Mr Christian Straubhaar, Group Sales & Marketing Director, Itema S.p.A., Italy at ITMA held from June 20-26, 2019 in Barcelona at Fira De Barcelona, Gran Via discussed with TEXtalks about Itema Discovery – defined as the “Loom of the Future” combining the best of rapier, projectile and airjet technologies.
TEXtalks: Looking back at Itema’s rich heritage as a well-known manufacturer of textile technology, how far has it come and what are the future prospects?
Christian Straubhaar: Itema relies on strong heritage and long tradition in the weaving industry and today represents a leading provider of best-in-class weaving technology. With a consolidated market positioning and delivering its rapier, airjet and projectile weaving machines to more than 50 countries per year, Itema constantly renews its dedication to continuous innovation by developing brand-new weaving innovations.
With the clear target to build a stronger Group, the Company recently carried out a series of strategic operations aimed at broadening its spectrum of activities, both through vertical and horizontal integrations and diversifications.
The acquisition of Lamiflex, leading producer of advanced composites materials, allowed Itema to create high added value sinergies to further enhance innovative in-house solutions for the Itema core business: weaving machines manufacturing.
On the other side, the recent agreement reached with Panter that led to the launch of Itematech, aimed to increase the competitive advantage in specific market segments though technological leadership established by merging top field expertise and know-how.
TEXtalks: Which latest technological developments is Itema showcasing at ITMA 2019?
Christian Straubhaar: Itema rolled out at ITMA 2019 a series of brand-new weaving innovations that took central stage during the exhibition.
The Italian company exhibited for the first time the Loom of the Future in a move to demonstrate its full dedication to innovate the weaving industry. The Itema Discovery – developed by Itemalab™ – was the real star of the show. Introduced at ITMA as a concept, Discovery gathered the attention of worldwide weavers thanks to its completely new operations based on mechatronic principles and not anymore, as it happens on current weaving machines, on mechanical drives.
Moreover, two brand-new airjet weaving machines have been presented, the A9500-2 and the A9500-2bedsheeting.
On the rapier side, the R9500-2 – the Second Generation of the Itema rapier best-seller – made its world debut, demonstrating once again its technological superiority in terms of performances, versatility and fabric quality, and now also providing a significant energy consumption reduction compared to previous machine model.
Last but not least, the Itema denim dedicated rapier machine R9500-2denim was in ITMA equipped with the one-of-a-kind iSAVER™ that represents the unique real sustainable weaving tool in the weaving industry and with a further enhanced weft transfer system and innovative IOT solutions. In fact, the brand-new iBOOSTER package and iCARE system implement the most modern principles to provide unparalleled performances and predictive maintenance.
TEXtalks: What user benefits does Second Generation of the Itema Airjet machine the A9500-2 offer in terms of optimization?
Christian Straubhaar: Summing up all the best features of its predecessors, the A9500-2 further enhance speed and machine performances.
Thanks to a new and optimized pneumatic platform, the weft insertion cycle is significantly improved leading to a quicker system response when handling air load and pressure guaranteeing minimized vibrations and higher structural reliability.
The whole machine structure has been revised to increase the air tank capacity ensuring superior textile performances even at the highest speeds.
Moreover, The A9500-2 features the brand-new Bi-Power stretch nozzle which ensures perfect weft catching pick by pick. Compact, powerful and cordless, the Bi-Power stretch nozzle allows air consumption reduction and increased fabric quality by keeping the weft perfectly straight in the fabric.
The user-experience has been further optimized thanks to a new machine ergonomy with a lowered front frame to improve machine accessibility. Moreover, the new layout of the fabric formation area reduces style change downtime and enables easier maintenance operations.
Last, but not least, the brand-new Itema SKYFRAME heald frames ensure the highest machine speeds whilst guaranteeing maximum reliability.
TEXtalks: During ITMA, Itema launched the A9500-2bedsheeting, which are the main benefits ensured to bed sheeting weavers by this machine?
Christian Straubhaar: Developed to provide even the most demanding bed sheeting weavers with an airjet weaving machine capable to reach the highest performances and to guarantee unparalleled fabric quality and design versatility, the Itema airjet A9500-2bedsheeting made its debut at ITMA 2019. Coming within the framework of the Itema unique market positioning to develop weaving machines fine-tuned to weave a specific fabric, the A9500-2bedsheeting has been tailored on bed sheeting weavers desires. Key machine components – such as main and tandem nozzles – have been redesigned along with the whole pneumatic platform to ensure superior performances in terms of speed coupled with superior fabric quality and textile efficiency.
Absolute new launch and core advancement featured on the A9500-2bedsheeting are the brand-new heald frames SKYFRAME – Itema exclusive proprietary technology – made of aluminium and carbon and designed by Itemalab in cooperation with Lamiflex. Itema invested on the development of its own airjet heald frames to answer its Customers specific needs. In fact, heald frames represent key components on airjet technology and the Itema SKYFRAME, thanks to its superior lightness and sturdiness, allows to run at the highest speeds without compromising reliability and resistance.
TEXtalks: With the increased digitalization demand, what is the significance of Industry 4.0 for Itema?
Christian Straubhaar: Industry 4.0 is crosswise important for Itema. In fact, Itema implemented Industry 4.0 concepts starting from its manufacturing sites, where the latest lean manufacturing and digitalization principles are constantly introduced to ensure the highest quality standards.
Moreover, Industry 4.0 significantly impacted on Itema weaving machines development.
As an example, treasuring digitalization and Industry 4.0 principles, Itema exhibited never-before-seen preventive maintenance solutions, such as iBOOSTER and iCARE.
Featuring an innovative sensors system coupled with an extensive material study – made in cooperation with Lamiflex – iBOOSTER and iCARE allow to run extremely fast in compete safety. In fact, iBOOSTER guarantees extended key components lifetime and iCARE provides a real-time tapes and sprocket wheels state of health monitoring, leading to machine’s self-diagnostic and to productivity optimization.
TEXtalks: Energy being a major cost component in the textile industry what steps has Itema taken in terms of power savings?
Christian Straubhaar: All the Second Generation of the Itema machines features innovative improvements and devices to ensure reduced power consumption.
The main mechanical components and lubrication system of the rapier R9500-2 have been revised and optimized to ensure a significant energy saving. Moreover, the machine is fitted with a main motor with oli cooling thus leading to heat recovery and temperature control. These characteristics together allow to reduce the power consumption up to -15% compared to previous model. On the airjet side, the A9500-2 and the A9500-2bedsheeting ensure an optimal air flow generating a significant air consumption reduction. The new main machine structure and the new pneumatic platform ensure optimal insertion cycle both from textile and performances point of view. In fact, the constant control of air load and pressure put the machine in condition to weave perfectly whilst reducing energy consumption.
Saving is also guaranteed by iREED®, the Itema patented reed tunnel shape and position of the relay nozzle which optimize the air flow in the reed channel for a higher efficiency weft insertion.
Major contributor of the reduced air consumption of the Itema A95002 is the iRTC, the Itema patented software – now in a new and advanced version – that enables the ideal monitoring of the weft insertion cycle guaranteeing reduced air consumption and overruling of incorrect settings.
TEXtalks: How has Itema Discovery developed by Itemalab™ redefined weaving foundations?
Christian Straubhaar: The Itema Discovery relies on completely new logics and concepts. The main machine platform is here fully based on mechatronic functioning and not anymore on mechanical principles. Mechatronic is potentially the technology of the future since it is basically maintenance free and opens the doors to endless preventive maintenance possibilities. Itema is the first company in the weaving industry to introducing mechatronic principles on its weaving machines and now, with Discovery, developing a weaving machine completely based on this technology.
TEXtalks: In terms of technological advancements, what is the customers demand in the current market?
Christian Straubhaar: Weaving mills are mainly looking for weaving machines capable to ensure superior performances, textile quality and user-friendliness. Superior performances guarantee cost savings and maximum productivity, fabric quality and machine versatility allow them to get a competitive advantage on their competition and to quickly adapt to new market trends, and user-friendliness is mandatory for the weavers who have to perform in a demanding environment ensuring to their company the highest quality and production results.
At Itema we develop our weaving machines with these targets clear in mind. Innovation, customer centricity, tangible concrete solutions. These are the core added values that we will never stop to provide to our Customers.
TEXtalks: How has the visitor response been at ITMA 2019?
Christian Straubhaar: ITMA 2019 confirmed ITMA Europe as the most renowned platform for the textile industry. The results have been excellent for Itema, since we could meet a very high number of visitors. Pakistan was one of the Country with more representatives and as Itema we could have interesting and inspiring discussions with a significant number of Pakistani companies.
