Page 48 - February-March 2021
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                                                             Fabrics of the future                                                 their durability, strength and stability, meeting the

                                                                                                                                   requirements of individual athletes across many
                                                             Swiss weaving machinery                                               sports, as well as leisurewear. Stäubli is well known
                                                                                                                                   as a leading global specialist in weaving preparation,
                                                             manufacturers are in the                                              shedding systems and high-speed textile machinery.

                                                                                                                                   Its jacquard machines offer great flexibility across a
                                                             forefront of novel                                                    wide range of formats, weaving all types of technical
                                                                                                                                   textiles, lightweight reinforcement fabrics – and
                                                             application development                                               shoes.


                                                                                                                                   It’s possible to weave new materials such as
                                                                                                                                   ceramics, mix fibers such as aramid, carbon and
                                                                                                                                   other, and produce innovative multi-layers with
                                                                                                                                   variable thicknesses. Such applications put special
                                                                                                                                   demands on weaving machines which are fulfilled by
                                                                                                                                   Stäubli high-performance TF weaving systems.     Multilayer Aramid (© 2021, Stäubli)
                                                                                                                                                                                    assurance system significantly improves first-quality
                                                                                                                                   Great weaving results are impossible without perfect   yield for all applications. Protecting fabric makers
                                                                                                                                   warp tension, now available thanks to the        from costly claims and damaged reputations,
                                                                                                                                   world-leading electronic warp feeding systems of   automated fabric inspection also removes the need
                                                                                                                                   Crealet. Some market segments in weaving industry   for slow, costly and unreliable manual inspection,
                                                                                                                                   today demand warp let-off systems which meet     freeing operators to focus on higher-skilled jobs.
                                                                                                                                   individual customer requirements. For example, the
                                                                                                                                   company has recognized expertise to understand   Smart and collaborative robotics (cobots) offer many
                                                                                                                                   that geotextile products often need special      automation possibilities in weaving rooms. Stäubli’s
                                                                                                                                   treatment, as provided by its intelligent warp tension   future oriented robotics division is a driver in this
                                                                                                                                   control system. Individual and connective solutions   segment with first effective installations in warp and
                                                                                                                                   are designed to allow external support via remote   creel preparation.
                                                                                                                                   link. Crealet’s warp let-off systems are widely used in
                                                                                                                                   both ribbon and broadloom weaving, for technical   Control and productivity
                                                                                                                                   textiles applied on single or multiple warp beams   Willy Grob’s specialized solutions for woven fabric
                                                                                                                                   and creels.                                      winding focus on reliable control of tension, keeping
                                                                                                                                                                                    it constant from the start of the process right through
                                                                                                                                   Functional, sustainable, automated               to the full cloth roll. Continuous digital control is
                  Textile Calculator (© 2021, Jakob Müller)                                                                        Trends in the field of woven narrow fabrics are clearly   especially important for sensitive fabrics, while
                                                                                                                                   focused on functionality and sustainability. The Jakob   performance and productivity are also critical
            Shoes and electronic calculators are probably not   every point in the process – from tightening the first             Müller Group has already embraced these principles –   advantages. In this regard, the company’s
            the first products people would associate with the   thread in the warp to winding the last inch for fabric            for example using natural fibers for 100% recyclable   large-scale batching units can provide ten times the
            textile weaving process. But they certainly signpost   delivery. They also share a common advantage, with              labels with a soft-feel selvedge. It also focuses as much   winding capacity of a regular winder integrated in the
            the future for woven fabrics, as two examples of the   a leading position in the traditional weaving industry          as possible on the processing of recycled, synthetic   weaving machine.
            ever-wider possibilities of latest technology in the   as well as the expertise to foster new and exciting             materials. Both PET bottles and polyester waste from
            field. Fashion and function already combine in the   applications.                                                     production are recycled and processed into elastic   The customized concept by Grob as well as design
            increasing popularity of woven fabrics for shoes, and                                                                  and rigid tapes for the apparel industry.        and implementation result in great flexibility and
            this is a present and future trend. Calculators in   Technology and research cooperation                                                                                functionality of the fabric winding equipment – yet
            fabrics? That’s another story of ingenious        The concept of a ‘textile calculator’ was developed                  For efficient fabric production environments, it is now   another example of Swiss ingenuity in textile
            development, using so-called ‘meander fields’ on the   by Jakob Müller Group, in cooperation with the textile          recognized that automated quality solutions are   machinery.
            back and keys printed on the front of the material.  research institute Thuringen-Vogtland. Müller’s                   essential. Quality standards are increasing
                                                              patented MDW® multi-directional weaving                              everywhere and zero-defect levels are mandatory for   There is even more innovation to come in weaving –
            These glimpses of the outlook for modern weavers   technology is able to create the meander fields                     sensitive applications such as airbags and protective   and in other segments – from members of the Swiss
            are among the highlights of developments now      which allow calculator functions to be accessed at a                 apparel.                                         Textile Machinery Association in future! This confident
            being pioneered by Swiss textile machinery        touch. A novel and useful facility, which suggests                                                                    assertion is founded on an impressive statistic: the
            companies. All weaving markets require innovation,   limitless expansion.                                              Uster’s latest generation of on-loom monitoring and   4077 years of experience behind the creative power
            as well as speed, efficiency, quality and                                                                              inspection systems offers real operational       of the association’s member firms. It’s proof positive
            sustainability. Member firms of the Swiss Textile   Today, the latest woven shoes are appreciated for                  improvements for weavers. The fabric quality     that their developments grow out of profound
            Machinery Association respond to these needs at   their precise and comfortable fit. They score through                monitoring prevents waste, while the quality     knowledge and continuous research.

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