Picanol launched its newest rapier, the GTMax-i 3.0 at ITMA Asia +CITME 2018. The GTMax-i 3.0 builds further on the success of GT-Max and GTMax-i. The combination of a redesigned gripper drive and extra reinforced sley drive as well as the integration of the future oriented BlueBox electronic platform allow for even higher production speeds. Moreover, the look of the machine was reworked completely, with a special focus on ergonomy and user friendliness.

In total 4 machines of this type were displayed at the show. On the Picanol booth, a GTMax-i 3.0 weaved a denim fabric, another one weaved a zebra style curtain fabric. On the Bonas booth a decoration fabric was weaved on a GTMax-i 3.0 with jacquard, whereas on the Tongxiang booth a GTMax-i 3.0 weaved a label.

Product portfolio at ITMA-CITME

Next to the all-new GTMax-i 3.0, four more machines were displayed completing the Picanol weaving machine range on display. The Picanol booth presented two OptiMax-i 190 cm para-aramide and shirting machines and two OMNIplus Summum. The Stäubli booth presented a TERRYplus Summum with jacquard is weaving a high quality terry fabric. In total 9 Picanol machines were displayed, of which six on its own booth (Hall H3, booth F01). One Picanol TERRYplus Summum with jacquard was displayed at the Stäubli booth and one GTMax-i 3.0 on the Bonas booth.

Chinese adventurs

One of the world’s leading weaving machine manufacturers, Picanol has always been closely related to the Chinese textile industry. The growing installed base of Picanol machines in China, as well as the increasing demand for a higher level of service and support resulted in the establishment of the Picanol Service Centre, which was set up in Shanghai in 1987.

Today PST houses a complete production unit with assembly lines, a mechatronics division, and a sales, service and spare parts organisation. The Chinese management, engineers and technicians have been trained in Belgium.

Investments in Belgium

With more than 100 engineers headquartered in Belgium, Picanol invests heavily in R&D activities every year, resulting in the most advanced and performing weaving machines program available in the market. The company’s airjet and rapier technology covers the full spectrum of textiles including apparel, household and technical fabrics. The high degree of digitisation of all these machines, together with its Sumo main drive, ensures a lower weaving cost, higher quality of the fabrics produced, greater flexibility and exceptional ease of operation in comparison with other weaving machines.

The Picanol Service Team offers on-site technical support in every corner of the world. Its local service teams are being trained on a permanent basis in the training centers in Ieper (Belgium) and Suzhou (China). Original Picanol parts ensure a high performance throughout the whole lifetime of the machines. The Picanol Aftermarket Sales Team advises its customers on how to optimise the preventive maintenance of your machines, proposing spare parts packages tailored to your specific needs.

Rieter is further upgrading its end spinning product range by launching new ring spinning machines G 37 and G 38, as well as the new compact-spinning machines K 47 and K 48.

Unrestricted spinning for all applications

The machines G 38 and K 48 are particularly suitable for markets having limited personnel availability and requiring particularly high levels of flexibility and yarn quality. They are equipped with the electronic drafting system drive FLEXIdraft as standard. This reduces downtime when changing to a different yarn count and maximizes production time. The premium version of the individual spindle monitoring ISM is integrated into both models whereby customers can save personnel costs of about 5 percent compared to the G 32 and K 42.

The machine concept for the G 38 and K 48, which features double-sided suction, allows unrestricted spinning for all applications at full machine length. The VARIOspin system for slub yarns allows customers to change between standard and slub yarns simply at the touch of a button.

Unrestricted application range provides high flexibility

The models G 37 and K 47 were developed for markets where there is not a shortage of available personnel and the requirements for flexibility and yarn quality are high. They provide customers with a high level of flexibility thanks to their unrestricted application range at full machine length, also for special yarns.

Machines in the 7 series are also equipped the electronic drafting system drive FLEXIdraft, maximising production time. They are available with the integrated basic version of the individual spindle monitoring ISM as standard, meaning customers can about three percent on personnel costs compared to the G 32 and K 42.

Other advantages

The K –models, K 47 and the K 48 are fitted with a new sieve drum, which now allows customers to spin blends containing polyester and 100 per cent viscose alongside cotton. They require unbeatably low energy requirements for compacting: less than one watt per spindle, just 20 per cent of that of other solutions.

All four new models can be upgraded with the new LENA spindle and the highly efficient 110-kW motor, enabling customers to make further significant energy savings. The “EliTe compact spinning system” for producing high-quality compact yarns is available as an option on the three conventional ring spinning machines G 32, G 37 and G 38.

Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW) launched four new products at ITMA Asia 2018 in Shanghai. These include the Card machines, DrawFrame machines, Speedframe LF 4280 SpinConnect platform. LMW’s range of machines comes with the right blend of automation at every step, tailored to reduce the stress of operators and increase overall efficiencies for businesses.

Use of 10 per cent less power

LMW’s Carding machines are workhorses that use up to 10 per cent less power compared to other alternatives. LMW’s latest DrawFrame machines come fit with Servo Draft, a combination of drafting and duo digital autolevelling systems that ensures top productivity and precision. LMW’s DrawFrame LDF3 has smart auto piecing system and quality settings that maximise efficiency.

World’s longest speed frame

With the right amount of automation and simplicity of construction, the Speedframe LF 4280, arguably the world’s longest speed frame with 280 spindles, has set new benchmarks in productivity, quality and efficiency. Automation in lap transportation and roving transportation have helped save precious manual labour and make the best use of space.

Web-based monitoring and control application

LMW’s SpinConnect platform is a web-based monitoring and control application that can control a multitude of parameters for smart manufacturing. The platform is a veritable solution that is entirely built in-house, banking on the company’s decades-long experience in the field. The result is a fluid, digital native platform that is empowered to track and control key parameters of LMW’s range of machines.

Rieter is further upgrading its end spinning product range by launching new ring spinning machines G 37 and G 38, as well as the new compact-spinning machines K 47 and K 48.

Unrestricted spinning for all applications

The machines G 38 and K 48 are particularly suitable for markets having limited personnel availability and requiring particularly high levels of flexibility and yarn quality. They are equipped with the electronic drafting system drive FLEXIdraft as standard. This reduces downtime when changing to a different yarn count and maximizes production time. The premium version of the individual spindle monitoring ISM is integrated into both models whereby customers can save personnel costs of about 5 percent compared to the G 32 and K 42.

The machine concept for the G 38 and K 48, which features double-sided suction, allows unrestricted spinning for all applications at full machine length. The VARIOspin system for slub yarns allows customers to change between standard and slub yarns simply at the touch of a button.

Unrestricted application range provides high flexibility

The models G 37 and K 47 were developed for markets where there is not a shortage of available personnel and the requirements for flexibility and yarn quality are high. They provide customers with a high level of flexibility thanks to their unrestricted application range at full machine length, also for special yarns.

Machines in the 7 series are also equipped the electronic drafting system drive FLEXIdraft, maximising production time. They are available with the integrated basic version of the individual spindle monitoring ISM as standard, meaning customers can about three percent on personnel costs compared to the G 32 and K 42.

Other advantages

The K –models, K 47 and the K 48 are fitted with a new sieve drum, which now allows customers to spin blends containing polyester and 100 per cent viscose alongside cotton. They require unbeatably low energy requirements for compacting: less than one watt per spindle, just 20 per cent of that of other solutions.

All four new models can be upgraded with the new LENA spindle and the highly efficient 110-kW motor, enabling customers to make further significant energy savings. The “EliTe compact spinning system” for producing high-quality compact yarns is available as an option on the three conventional ring spinning machines G 32, G 37 and G 38.

Innovation in Swiss textile technology is founded on over 3,000 years of experience of its companies. The country’s innovative spirit has been demonstrated many times through inventions spanning various fields of human experience. Their impact on the global textile industry has been among the most notable, with continuous and significant developments. Swiss textile machinery companies have been at the core of this naturally-evolving tradition of inventiveness. Today, the producers of machines and components and service providers in Swiss textile machinery sustain that heritage by a commitment to ongoing innovation that will influence the textile industry worldwide in future.

Tradition of innovation evolves

Years ago, most Swiss enterprises were family businesses, often built on the founders’ invention of a technology or machine which was then further developed and improved over generations. Many companies have a history dating back more than a century – and some are still family-owned. The tradition of innovation evolved naturally over decades for the Swiss textile machinery manufacturers, component producers and service providers.

The list of some of these innovations includes Caspar Honegger’s weaving loom, Georges Audemars’s rayon artificial silk, Isaak Groebli’s shuttle embroidery machine, Karl Friedrich Gegauf’s hemstitch sewing machine and later inventions such as Othmar Winterhalter’s zip (1923) and George de Mestral’s Velcro fastener.

Inventing is still a way of life in Switzerland, and the fruits of this philosophy were demonstrated at ITMA Asia + CITME 2018, where 30 members exhibited their latest offerings.

Prioritising customer needs through innovative solutions

Across the generations of Swiss textile machinery firms, expertise has been handed down – along with the ‘inventor gene’. Driving it all, however, has been a recognition that customer requirements are the priority. Meeting those needs through innovative solutions is the real goal.

Some of the standards set by the Swiss textile machinery companies have been established for decades – as readers might know from textbooks during their studies. With the progress of Industry 4.0’, new technologies and standards are expected to be launched.

IRO H3 CO1:

These include a wide range of yarn feeding equipment that are optimised to meet the demands of advanced modern weaving machinery. The feeders incorporate innovative energy efficient permanent magnet motor design and incorporate developments such as easy plug and play for connecting intelligent accessories and an improved threading-up system.

Eltex H3 C10:

A new Eltex EyETM Yarn Tension Monitoring System that monitors yarn tensions on all positions in real-time and you are able to immediately detect any fault position. Eltex EyETM helps increase the quality of warm beams. The result is fewer problems even in weaving or tufting. The System is suitable for applications such as warping, winding, etc.

Eton Systems HS B14:

This is a unique concept for material handling, developed to create efficiency, increase production and full traceability. The machine incorporates a real-time information system and necessary tools to improve the manufacturing processes through powerful software programs.

ES Automate H5 D04:

These high-performance automated systems with high reliability are designed to meet specific customer requests. They offers intelligent, automated sewing units for home textile bags and garments.

EFI Reggiani made the much awaited announcement of launch of Reggiani BOLT- singlepass digital printing machine on Nov 15, 2019 at its headquarter in Italy, and it would be available to be seen and booked there. However, in terms of display at exhibitions, the machine would be earliest on display only during ITMA Barcelona in June 2019. Most of the interesting features are under wrap till Nov 15, when it is officially launched.

In addition, Reggiani brought its newest solutions for digital textile production at ITMA Asia . It featured an advanced ecosystem of technology including the breakthrough EFI Reggiani COLORS, a digital textile printer offering high-end production in up to 12 colors; the EFI Reggiani TERRA solution featuring new pigment ink with binder for a greener, faster and competitive textile process; EFI Optitex 2D/3D CAD design software; and the EFI Fiery DesignPro software suite for print preparation and production.

With these products, designers, brands and manufacturers alike benefit from the ability to speed time to market and deliver stunning, digitally printed apparel, home textiles and more.

The Reggiani COLORS printer– offers a unique imaging configuration that is especially important for customers seeking to establish a distinct competitive advantage. EFI Reggiani printing software on the COLORS model allows for real-time image processing, which improves users’ overall workflow performance. The printer, which, available in 180-, 240- and 340-mm widths, can also use nearly any configuration of inks – including special inks, inks with different chemistry types, and special treatments.

EFI Reggiani TERRA eliminates the need for steaming or washing on direct-to-textile applications using a greener, more-efficient polymerisation process that takes place as printed textile goes through the printer’s on-board dryer.

The new version of EFI Optitex software on display, O/18, delivers a faster, more customisable, user-friendly experience, saving time and resources with a faster time to market. It includes an all-in-one avatar solution that allows users to customize avatars, adjust morphs, create sizes and define poses to visualise a final draped result and enable accurate fit.

Santex Rimar Group presented the new surface finishing solutions under Sperotto Rimar brand: Softa – high speed brushing - and Velura – high speed raising – running machines will be exclusively showed during ITMA Asia tradeshows days.

Cavitec launched the Cavimelt P+P LINE, the new hotmelt coating and laminating line with rotogravure system, perfect for sportswear productions, developed to be highly productive, precise, operator friendly and cost effective.

Smit presented the newGS980 F: The fastest free flight rapier machine for an outstanding terry quality. With seven different working widths, from 220 to 360 cm, SMIT GS980F is perfect for weaving terry towels or bulk terry, in one or several panels.

BRÜCKNER launched the power frame stenter, having over 7 m working width for the finishing of geo-nonwovens at ITMA ASIA 2018. The company, in its new plant in Tittmoning produces modules with a width of up to 9 m.

The ANDRITZ carding machines and the new flat belt oven, enable customers to benefit from high production capacities and high-performance fabrics from 16 to 80 gsm, produced with bicomponent fibers. The flat belt oven has been designed to cope with speeds much higher than normal capacity to make sure that it’s future proof in terms of increased running speeds.

Autefa Solutions Injection card enables (Drylaid) web forming at very high production. The card uses a unique combination of mechanical and aerodynamic principle for a gentle fiber treatment. Its Web Master Future card is developed and designed for high production speeds with a special focus to improve the cost factor of maintenance.

Benninger exhibited a Trikoflex drum washing compartment and a Küsters DyePad - two key components of its customised processing solutions. The main technology driver for Benninger includes smart solutions to save limited resources such as water and energy as sustainability is becoming a more and more important cost factor for the textile industry in future.

Kaeser Kompressoren developed highly effective tools for planning of new compressed air supply systems andoptimisation of existing ones: With information gathered from carrying outa detailed air demand analysis (ADA)and using the specially developed Kaeser Energy Saving System (KESS), the project engineers were able to provide individually tailored compressed air system solutions.

Mayer & Cie. (MCT) presented three machines. Along with the OVJA 1.6 EE 3/2 WT and the OVJA 2.4 EC the manufacturer exhibited a Spinit 3.0 E in Shanghai. The spinit systems technology, which was put to use in this machine, sets standards in terms of sustainability. Neuenhauser, a global leader in automation for spinning mills offers solutions for different packing styles like palletising, box packing or poly bag packing. The company provides a QCS – System (Quality Control System) which scans packages and checks for different customised parameters. Off-Standard packages are automatically taken out. HMI (Human Machine Interface) solutions promise the bridging between material and data flow – for customer value. These topics were the central point of the “Oerlikon Innovation Forum” at which presentations in English and Chinese were held several times a day for visitors of the exhibition booth. Saurer Spinning Solutions showcased a range of innovative new products, from the new card to new ring spinning and winding machines featuring the latest technology. Also included were its Saurer’s digital control and analysis tools, as well as quality assuring components. Textechno Herbert Stein GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) and its partner company Lenzing Instruments (Austria) introduced their automatic systems for testing all kind of fibres and yarns.Textechno's Balexpert and Spinexpert, both parts of the new designed Fibre Classifying System FCS, determine the quality and spinnability of both, cotton- and synthetic fibres. The WEKO-Fluid-Application-System (WFA) offers the right olution for sustainable textile and nonwoven finishing. This high-tech system made in Germany applies functional liquids contact-free by fast rotating rotor discs which spray ultrafine micro-droplets to the material web.

In order to protect the lawful interest of intellectual property rights own-ers during the exhibition, the sponsors of ITMA ASIA 2018 installed an on-site intellectual property rights office (“IPR Office”), consisting of the spon-sors, external IPR administrative authority and IPR practitioners.

Complaints against violation of intellectual property rights

On the first day of the fair, Jakob Müller found that the machines of the three companies showed clear violation of COMEZ’s intellectual property rights without Jakob Müller’s or COMEZ’s permission. The patentee at once filed a complaint to the IPR Office against these companies, to prohibit the exhibition of the infringing systems.

The subsidiary corporation of Switzerland based Jakob Müller AG, Comez International s.r.l has at the on-site IPR Office successfully applied for interim injunctions to stop design patent infringements against Chinese manufacturers DKY Machinery Co., Ltd, Huibang Machine (Yingkou) Co., Ltd and Dah Heer Industrial Co., Ltd.

Action initiated against perpetrators

The IPR Office served the complaint materials to three companies in the morning of second day and set a time limit of 24 hours for a counterstate-ment to the three infringers. One of them, Dah Heer, removed the infringing system actively, and the others, DKY and Huibang, submitted a counter-statement. After the IPR Office assessed these statements and evaluated the possibility of the infringements, the IPR Office required them to remove the systems concerned in the patent on 17th October 2018. The systems con-cerned were removed by DKY and Huibang and not exhibited any more until the end of the fair.

Bernhard Engesser emphasised that Jakob Müller AG will take a high priority against further patent infringements.