Page 63 - TEXtalks. November- December 2023

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Advanced engineering on

three levels for Monforts

and Curt Bauer

No two textile finishing line orders are ever the same insulating fabrics for the roller blinds of refrigerator
for Monforts, which frequently develops bespoke counters in supermarkets.
solutions according to the specific needs of its The new Montex 8500 line with a working width of 3.2 metres equipped with the
individual customers. Finishing MonforClean heat recovery and exhaust air purification system
Curt Bauer’s finishing department is primarily
However, all of the machine builder’s focused on the special damasks for West African
resourcefulness and engineering know-how was garments and is now unique in being able to meet
called upon to meet the complex and unusual the requirements of this market. Singeing,
specifications for a recent installation of a new bleaching, mercerizing, piece dyeing, finishing and
Montex 8500 stenter line at Curt Bauer’s plant in Aue calendering – all possible in widths of up to 3.2
in Germany. metres – are all central to the success of these
special wovens. In addition, the company can dye
Tradition polyester and fix it before carrying out any further
Curt Bauer has been in continuous operation for 150 high-level finishing required.
years, beginning as a weaving mill in Aue in the Ore
Mountains region of Saxony back in 1882. Today, A first Montex stenter was installed by Monforts at
with 120 employees, the company has an annual the Aue plant in 2003 and an older machine from a
production of 2.2 million metres of fabric and third party supplier was also still in operation prior to
specialises in three key fields – home textiles, the latest upgrade.
special damask fabrics for West African garments,
and technical textiles. “The replacement of our older existing stenter, which A challenge involved configuring the MonforClean system without having to make any All of the line’s drying zones - with a combined length of over 28 metres – have been
was installed in 1985, was long overdue,” explains costly changes to the roofing structure raised on platforms to meet space demands
“For bedding, the variety of patterns that can be Gert Bauer. “It had a maximum working width of 2.2 space without restricting the area required for mastered it together.”
created by jacquard machines allows very attractive metres and we were looking to both increase docking operations.
designs with many subtleties to be created and productivity and reduce energy requirements.” The special multi-level configuration that Monforts “We call the design of such customised machine
there is no feeling to match sleeping on high-quality designers and Curt Bauer’s team devised in order to layouts to fit into very confined spaces the shoehorn
damask bed linen,” says Gert Bauer, joint managing As a consequence, the company opted for a new meet these requirements involved raising all of the method,” adds Frank Breuer, technical project
director of Curt Bauer together with his niece Montex 8500 line with a working width of 3.2 metres line’s drying zones – with a combined length of over manager at Monforts. “It’s almost like playing Tetris.”
Claudia Bauer. “For the home textiles sector, we equipped with the MonforClean heat recovery and 28 metres – on scaffolding platforms, to enable the
develop themed collections allowing various exhaust air purification system. The Montex stenter ground floor space below them to continue to be With the new line now fully operational, the savings it
individual products to be combined in high quality, remains unmatched in terms of its robustness and fully utilised. is providing have yet to be fully calculated.
contemporary styles.” long service life and with MonforClean technology,
the waste heat from the drying process is used to The next challenge involved configuring the
Functional fabrics pre-heat the drying air. This results in a radical MonforClean system without having to make any “I can say that, as expected, the peak load is
The company’s technical textiles business produces reduction in the conventional heat supply required, costly changes to the roofing structure. This, Gert generally lower than both the stenter it has replaced
functional fabrics that can minimise or completely compared to full gas and thermal oil heating. Overall Bauer observes, demanded “millimetre precision”. and the Montex line we installed in 2003, especially
eliminate the need for later assembly operations, energy savings of up to 40% can now be achieved in gas consumption,” Gert Bauer says. “The new
such as fabrics with woven channels into which compared to conventional stenters. “The old stenter was dismantled and scrapped while configurations enabling better drainage of polyester
metal struts can be inserted. These are supplied to production was ongoing, followed by the immediate fabrics through suction also help save energy. All in
a wide number of automotive brands for the fabric Multi-level installation of the foundations and the erection of the all, we are very satisfied with the new line and would
cladding of camping van roofs, or cargo cover areas The first challenge at the Aue plant was how to fit scaffolding for the dryer section,” he explains. “It like to thank Monforts very much for the good
in cars. Another key application is in multi-layer the significantly larger machine into the available was a challenging assembly operation, but we cooperation.”

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