nonwovens Customer and Technology Center (NCTC) in Egelsbach, Germany. State-of-the-art machinery in flexible configurations allows for material, machine and process trials on an industrial scale.
A clear focus is on technologies for manufacturing sustainable nonwovens from renewable resources. Truetzschler’s aim is to process cotton and natural fibers, viscose, lyocell and wood pulp, to high-quality, biodegradable, single-use products such as eco-friendly wipes. The latest breakthrough is the highly flexible CP (carded-pulp) technology for environmentally safe and affordable nonwovens.
Truetzschler Nonwovens is part of the well-known, family-owned German Truetzschler group, one of the world’s leading textile machinery manufacturers. The group specializes in machines, plants and accessories for spinning preparation, the nonwovens and manmade fiber industries.
www.truetzschler-nonwovens.com
Vac-U-Max
Vac-U-Max Signature Series vacuum conveyors offer processors a quick and easy solution for conveying powders, super absorbent polymers, pellets and other granular bulk materials from storage vessels like totes, drums, bulk bags, bins and gaylords to destinations like processing or packaging lines. Each five-part system includes pick-up wand, convey hose, vacuum receiver with automatic pulse filter cleaning, vacuum producer, and UL-listed controls. Units are available in 1500 Series for vacuum conveying applications from handfuls to 1500 lbs/hr (680 kg/hr) or the 3500 Series for conveying rates up to 3500 lbs/hr (1600 kg/hr).
www.vac-u-max.com
Valmet
Valmet offers the highest performing end-of-line machines to nonwoven producers seeking maximum level of control in creating and maintaining product quality. The adaptability of each machine allows for unique properties leading to high-quality nonwovens end-products. Preservation of high bulk, high efficiency and high production capacity are all essential needs for reaching successful results.
Valmet’s “end of line” machine equipment can do the best job of creating and protecting the highest quality product attributes. The THRU-AIR dryer/bonder delivers the best uniformity of air temperature and air flow through the web. The novel “no stress” electromechanical winding/slitter rewinder technology with a unique application of load cell monitoring, continuously and automatically controls reel building and rewinding with each and every wrap of the growing roll. Combine this with Valmet’s own Automation systems including unique web-based user interface, scanners for online quality measurements including profiling actuators and closed loop controls, analyzers to measure fiber properties online or in the lab and market leading technology for web inspection and web monitoring.
Nonwoven web producers can use this state-of-the-art equipment option to protect spunbond and other webs carefully and confidently, all the way from drying/bonding, winding, and through packaging. The result of using Valmet’s full offering is tight control of product attributes and careful, consistent protection of caliper and quality of the final product.
www.valmet.com/nonwovens
Weima
Nonwovens are extremely durable, but they release dust particles when they are cut or shredded. This dust 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 by using a rotary airlock. 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.weima.com
A.Celli Nonwovens, a current leader in its market, has been manufacturing nonwovens machinery for over 75 years.
The Italian company offers a comprehensive range of Master Roll Winders & 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 finishing & reprocessing lines including R-WAY Automatic Packaging System a modular, flexible and customizable system for reel handling and packaging, adaptable to any layout and any production line.
Thanks to the R-WAY Automatic Packaging System it is possible to manage the entire packaging process:
- Reel transfer from the production line to the packaging line;
- Labeling of the outer surface of each reel and the inner surface of the core;
- Automatic preparation of reel bundles by means of robots;
- Bundles packing, weighing and labeling;
- Possible palletization and second packaging.
A.Celli, among the various integrable solutions, also offers a reel data tracking and archiving system, iREEL, which allows customers to keep the detailed history of the product, from the mother roll to each individual reel of finished product.
www.acelli.it
Absolut Manufacturing
The Absolut WiNDR is a 50" wide coreless nonwovens canister rewinder. Independently servo-driven mandrels and a servo-positioned rider roll provides the ultimate in control over roll density no matter the substrate. Whether it’s winding half-folded or flat products, the WiNDR produces quality products at speeds up to 800 feet/minute or 20 separations/minute. The WiNDR is the ideal line for finished roll diameters ranging from 2.4-12 inches.
The WiNDR also features the latest in motion control technology including a fully integrated Category 3 PLd safety system keeping people safe and production rolling. With a perf range of 5–13 inches, the WiNDR will deliver years of reliable production and provide customers with the flexibility needed to stay ahead of today’s changing marketplace.
The WiNDR joins all other Absolut and Bretting products that are serviced and supported by Bretting’s industry leading global support team.
www.absolutmfg.com
Allertex of America
For more than 30 years, Allertex of America has focused on supplying high quality machinery to the nonwovens, technical textile, and textile recycling markets. It strives to provide its customers with the ideal solution to their manufacturing needs. Allertex’s scope of supply includes turn-key nonwovens facilities and plants, complete production and processing lines, individual machines and systems, upgrades and retro fits, and process control equipment.
With years of supplying complete fiber processing lines and technical solutions for a durable yet sustainable environment, Allertex has also specialized in natural fiber processing, such as hemp, flax, jute, cotton, sisal, coco, etc. Finding the right technology to handle tough biomass is no easy task. However, Allertex has proven global experience in processing bast fibers, and the OEM’s it represents have technical centers to demonstrate and optimize the process for a customer’s specific needs, specializing in a soft process for high quality fibers for nonwovens and/or spinning applications.
www.allertex.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, converting and textile calendering.
Recently, Andritz acquired Laroche SAS, a leading supplier of fiber processing technologies such as opening, blending, and dosing, airlay web forming, textile waste recycling, and decortication of bast fibers. The product portfolio further complements and enlarges the Andritz Nonwoven product range.
One focus of this product range lies on complete recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial waste to produce fibers for re-spinning and/or nonwoven end-uses. Customer awareness and regulations are pushing apparel brands to recycle their waste in their own products. Recycled fibers can also be used in the nonwovens industry for various applications such as automotive, insulation, mattresses, and furniture felts. To support Andritz customers, a process know-how team is at customers’ disposal to conduct customized trials in Andritz’s advanced technical center located at the Andritz Laroche facilities.
www.andritz.com
Autefa Solutions
For needlepunching, Autefa Solutions has developed monitoring and quality improvement techniques with its patented 3-level Closed Loop Control System. A scanner evaluates weight distribution in the final product, while the control system adjusts the profile at the crosslapper Topliner and the card feed accordingly. The 3-level Closed Loop Control System also incorporates the WebMax Web Profile Control, which ensures that the fabric profile is regular in both directions. This results in excellent fabric uniformity, with consequent savings in materials and costs.
Autefa Solutions lines cover the needs of the highly competitive nonwovens market. An improved and uniform surface quality has been set as a key objective by the customers. Therefore, Autefa Solutions offers the service of a customized needle board pattern. The needling simulation software i-Point 3.0 increases the capacity and the quality of needlepunched fabrics. This customized design of the needle pattern, which takes into account draft and shrinkage, is focused on the target range of PPCM required by the customer. The latest development was designed for high needle density to promote faster production speeds with almost no needle marks on the felt surface.
The spunlace sector is becoming increasingly competitive for end product manufacturers. Autefa Solutions offers complete lines to produce direct and crosslapped spunlace products.
The Hydroentanglement Machine V-Jet FUTURA and the Square Drum Dryer SQ-V, bring considerable cost saving thru innovative process development. This new technology offers a significant reduction of energy consumption in both bonding and drying processes compared to any state-of-the-art line. Autefa Solutions Square Drum Dryer SQ-V combines the advantage of a horizontal belt dryer and the optimized drying efficiency with the space advantage of a drum dryer, resulting in increased drying length with a small footprint.
Autefa Solutions high-speed oven HiPerTherm HS distinguishes itself with an improved airflow system operating at high production speeds. The double nozzle system allows the creation of extremely uniform product properties. The key strengths of the Autefa Solutions belt dryers are highest uniform airflow with precisely adjustable temperature distribution and the ability to maintain loft. The machine has been especially designed for the manufacturing of top sheets and ADL markets which demand utmost accuracy.
www.autefa.com
Balemaster
A market leader in the baler industry since 1946, Balemaster provides innovative solutions based upon solid engineering, expertise and experience.
As nonwoven baling needs have changed over the years, Balemaster has continually responded by offering products capable of cost-effectively meeting any automatic waste handling challenge. Whether a customer bales diaper trim or personal care products, airlaid, drylaid, or wetlaid, a baler from Balemaster can be outfitted to best suit a customer’s specific requirements. Its goal is to make customers’ baling processes more profitable.
Balemaster’s E-Series balers are a perfect match for this industry. The E-Series is the flagship of the Balemaster auto-tie baler line. These balers are fully automated so man-hours are kept to a minimum, allowing workers to concentrate on other things. The heavy-duty automatic wire-tier completes the tie-off cycle in less than 30 seconds. Balemaster’s unique bale density control system automatically and continuously regulates the tensioning pressure and creates the proper squeezing force to achieve the highest bale density possible. No adjustments are required.
Add to all of this, energy efficient hydraulic power packs available up to 225 horsepower that meet any capacity demand, along with a comprehensive touch screen controller, and customers have a baler equipped with the features and benefits to keep up with any demand the industry has to offer.
www.balemaster.com
Beta
The Beta “Mammoth” Padder is the brand-new creation from Beta, an Italian machine manufacturer in the field of padders and calenders since 1959. It boasts a tablewidth of 6500mm and is used to impregnate and squeeze nonwoven webs and fabrics of any kind.
Beta’s machines have always been recognized worldwide as highly performant, sturdily built, and with a long life span. The heart of Beta’s technology is the exclusive Beta-Roll, which guarantees a uniform squeeze on the web/fabric at any working pressure.
The impregnation of the web takes place in a stainless-steel trough that can be filled with any sort of dye or chemical (antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, antistatic, waterproof, flame retardant, UV resistant…).
- The enhanced pressure system delivers an impressive squeezing power that gives Beta’s customers many key advantages:
- The uniform squeeze guarantees an even distribution of the chemicals and returns the best quality of a fabric/web. The same amount of chemical is spread on all the surface of the fabric/web and is not jammed along the centerline.
- The giant squeeze allows customers to save an enormous quantity of water and chemicals, be more sustainable toward the environment, and lower your levels of environmental pollution.
- The massive working pressure leaves the minimum quantity of water and chemicals in the web, and this means important energy economies during the drying phase.
www.betaspa.com
Brückner
The Brückner group is a worldwide acting owner-run mechanical engineering company with more than 70 years of tradition and experience. The company is situated in Southern Germany and plans, builds and installs machines and ranges for the dry finishing of textiles, technical textiles, nonwovens and floor coverings. With nearly 6000 innovative systems and ranges supplied all over the globe so far, Brückner is one of the leading international manufacturers.
Brückner can offer the following machines and technology: Stenters and dryers for knitted and woven fabrics, sanforising ranges, compacting calenders, continuous dyeing ranges with hotflue and infrared dryers, relaxation dryers, complete coating and laminating lines for textiles, technical textiles, carpets and nonwovens, heat-recovery and air purification systems and energy saving concepts. In addition, Brückner gives technological advice to all customers in order to run their processes as optimized as possible. In its own technology center at its headquarters in Leonberg near Stuttgart, Brückner can run trials for customers and interested parties at any time. All Brückner machines are efficient and high-quality products and are 100% made in Germany.
In the nonwovens sector Brückner has developed a lot in the last years. The different ovens in Brückner’s product portfolio dry and consolidate nonwovens materials for a range of fields, such as hygiene and medical textiles, building and geotextiles, filter materials as well as fabrics for clothing, cleaning, care and vehicles. Brückner’s product range in the nonwovens sector comprises the following: impregnation units, coating units, accumulators, calibration calenders, lamination calenders, cutting machines (lingitudinal- / cross-cutters) and
winding machines.
www.brueckner-textile.com
Catbridge Machinery
Catbridge Machinery is the only U.S. based OEM of a full (turnkey) meltblown production line with in-house engineering, fabrication & support. Its advanced meltblown / BMF (blown micro fiber) production lines offer precision, flexibility, speed and easy maintenance. Catbridge Machinery’s meltblown lines feature an innovative die tip design for extremely precise laydown control. The resulting ultrafine web fibers are ideal for high-performance filters and face masks as well as applications such as wipes and hygiene products. Turnkey meltblown lines include extruder, meltblown forming system, web charger, web handling equipment, all mechanical connections, controls package, all electrical panels and a high degree of safety.
The 1.6m line single beam with forming belt (additional beams can be added):
- Maximum Web Width: 64” (1.625 m) wet, 60”-63” finished
- Throughput: N95-type filtration: 237 lb/hr (108 kg/hr) per beam; typical using 1800 MFR resin
Made in the USA, Catbridge Machinery is a self-sustaining equipment manufacturer with the ability to build, service and support its machinery. With a 25-year legacy in precision engineering and expert machine building, Catbridge leads the industry in designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art web converting solutions. Catbridge delivers innovative, highly-productive slitter rewinders and converting machinery.
www.catbridge.com
Chase Machine and Engineering
Since 1954, Chase Machine and Engineering has been designing and building custom converting equipment to process films, foils and woven/nonwoven/knit fabrics, while controlling speed, tension and guidance. It specializes in integrating technologies such as ultrasonics, impulse welding, hot air welding, adhesive dispensing, RF welding, band sealing, extruders and CO2 lasers.
Chase Machine manufactures unwinds, rewinds, slitters, laminators, traverse winders, cut-to-length machines, festooners, accumulators, ultrasonic sewing machines as well as custom machines. Its equipment is utilized in the manufacturing of consumer products such as face masks, wipes, safety vests, air/liquid filters, medical devices and hygiene products. Chase Machine uses its 65-plus years of web handling experience to benefit customers in the filtration, medical, packaging, automotive, textile and geotextile market segments.
www.chasemachine.com
Comerio Ercole
Helix is a thermal bonding calender having two engraved rolls with a special three-dimensional pattern design. Comerio Ercole has patented a revolutionary process based on the combination of its hot heated thermal bonding calenders, equipped with “monoblock” peripherally drilled rolls, and a new double-engraving concept. All this in order to laminate nonwovens webs and/or films with final better mechanical performances and technical features.
The Helix process is based on a specific combination of two engraved rolls having special three-dimensional pattern design patented by Comerio Ercole: the result of the laminated nonwovens product is absolutely new, with higher quality compared to any previous traditional process.
The traditional system for a thermal bonding calender is based on one engraved roll vs. one smooth roll. The traditional system consists in thermobonding the web on one side only therefore the bonding efficiency is limited by the ratio: engraving depth/thickness of the processed material. Moreover, the resulting embossing shape is on fabric on one side only.
The Helix process is based on two engraved rolls granting a double side three-dimensional effect. The Helix system consists of thermobonding the web on both sides with equal force and temperature therefore the system efficiency is doubled on the processed material. Moreover, the embossing shape is three-dimensional on both sides.
www.comercole.it
Dan-Web Machinery
Dan-Web Machinery is a leading supplier of airlaid technology, such as complete turnkey airlaid production plants for production of all types of airlaid products, as well as standalone airlaid web forming systems, for combination with other nonwoven technologies, for instance carding and spunlace.
Dan-Web’s portfolio also includes:
- A full range of defibrators/hammermills for airlaid applications, as well as other applications where optimal pulp defibration and energy consumption is needed, such as diaper lines, feminine hygiene lines, etc.
- A new generation of through-air drying and bonding ovens, engineered by Dan-Web to meet the specific demands for dryers and ovens for production of latex, thermal and multi bonded airlaid products. The new generation of dryers and ovens feature highly efficient heat management, innovative cleaning technology for both wire and dryer modules as well as all round accessibility, minimizing downtime and risk of fires.
- Upgrade and capacity increase projects, where existing airlaid lines are upgraded with new web forming technology, defibrators and dryer technology.
- A wide range of airlaid pilot lines, from basic solutions to complete lines, as well as laboratory sized defibration systems.
- Mill-to-Web units, where a web is produced directly from the hammermill. These systems have been developed together with PulPac in Sweden for its proprietary pressing technology, for manufacturing items based on pulp instead of plastic.
Diaper Recycling Technology
Focused on sustainability with passion, Diaper Recycling Technology provides turn-key state-of-the-art recycling solutions enabling end-users to achieve true zero-waste-to-landfill. Best-in-class pulp and SAP extraction rates combined with best-in-class energy efficiently maximize profitability for end-users who typically enjoy a 12–to-15-month payback period. Multi-award winning airless recycling technology has the flexibility to process a wide range of QC-rejected hygiene products and offers end-users a range of tangible benefits:
Best-in-class recycling process:
- Operating @85 Watts / KG /Hour @76 dBa.
- Capability to process taped and pant products (high
- elasticated).
- Pulp and pulp-free cores.
- Pre-assembled quick start modules enabling vertical start-up and easy relocation.
- Processing over 400 times including surface polishing steps, plastic streams can be directly pelletized (assuming nonwoven core wrap).
- Optional pelletizing master-batch processes allows additional options of pellet coloring and Vistamaxx compatibilizer.
- Airless process means SAP is not passed through centrifugal fans ensuring SAP quality and PSD adherence.
- Drip feed gravimetric dosing back into core-former ensures risk-free reuse.
- Airless process ensures pulp is not passed through centrifugal fans maintaining pulp fiber length.
- Optional fiber scanning ensures external contaminant risks (such as earplugs) are detected and automatically removed.
- Gravimetric dosing back into core-former ensures
- risk-free reuse.
- Introduction of SAP regen technology which enables flow properties of reclaim SAP to go back to virgin SAP standards.
- Dual lane processing which enables large capacity machines to achieve 600 KG / hour.
- Reduction of machine height of 2.5 meters enabling installation in factories with lower roof heights.
www.diaperrecycling.technology
DiloGroup
Dilo Group is a leading supplier of complete lines for nonwoven fabric production, traditionally specialized in all types of needling lines for staple fiber products as well as high speed needlelooms for spunbonds.
Another strong pillar of its sales program over decades has been fiber preparation and high-speed web-forming equipment for other nonwoven technologies. During these years, there has been a shift to higher throughput rates, and a requirement for improved MD/CD strength ratios of hydroentangled products. In addition, our further development of the high-speed layering principle “Hyperlayer” made considerable progress for better CD. Particularly, carding machines in a working width above 3.5 m up to 5.1 m have been supplied by DiloSpinnbau as complete high-speed carding systems to directly feed the hydroentangling units of various suppliers. Together with DiloTemafa not only have high throughput rates been achieved in the fiber preparation section of the line but also dedusting filtering and air-conditioning systems have been successfully engineered and integrated.
Until recently, Dilo did not supply complete lines including water-jet units, ovens and end-of-line equipment. This has changed and Dilo is glad to confirm its partnership with Sicam, Italy. Together with Sicam, Dilo has combined know-how for hydroentangling technology and therefore can provide complete lines as a general contractor including equipment for cutting, winding and packaging.
On the basis of its considerable fiber preparation and web-forming know-how Dilo is looking forward to a successful cooperation with Sicam covering the market with its related activities.
www.dilo.de
Dukane
Dukane is a global leader in designing and manufacturing high speed ultrasonic bonding and cutting equipment. Dukane’s rotary ultrasonic horns, rigid horns & blades and automation ready ultrasonic generators offer clean, consistent and fast processing for joining and cutting nonwoven materials.
Dukane’s patented Rotary Ultrasonic bonding technology provides high-speed continuous or intermittent bonding of nonwoven materials. Manufacturers get the following benefits by using rotary ultrasonic bonding technology:
- Higher productivity with high speed rotary technology (800 meters/minute) and lower process delay time
- Reduces material weight by eliminating adhesive
- Reduces equipment maintenance costs by eliminating adhesive delivery systems from the process
- Energy savings by eliminating adhesive dispensing systems (heater and pump)
- Suitable for many different applications including fin and lap sealing, tube forming, bonding, feature attachment, embossing, sheet lamination, cutting, and slitting.
www.dukane.com
Edelmann
In 2021, Edelmann has been successfully developing its product capabilities further.
With the mother roll winder Type ET5, Edelmann Technology established in the spunbond market over the last years a state-of-the-art mother roll winder which ensures a very reliable fully automatic doffing at up to 1450 m/min and up to 6 m width. The same equipment can also be equipped with a slitting system producing highloft spunbond slit reels.
In combination with the non-stop mother roll unwinder and the latest Edelmann slitter, it has been proven that the newest high-speed spunbond lines being brought to the market can be operated with only one slitter also with 8gsm spunbond material. The speed of the off-line slitters has been continuously increased. While in 2018 for the first time in the nonwovens industry it has been proven a speed with standard spunbond material at 2200 m/min, in 2021 it could be confirmed at 2500 m/min.
Also, in the in-line winding area the development does not stop. The latest design of the in-line slitter rewinder type 640-12 has been presented to several customers at a speed of up to 1000 m/min.
Besides the high speed of this equipment, it also ensures that the material characteristics of very soft, bulky and highloft spunbond material are not influenced negatively as known from off-line slitter rewinders. In comparison to off-line slitting lines, in-line slitter rewinders are by far the most competitive alternative in regard to purchase price and operating cost.
Both types of machines can be completed with options and customized solutions. For example, high efficient dust suction systems and fully automated “hands-off” automatic core cutter with shaft handling system is recommended.
Both product lines are continuously developed further and customized as needed to fulfil a customer’s business needs.
www.edelmann-technology.com
Emmebi Impianti
In 1989 Emmebi Impianti srl started operating in the aerotextile filtration and air conditioning sectors, distinguishing itself for high quality solutions designed for major Italian fashion brands. The company developed its production capacity in the following years, integrating vertically up to producing every single component in its factory in Milan, and also dedicating itself to textile machinery production for other European machine producers. Emmebi Impianti srl began to shift its focus to the nonwovens sector in 2000, and, starting from its great experience in the textile and cotton sector, it created its first specific solutions for first medical and hydroentangled products. Emmebi Impianti has grown steadily in the following 20 years, becoming a solid reality in the filtration, conditioning and waste recovery sector for all types of nonwovens, wipes and disposables, as well as a quality and efficiency benchmark for all medical and spunlace applications, working with all the largest manufacturers in the world, installing more than 2000 systems worldwide to date.
The company offers high technologic and patented solutions for waste recycling, for filtration, energy and heat recovery and air conditioning of every type of production process using synthetic and natural fibers, cellulose powder, SAP, extruded and manmade fibers and sells its plants worldwide, guaranteeing assistance service as a direct on-site service through specialized technicians living in the area on the territory of Russia and of the U.S. Thanks to its official partnerships with great interpreters of the machinery construction sector, Emmebi Impianti is able to offer a project leading service for engineering and complete turn-key plants realizations.
In the last year of the pandemic, the company has confirmed itself in the sector that is most congenial to it and will carry out an expansion of its production plant by the end of 2021 with the integration of industry 4.0 technologies, in order to improve its competitiveness, flexibility and speed in the delivery of orders. With the automation and robotization of its key processes, Emmebi aims to create the most automated production plant in Italy for the production of aerotextile systems.
www.emmebi-impianti.it
Enka Tecnica
Enka Tecnica, a division of the Reifenhauser group, manufactures precise replacement smart spinning beams, cassettes and spinnerets that are custom designed and 100% compatible with any existing spunbond or meltblown line in the marketplace. The difference is noticeable in significantly improved cycle times and fewer rejections. These cost-effective solutions will maximize ROI, creating a positive difference to a customer’s bottom line.
www.reifenhauser.com
Fagus GreCon
Common causes of fires are heat, sparks, embers and hot particles. One of the most efficient measures to prevent fire or dust explosion is the early identification of the ignition source.
Sparks and embers are often the source of larger fire and explosion events. Preventive fire and explosion protection is an important measure, not only to protect production, but also the company and the people working within.
Fagus GreCon’s new DLD 1/9 Spark Detector offers additional protection to industries with new intelligent detection technology (IDT). IDT not only identifies hazardous moving ignition sources before a fire breaks out, but the DLD 1/9 detector is also able to differentiate between dangerous sparks or harmless incidence of extraneous light due to leaky/damaged pipes or an opening of an inspection flap.
The system provides excellent preventive protection, as it does not wait for an actual fire or explosion to erupt. The system prevents the development of a fire or explosion by the early detection and elimination of the ignition source. With a GreCon system it is possible to detect and eliminate ignition sources before a fire or a dust explosion occurs. IR detectors monitor the conveying paths and activate high-speed water extinguishing within milliseconds. The diversion or shut-off of product flow is also an option if extinguishing with water is not possible for the application.
www.grecon.us
Focke & Co
A new packaging system for diapers that stands for utmost care in product treatment, solidity, durability and proven technology, developed by Focke & Co, will be launched live at INDEX 2021. The modular machinery design of the new Focke stacker and bagger equipment offers economic solutions for various applications for the diaper industry. Increased efficiency and an open design enable easy operations and maintenance. Neither various bag styles nor sustainable materials affect the operation planning with this packaging line.
The stacker module itself stands for high flexibility to combine multiple modules such as one or more bagger and / or cartoner, flow wrapper, case packer as well as further packaging solutions. Using the new Focke Stacker Bagger model offers benefits of standard equipment customized to the needs of the operation, high compression capability and unique in-line compression for gentle product handling. Innovative machine functions supported by servo driven motion design sequences provide additional value to packaging.
Equipped with Focke VISU 3000 and in connection with digital services such as remote or condition monitoring aspects, this equipment is future proven. Focke VISU 3000’s new modular design allows simple extension by further functions and requirements. The on-screen help as well as integrated machine documentation support the operator in his tasks and enable quick solutions to any issues.
Focke & Co is a leading manufacturer of packaging machines worldwide and offers customer-specific packaging solutions for the hygiene & tissue industry.
www.focke.com
Frankl & Thomas
Frankl & Thomas (F&T), a systems, machines, parts and equipment supplier for textile manufacturing, announced that it now represents Italy-based nonwovens machinery producer Ramina S.r.L. in the U.S.
Ramina manufactures machines and turnkey plants for the nonwovens industry starting from fiber processing up to the realization of finished products in rolls or panels for the building industry, the furniture industry, the automotive industry and other industrial sectors.
Ramina also produces machines and turnkey plants for the PET bottle recycling industry, from the selection of post-consumption bottles to the realization of flakes to be used in the spinning spunbond process, and in the short spinning lines for the production of fiber.
“Ramina is a world-class company that Frankl &Thomas is proud to be associated with,” says F&T vice president Michael Alexander.
Established in 1946, F&T, represents numerous suppliers around the world from its office here. The company is a leader in unique, high-performance products for weaving, spinning, finishing, nonwovens and other sectors.
In 2019, Ramina debuted its new Leonardo 1.0 SMS line featuring spunbond, meltblown and composite technology as a pilot line and showroom for the new developed technology. During the difficult days of the global pandemic, Ramina launched a new initiative and to being running this line to produce meltblown fabric for face masks.
www.frankl-thomas.com
Graf Metallic of America
Since 1971, Graf America has been committed to providing partnerships built on the best value for money. The company’s key success factors include an unmatched range of card clothings, a 50,000 square foot warehouse, shop facility, and highly professional technical assistance.
Celebrating 50 years in operation in May 2021, Graf Metallic of America is the oldest continuously operating supplier of card clothings in the USA. The company was established as a sales and full-service business enterprise by Ralph Graf in 1971. Graf + Cie AG was founded in Rapperswil (Switzerland) in 1917.
Through expansion, textile market contractions, the rise of nonwoven products, the advent of natural, synthetic and specialty fibers, and the need for continuously improved performance, Graf Metallic of America positioned itself as global leader in card clothing. Innovative designs and materials such as Hipro tooth designs, multiple material alloys, and material finishes have firmly established Graf products as the industry’s top performers.
Graf Metallic of America’s employees are highly trained and committed to providing technical assistance, winding services, in-shop roll repair and field services for all types of roller top and flat top cards. With over 1000 styles and types of materials inventoried in its 50,000 square foot warehouse area, the company offers a wire for any need.
Located in the heart of the textile belt in Spartanburg, SC, Graf Metallic of America even operates a certified Graf shop located in one of its customer’s facilities with a full-time team servicing their carding equipment. “Our technicians are rigorously trained, highly experienced and fully equipped to provide superior service for all types of customer needs true to our motto of providing Partnerships Built on Best Value for Money,” says Jan Justice, market head of Graf.
Building on half a century of success, Justice celebrates this milestone and looks to the future with confidence: “Visit us on www.graf-companies.com as we celebrate: 50 years in the U.S., shaping one of the world’s most important textile markets through innovation, dedication and excellence!”
www.graf-companies.com
HCI Converting Equipment Co., Ltd.
Established in 1982, HCI is the leading company in Taiwan supplying converting equipment to medical, food, electronic and other flexible packaging industries with practical solutions.
HCI’s new “FSC-V” recently launched and is capable of making different types of sterile pouches including header bags, heat-seal and self-sealing type sterilize pouches, flat and gusset sterilize reels.
Heat seal’s sealing pressure and temperatures are two critical parameters for ensuring the quality integrity of sterilize pouches. The FSC-V sealing device utilizes a compact cylinder delivering well balanced, all round pressure to the top and bottom sealing molds, keeping material deformation within 0.01mm during the sealing process. This is especially suitable for paper and film sealing, delivering a stronger seal and neat bond.
On sealing temperature, FSC-V could be customized to utilize four to eight independent temperature controllers according to a customer’s requirement. Every set of temperature controller comprises heaters, thermocouples and PID thermal controller. Each temperature controller will independently control each zone using HCI’s unique heat distribution technique, temperature on each sealing mold is kept within +/- 2.5 °C, ensuring zero sealing defect.
Based on 40 years technical experience, HCI specializes in designing and manufacturing converting equipment such as slitting, rewinding, laminating, medical sterilization pouch/reel making, bag making, sleeve sealing machines and equipment for whole plants. It will continue to bring in new advanced technology and providing the most practical packaging solutions to its clients.
www.hci.cc
Hergeth
Hergeth’s successful batch opening and blending system Big Bin has a small brother. As the Big Bin opens and blends bales and fibers for batches 500 – 2000 kg some customers required even smaller batches to meet the demand of their special customers. So, Hergeth created a mini Bin for batches of just 200 – 300 kg in bale or loose form. The company sees a strong demand in saturated markets for highly individualized products. This means they must be able to serve the market with small batches without much effort. Big Bin and mini Bin fill this need with minimum cleaning time and no rubber or spiked aprons.
www.hergeth.de
Hills, Inc.
Since 1971, Hills, Inc., continues to develop and supply commercialized fiber extrusion equipment for high value specialty fibers and nonwovens. Hills equipment is in operation throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Hills meltblown machinery produces filtration media with high value uses including N95, FFP2 and other face mask types. Hills’ technology utilizes patented thin plates to create extrusion dies that permit great design and operating flexibility. Hills dies offer high polymer pressure capability, hole counts to >100 hpi, and unlimited capillary L/D. Customers’ dies may be tailored to make specific products (choice of polymers including high-viscosity polymers, fiber sizes from under 250nm average to 10+ microns in diameter, and/or bicomponent fibers).
Hills also manufactures spunbond machinery with sophisticated bicomponent extrusion technology, polymer temperature separation, high pressure capability, ultra-high-spinning-speed slot draw units, and characterizable forming tables. Hills provides:
- Complete spunbond machines for specialty products including lofty or bulky webs.
- Key components for companies building their own machines.
- Bicomponent extrusion technology for bicomponent spunbond machines manufactured by Reicofil.
Hills also offers high-capacity mono- and bicomponent staple fiber machinery, and also affordable conversions of existing “blended polymer” staple machines to bicomponent production of dividable islands-in-the-sea fibers, for uses such as artificial leather and microfiber wipes.
Hills customers can work in its in-house laboratory to develop multicomponent and nanofiber meltspun products. In addition to supplying extrusion equipment and R&D support, Hills upgrades existing extrusion machines as well as offers contract manufacturing for small-scale/high-value fibers and fabrics.
www.hillsinc.net
Idrosistem
Idrosistem srl has specialized in the water filtration for spunlace lines over the last 25 years. The aim of the water filtration is to remove the rest of the production’s fibers from the water. In this way Idrosistem can avoid problems to the injectors of the plant and with the quality of the finished product. It also means that the manufacturing process does not have to stop to clean the safety filters.
Idrosistem srl has developed a new specific technology for bacteria control in the spunlace water loop and specifically for wet wipes production. The target of its solution is to avoid the releasing of any kind of toxic matter, in particular chlorides and bromate based products, in the water. The base of this technology is the Chlorine Dioxide, a water sterilization system that keeps its efficiency independently from the pH of the water and that can reach the lowest limits for bacteria control, in terms of CFU/ml, required by the end users.
Summarizing the features of this system:
- It is a powerful algaecide, bactericide, virucide,
- and sporicide;
- Requires a shorter contact time (approx. 7-10 min)
- Does not react with ammonia;
- Oxidizes iron and manganese;
- Maintains efficacy across a broad pH range;
- Does not react with bromine, and
- Does not release any toxic matter in the treated water.
Investkonsult Sweden
Investkonsult Sweden is a highly specialized consultant and broker (of used equipment), serving the nonwoven and absorbent hygiene producers globally.
The company was extremely busy during Covid (March 2020–May 2021), contrary to what it believed it would be at the start of the pandemic. Johan Berlin, managing director explains: “I was sure that our machinery sales would drop to zero, as we only do used equipment, and people generally like to inspect physically when they are purchasing a used line. However, it quickly became clear to us, that those customers that needed machinery, turned to trusted sources that have been active many years, rather than shopping around at machinery websites that don’t have much of a physical real presence. So, all in all, we had one of our best years ever.”
During the period the company was also very busy with consulting and actively engaging in various work with industry organizations such as EDANA. Studies on both meltblown and facemasks were conducted for many clients – both existing producers as well as total newcomers.
Among the sales, it is worth mentioning some major projects like selling and relocating two adult incontinence lines from South America to Europe, one complete spunbond line from the Middle East to Europe, one complete spunbond line from South America to Mexico, six baby diaper lines from South America to the Middle East, among many other projects.
The company will remain busy for the rest of 2021 with the relocation and sale of a complete PP fiber spinning line as well as a complete 7000 mm geotextile line. Now that travelling has opened up again, Johan Berlin and Kerim Kalkan are eager to get back on the road to re-visit old customers as well as introducing their company to new potential customers.
A major milestone during 2020 was also overseeing and arranging for the first dedicated meltblown line (brand new) in Scandinavia as well as handling project management for an intro-company move of an extruded film and lamination line from Europe to South America.
For more info about Investkonsult Sweden, check its website. Investkonsult Sweden will also be present both at the INDEX show in Geneva later this year, as well as the IDEA show in Miami next year.
www.ik.se
JacoTech
JacoTech offers the nonwovens industry cylinder engraving of unique male and female master mold tooling for nonwoven sheet/roll manufacturing as well as roll molds for extrusion, embossing, casting and calendaring processing. JacoTech handles big parts to 36”/915mm diameter x 127”/3225mm wide up to 3.25 ton weight. JacoTech ships around the globe. Parts are made in-house in Chicago, IL.
www.jacotech.com
Kansan
Kansan, an engineering, technology and machinery group that creates essential manufacturing solutions for all aspects of wet wipes production from converting, packaging, lid application to case packing and palletizing, unveiled Acurapack 160, the high-speed flow wrap machine which has 160 packs a minute output speed on a single line with a single crimper head.
Innovation and experience are at the center of Kansan’s corporate identity. This game-changer technology is created to ensure the best performance and packaging quality to meet and exceed not only today’s but also tomorrow’s expectations.
Acurapack 160, one of the fastest flow wrappers in the industry, stands out with incredibly easy handling and utmost flexibility at high speeds, new crimper head design (patent pending), pneumatic lifters at die-cut for easy passage of film splices, online fully autonomous QC systems to eliminate unfit product and splice points without operators’ intervention. The new system ensures a high sealing quality, flexibility and low waste values. It has the following differential advantages
- 160 packs/minute (non-stop)
- 120 mm maximum stroke
- 45% more heat transfer compared to the previous systems thanks to the patent-pending double drive system that keeps constant pressure throughout the cycle at the crimper head.
- Increased packing performance on recyclable films of PE/PE and matt-finished packing films such as MAT PET, OPP, BOPP, COPP.
www.kansanmak.com
Maxcess
Maxcess, a global leader in innovative solutions for web applications, expanded its nonwoven solutions when it merged with RotoMetrics in 2020. RotoMetrics is the global leader in rotary tooling solutions. RotoMetrics has just designed a through hardened, D2 Steel tool specifically engineered for nonwoven applications, including diapers, feminine care, wipes, and medical/PPE materials. Development of this new solid die was based on months of research and customer feedback addressing the current challenges in converting nonwoven materials. The RD300 NW delivers consistent performance and reliable support.
The fully integrated manufacturing processes allows Maxcess to deliver a premium, through hardened D2 solid die with exclusive coatings for adhesive control in half the time of the competition. Additionally, Maxcess can repair and re-sharpen the die faster through its regional and global repair facilities. This helps keep its customers up and running, increases output and decreases downtime.
www.maxcessintl.com
Mechanical Specialties
Mechanical Specialties is a leading manufacturer of quality core chucks, mandrel/core chuck combinations and core cutter machines.
Since 1958, Mechanical Specialties has been making core chucks and core cutter machines that are easy to use, reliable and affordable.
Its self-locking core chucks can go in either direction, self-adjusting to the web tension pull. Immediate gripping of the core, no slipping. Mechanical Specialties makes standard, long projections, specialty and custom chucks. Core I.D. sizes from 1 inch to 20 inches.
Its manual core cutter machine produces uniform, accurately cut cardboard cores with clean edges and no burrs. Its core cutter eliminates the constant replacement of cutting knives because of the combination of its unique cutting platen and limitation roller.
Mechanical Specialties also offers custom manufacturing. It is a full-service machine shop able to manufacture and fabricate any of a customer’s specific needs. All it needs is an authorized drawing or sample of a customer’s existing product.
All products from material to production are made in the USA. See the full line of products with photos and video demonstrations at Mechanical Specialties’ website.
www.msccorechucks.com
Mobi-Air
2021 has been an exciting year for the Mobi-Air team after successfully completing production scale up of the segmented drum filter range. Mobi-Air is already exporting this low-energy technology to end-users globally and welcomes visitors to witness firsthand how they can slash their filtration energy costs by 50%. Specifically designed for end-users seeking a significant reduction in ongoing power consumption, segmented drum filter technology uses the core processes of conventional drum filter processes which have been put together in a new efficient and unique format. The high surface area of the segmented drum filter enables large areas of filter media to be incorporated within the filter, thereby reducing media face velocity down to just 0.2 – 0.3 M/S; conventional drum filter technologies run at a higher speed of 0.5 – 0.6 M/S. This reduction in media face velocity not only improves air filtration performance and extends the media change-over period, but perhaps, of even more environmental importance, the reduced pressure drop across the filter media enables customers to achieve main system fan energy savings that typically range between 40%-60% when compared to traditional drum technology.
Key attributes of this patent protected technology include:
- Low media face velocity achieves 50% energy saving vs conventional drum technology (plus 50% of all related
- CO2 emissions)
- Pre-assembled quick start modules processing up to 100KCMH
- New main system fan technology reducing power consumption by an additional 10% versus standard backward-inclined centrifugal fans.
- New high-power nozzle cleaning fan delivering at 1058mmWg
- DEFCOM process management ensuring best-in-class safety and constant inlet vacuum pressure
- CE certification / NFPA 652 and NFPA 654 (USA) and the ATEX directive 201434/EU (Europe)
During the Covid pandemic, Mobi-Air has expanded its Multi-Vortex filtration technology, which will be going into 24/7 demonstration testing in 2021 and is ready for a 2022 launch. Multi-Vortex, inspired by the naturally-forming multi-vortex tornados, runs at over 10 times the G-Force of cyclones while requiring only one third of the energy to operate versus a conventional cyclone. Requiring no filter media, the 244 independent tornados operate at over 1000G, ensuring best-in-class filtration performance. The breakthrough patented technology not only significantly reduces running costs through reduced energy requirements and reduced spare parts, it also fully eliminates dust explosion risks, thereby negating the need for explosion venting.
Capable of supporting any hygiene production machine, the Multi-Vortex process has been described by leading air experts as the most significant technological breakthrough since air filtration began. “The Mobi-Air team is very proud of their breakthrough achievements, which will benefit many industries and perhaps, more importantly, planet earth,” says Martin Scaife, CTO.
Further enhancements to the Zero Energy HVAC have also taken place. This new patented plug-in HVAC technology, when operating in closed-loop configuration, can reduce customer HVAC costs between 45-85% depending on factory location.
www.mobiair.technology
Mondon
French company Mondon has been designing and manufacturing converting machines for four decades. Thanks to its large experience in winding and unwinding machinery, Mondon company offers equipment for the hygiene, healthcare, automotive and construction sectors.
From standard to tailor made machines, Mondon offers a full range of solutions suitable for existing lines or new processing lines. Thanks to its flexibility, Mondon has recently supplied its automatic unwinders to meltblown producers in short time, helping to fight against Covid-19.
Its portfolio includes unwinders, slitter rewinders, turret winders and spooling lines in several formats. Great attention has been paid in the capacity to manage very accurate tension control to low grammage product at very high speed. A performance obtained thanks to its background engineering expertise developed on large scale product machines and tests. Additionally, Mondon offers its SH Series machines, specifically designed and engineered for web sheeting, which combines high speed, high efficiency and intelligence.
Mondon machines meet quality, efficiency and reliability. They can be applied on existing lines by adapting the design to the product. They are available in different widths from 1600 mm to 4000 mm, with optional devices such as a lifting table to load or unload the rolls.
Interface parameter adjustment and mechanical design offer to the end user easy to use and easy to maintain
equipment.
www.mondon.com
MS Ultrasonic Technology Group
The MS Ultrasonic Technology Group acts as a technology and innovation leader in ultrasonic technology, develops and builds flexible special machines, pioneering series machines, modular systems and efficient components for high-performance complete solutions. MS Ultrasonic thus covers the demanding needs of customers in the automotive, packaging/food, textile, medical technology, consumer goods and electrical components industries.
This enables them to optimally weld, punch, seal, cut and rivet thermoplastics, textiles and nonwovens, as well as cut food and other materials.
The MS Ultrasonic Technology Group is part of the listed MS Industrie AG with internationally active companies.
In addition to the company’s well-known activities, MS is now placing a new focus on the continuous welding of nonwovens and other materials.
The company is incorporating its many years of experience in mechanical engineering with drive and control technology, in combination with ultrasonic technology, into the new business area. This means that customers receive ready-to-integrate systems with maximum precision from a single source.
The new MS Competence Center in Ettlingen, Germany, provides continuous welding with an innovative location and maintains a high level of vertical integration through the headquarters in Spaichingen, Germany.
The newly developed systems (MS sonxSYS Combine) for the nonwovens segment have already been tested in the high-speed range up to 850 m/min and will be presented to the trade public at INDEX.
The analysis and evaluation of various welding tasks is just as much a part of this as the in-house production of engraving rollers through to complete systems.
www.ms-ultrasonic.de
Nordson
Nordson’s new Harmony Applicators support a great variety of adhesive dispensing ranging from continuous contact or spray to demanding ultra-high-speed intermittent applications.
The Harmony Applicators have a high degree of spare parts commonality reducing the cost of ownership for this product family immensely. Configuration options include multiple hose inlets/hydraulic zones, and mixing of dispense modules as well as easy upgradability in the field.
Training and maintenance is simplified through innovative design and advanced new features that support a single-minute exchange of certain items, including spray nozzles, filters, modules, solenoids and OptiStroke sensors.
“Harmony Applicators deliver performance, flexibility, and improved value to meet and exceed the demands of a wide range of dispensing applications. During the upcoming INDEX trade show in Geneva in October, our customers will be able to see the features and benefits of our new applicator for themselves,” states Kai Kröger, Nordson vice president, Global Nonwovens.
Nordson, the global leader in high precision dispense technology, has developed an innovative product with the Harmony Applicator aimed at helping its clients enhance their manufacturing efficiency and product quality around the world.
For more information on Nordson Harmony Applicator technology, visit www.nordson.com/en/divisions/adhesive-dispensing-systems/products/applicators/harmony- applicators.
Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Westlake, OH, Nordson has operations and support offices in more than 30 countries.
www.nordson.com
Ramina
The future is now with Leonardo 1.0, the technological plant for the production of spunbond, meltblown and composites, designed and made by the Italian company Ramina Srl, which builds turnkey plants for the production of nonwoven fabric for the healthcare, filtrating and industrial sector.
Leonardo 1.0 makes a large production of nonwoven fabric possible thanks to its technology. This concept was presented through the pilot line installed inside the factory, comprising two spunbond beams and one meltblown beam (SMS). The line is 1.6 meters wide and can process PP as well as PET and PLA polymers, with a maximum speed of 1000 m/min, and a productive potential of max. 200 kg/h/m for each spunbond beam and 50 kg/h/m for each meltblown beam. The various formats requested by the market go from 1.6 meters to 5.2 meters, and nonwoven fabric with spunbond treatment has a grammage from 8 to 150 gr per square meter, while the meltblown treatment goes from 10 to 400 gr per square meter.
The name of this excellence in the production of nonwoven fabric is clearly inspired by one of the greatest geniuses of humanity: Leonardo Da Vinci, artist of the Renaissance, scientist and inventor.
But what is the reason for this particular juxtaposition to such an iconic figure as Leonardo? The answer is simple: because Leonardo 1.0 represents the essence of innovation. Thanks to its technology, Leonardo 1.0 is the ideal solution to obtain a perfect balance between production costs and high quality of the final product. All of this is possible thanks to its flexibility, affordability and safe reliability which make it possible to optimize energetic costs, in a “green” perspective, producing quality products quickly.
From a technical point of view, Leonardo 1.0 is a completely automated plant, which generates minimum product waste, even with production changes, and can produce up to 1000 meters of fabric per minute without compromising quality. The plant is efficient also in terms of technology thanks to a quick cleaning and maintenance process which, through the physical management of the staff reduced to the minimum and through a significant decrease of down time, allows customers to save time and increasing revenue.
Leonardo 1.0 is innovative also for its ability to process PLA (polylactic acid), a polymer of vegetal origin, biodegradable and compostable, which makes it possible to increase productivity in the spunbond and meltblown process and which, also from a sustainability point of view, has less impact of the environment thanks to its disposal capacity: a process which transforms bioplastic in soil and fertilizer, becoming a useful resource for the planet.
www.ramina.it
Saueressig Surfaces
Saueressig Surfaces unites decades of experience and a wide range of expertise in all areas of surface refinement. Formerly Saueressig Ungricht, Saueressig Surfaces now appears as one of five international leading business units under a common umbrella brand focusing on reliability, quality and international group strength. As a leading international supplier, Saueressig Surfaces offers a strong technical expertise in the field of tissue, hygiene and nonwovens.
Recent developments include three-dimensional pattern visualization taking into account the base material, engraving pattern, basis weight and color, Saueressig Surfaces is able to produce three-dimensional visualizations for customers to develop optimal solutions for their end products.
In addition, Saueressig Surfaces has new developments in the areas of three-dimensional embossing and apperaturing both offline using high precision heated rollers with complex and highly precise engraving patterns as well as in line in the hydroentangling process using nickel sleeves. In both cases, the door is open to produce new and extraordinary designs with three-dimensional effects with improved tensile strength, elasticity, pressure resistant and high air/liquid permeability.
www.saueressig.com/surfaces
Shemesh Automation
Shemesh Automation Wet Wipes announced the introduction of three extremely exciting new innovations.
1. SAS160 & SAS500: Round Wipes Canisters Stuffers
For the 160ppm SAS160 model, Shemesh is using the exact same proven technology as its current 120ppm SAS120, while slightly increasing the turret size in order to achieve the
higher throughput.
The SAS500 also uses the same proven technology which is then multiplied from one to four turrets inside one monoblock, resulting in 48 stuffing stations into which four rolls are simultaneously fed via four independent chutes.
SAS500 main advantages:
- Proven concept
- Easy to changeover - one turret at a time while others can still run—minimizing downtime significantly.
- Safety separators built-in to separate the turrets
- Can run any or all turrets
- Jam in one turret will not stop the other three turrets from running - allowing continuous operation
2. CITADEL X: 100-120ppm All-In-One Downstream Packaging Machine for Round Wet Wipes in Ready-Made Bags
Following the success of its Citadel-R and Citadel-J monoblock models (for all-in-one packaging in lower speeds of refill/consumer and jumbo rolls respectively), the Citadel-X is Shemesh’s most recent in-line design for higher speeds of 100-120ppm all-in-one downstream packaging for dry and/or wet applications when packing up to 300ct rolls in stand-
up-pouches.
3. TKS200: A-Z Canister Wipes Line. From Master roll to Palletizing.
Meet the all new Shemesh TKS200 complete A-Z canister wipes line. The TKS200 includes a Shemesh made stuffer, filler, sealer, capper, labeller, cans descrambler, end of line case packer, palletizer, rewinder integration, buffers, smart continuous sealer and labeller magazines as well as built-in quality control features throughout the TKS200, which is designed to run at a constant speed of 200ppm.
www.shemeshautomation.com
Sonic Corporation
Typical method for delivering liquid solutions to wet wipe nonwovens involves large, costly batch tanks and agitation over time. The wet wipe solution contains large amounts of water and to tank this is wasteful. It is far more efficient to meter water alongside other ingredients using Inline Blending & Homogenization. Sonic designs and fabricates multiple-feed inline liquid processing skids that take water and other ingredients from bulk and meters and mixes them inline without space consuming batch tanks. Twenty to 30 GPM of continuous product can be delivered to the packing or canister lines in a footprint not much larger than a pallet.
www.sonicmixing.com
Sonobond Ultrasonics
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), facemasks and other medical nonwoven items require strong, fully sealed barrier seams that meet regulatory requirements. Ultrasonics is the preferred assembly method for these items, since it utilizes high-frequency sound waves that cause heating and plasticization of nonwoven materials, creating high-quality, regulatory-compliant bonds that eliminate leaking caused by stitch holes and glue gaps.
For ultrasonic assembly of PPE, facemasks and other medical nonwoven items, manufacturers most often request Sonobond’s SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines. The SeamMaster’s patented rotary operation – similar to a conventional sewing machine – channels the ultrasonic vibrations to create smooth, soft-to-the-touch seams that are also strong, sealed, secure, and ultra-reliable. While ultrasonic “plunge bonding” equipment also produces regulatory-compliant bonds, they cannot provide the rotary “soft seam” assembly that is increasingly preferred as PPE and facemasks are being used more frequently and for longer periods of time.
Since SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines resemble and operate like conventional sewing machines, minimal operator training is required. In addition, since they are faster and easier to use than other methods, and require no thread or other consumables, manufacturers realize lower production costs and greater production output without sacrificing quality.
Sonobond Ultrasonics has produced a “how to” video for assembling regulatory-compliant face masks in just one minute using its SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines.
www.sonobondultrasonics.com
Spoolex
Since its first Jumbo spooling line 25 years ago, Spoolex has never stopped strengthening its leading position in high-capacity spooling equipment. Dedicated to a wide range of applications, Spoolex’s well-known Pegase spooling lines are mainly used in hygiene, medical, wire and cables.
This year, at least three more Pegase lines will be joining the big Pegase family already in production worldwide, one of them with a world premiere.
Spoolex has a high expertise in responding to critical tension management challenges. The proof: Each of these three Pegase lines will be slitting and spooling three very different materials. Spoolex’s solutions are adapted to a wide range of materials, from ATB nonwovens to natural based ones, as well as absorbent cores, three-dimensional apertured plastic films, elastic laminates and water blocking tapes.
Machine key features:
- Capability to unwind Ø2000 mm & up to 700 kg mother rolls
- Fully automated butt-to-butt adhesive tape or ultrasonic splicing module
- High speed crush or shear cutting station
- Operator platform for web threading assistance
- New technology for precise tension control and perfect winding quality on fragile materials
- Specific strip conveying system dedicated to thick tapes
to come.
www.spoolex.com
Teknoweb Materials
TKW Materials is an Italian global manufacturer of complete, innovative and sustainable plants to produce pulp plus polyolefin coformed substrate materials.
TKW Materials is part of Oerlikon group, a market leader in advanced materials, surface engineering and polymer processing.
As part of Oerlikon, Teknoweb Materials intends to always operate by researching innovative solutions with forward-thinking technologies that empowers customers to do more, in a different way and better than ever before.
That’s what the hybrid coforming plant is realized for; enabling substrates for many markets, for many products and for many direct and indirect savings.
Nothing to do with previous nonwovens technologies. Phantom technology has taken the best of airlaid, spunlace, meltblown and the best of technology over the last 30 years and has created a brand new technology capable of making substrates for consumer disposable products ranging from wet wipes to diapers’ cores and from filters to absorbents.
And what is most important of all, Phantom does not use hydroentanglement or chemicals to bind cellulose pulp and polyolefins together, with the wasteful and polluting consequences, but uses thermalbonding, vacuum mechanisms, disciplined coaxial air flows and a treatment that has respect for the molecules involved in the process.
Savings and sustainability are therefore in the way in which the Teknoweb Materials plants are made, they are in the functioning of the plants and are also in the substrate, the first that integrates up to 90% for cellulose. And the research doesn’t stop there. Research on the plant technology and technologies is evolving including polymer usage.
www.tkwmaterials.com
Tentoma
Automatic insertion of core plugs in nonwoven rolls is now an option for the RoRo StretchPack packaging machines from Tentoma.
The RoRo StretchPack packaging machinery has become popular and especially for packaging of nonwoven rolls. The reason is that the horizontal packaging of rolls in a seamless tubular stretch film provides a 100% waterproof and uniformed packaging. It has clients within the nonwovens industry who have requested to include a core plug applicator in the packaging process.
The new core plug applicator can insert core plugs in rolls with diameters up to 1400 mm. The diameter of each roll is measured automatically to ensure that the core plug is centered. The applicator has a magazine for 100+ core plugs. This way customers can enjoy the high capacity from a fully automated packaging line without any bottlenecks.
Besides better packaging quality, RoRo StretchPack also provides more sustainable packaging solutions. RoRo StretchPack is stretching the film while packaging, which means that customers avoid excessive use of film. Customers have seen a reduction in film consumption by 25-60% compared to conventional stretch film wrapping and heat shrink packaging. The energy-consuming heat shrink process is also removed from the packaging line as RoRo StretchPack packs and seals in one single operation.
RoRo StretchPack is based on well-proven technology for vertical stretch hood packaging of pallets. Tentoma has refined the technology, so it also can be utilized horizontally integrated into a highly productive production line.
www.tentoma.com
Tokuden
Tokuden is a leader in the design and fabrication of induction heated rolls since it built the world’s first induction heated roll in 1964. Its most recent development is the Air-Cooled Hybrid Roll.
The air-cooled hybrid roll is a system that enables the roll to be cooled to room temperature very simply by vacuuming air through the roll without the need for water or air utilities. Compared to other methods, this system’s ability to lower temperature is excellent. The only challenges with this design are the dependency of a clean air supply, air temperature and a higher noise level due to the vacuum system.
The utilization of the roll can be divided into two types: rapid cooling and balanced operation. The purpose of rapid cooling is to improve the productivity of multi-product small volume production. In the daily production schedule, the cooling time of the roll can be decreased rapidly allowing for quicker start up times between grade or material changes.
The purpose of balanced operation is to maintain a constant roll surface temperature. In many applications, the material temperature entering the roll will be higher than the set point temperature of the roll; thereby increasing the roll surface temperature above the set point. When this occurs, the control system will automatically switch on the air cooling, maintaining the set point temperature.
The option of using air-cooled technology adds only a nominal increase in price over standard rolls.
www.tokuden.com
Trascar
Speed, product care and precision are the main advantages that Trascar automations, since 1996, offer in end-of-line activities for nonwoven rolls, from preparation (handling and packaging) to final storage in automatic warehouses.
Trascar consolidates in the market acquiring an important order from Global Nonwovens, an Indian producer of spunmelt and spunbond materials. Global Nonwovens produces a wide range of excellent quality products for the hygienic and medical sectors, distributing its products all over the world.
The new latest generation spunbond production line allows the production of rolls up to 5.5 meters wide: the Trascar automation is able to handle slit rolls with widths from 60mm to 2.700mm, with diameters up to 1200mm and reaches a capacity of 330 slit rolls per hour. Slit rolls handling is fully automated, it includes automatic labelling, in core and outside and robotized stacking on different stacking points positions. The automation will allow the winding of the reels package up to 2700mm in height and 1200mm in diameter. The complete solution can manage up to 65 packs/hour and up to 12 doffs/hour.
Thanks to the solution engineered by Trascar, Global Nonwovens will be able to increase productivity in a reduced space without the intervention of operators in handling and packaging activities, while also preserving the quality and integrity of the reels in compliance with zero contamination policies.
The Trascar solution will interface with other machines in the production line and with the customer’s ERP: the high construction standards and the highest quality commercial components complete the supply.
The complete solution will go into full operation in 2022.
www.trascar.it
Truetzschler Nonwovens
Truetzschler Nonwovens offers complete production lines for carded/spunlaced, carded/air-through bonded and, in cooperation with Voith, for wetlaid/spunlaced nonwovens. The portfolio comprises efficient solutions from bale opening, web forming and bonding to drying and winding the finished nonwoven.
Customers can take advantage of the Nonwovens Customer and Technology Center (NCTC) in Egelsbach, Germany. State-of-the-art machinery in flexible configurations allows for material, machine and process trials on an industrial scale.
A clear focus is on technologies for manufacturing sustainable nonwovens from renewable resources. Truetzschler’s aim is to process cotton and natural fibers, viscose, lyocell and wood pulp, to high-quality, biodegradable, single-use products such as eco-friendly wipes. The latest breakthrough is the highly flexible CP (carded-pulp) technology for environmentally safe and affordable nonwovens.
Truetzschler Nonwovens is part of the well-known, family-owned German Truetzschler group, one of the world’s leading textile machinery manufacturers. The group specializes in machines, plants and accessories for spinning preparation, the nonwovens and manmade fiber industries.
www.truetzschler-nonwovens.com
Vac-U-Max
Vac-U-Max Signature Series vacuum conveyors offer processors a quick and easy solution for conveying powders, super absorbent polymers, pellets and other granular bulk materials from storage vessels like totes, drums, bulk bags, bins and gaylords to destinations like processing or packaging lines. Each five-part system includes pick-up wand, convey hose, vacuum receiver with automatic pulse filter cleaning, vacuum producer, and UL-listed controls. Units are available in 1500 Series for vacuum conveying applications from handfuls to 1500 lbs/hr (680 kg/hr) or the 3500 Series for conveying rates up to 3500 lbs/hr (1600 kg/hr).
www.vac-u-max.com
Valmet
Valmet offers the highest performing end-of-line machines to nonwoven producers seeking maximum level of control in creating and maintaining product quality. The adaptability of each machine allows for unique properties leading to high-quality nonwovens end-products. Preservation of high bulk, high efficiency and high production capacity are all essential needs for reaching successful results.
Valmet’s “end of line” machine equipment can do the best job of creating and protecting the highest quality product attributes. The THRU-AIR dryer/bonder delivers the best uniformity of air temperature and air flow through the web. The novel “no stress” electromechanical winding/slitter rewinder technology with a unique application of load cell monitoring, continuously and automatically controls reel building and rewinding with each and every wrap of the growing roll. Combine this with Valmet’s own Automation systems including unique web-based user interface, scanners for online quality measurements including profiling actuators and closed loop controls, analyzers to measure fiber properties online or in the lab and market leading technology for web inspection and web monitoring.
Nonwoven web producers can use this state-of-the-art equipment option to protect spunbond and other webs carefully and confidently, all the way from drying/bonding, winding, and through packaging. The result of using Valmet’s full offering is tight control of product attributes and careful, consistent protection of caliper and quality of the final product.
www.valmet.com/nonwovens
Weima
Nonwovens are extremely durable, but they release dust particles when they are cut or shredded. This dust 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 by using a rotary airlock. 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.weima.com