Pakistan Textile Journal. april news

Picanol nv, the well-known weaving machinery manufacturer from Belgium, arranged a seminar on launch and introduction of Picanol OptiMax weaving machine in collaboration with their local agents Moonaco, on July 4th and July 5th 2007 in Karachi and Lahore respectively. The seminar was attended by large number of managerial and technical personnel of the textile industry, especially those associated with the weaving sector. In Karachi the seminar was attended by PTJ editor Dr. H.R. Sheikh, who is also a Professor Emeritus at the Textile Institute of Pakistan. The seminar in Lahore was covered by Mr. S.M. Qutab, PTJ editor and also a renowned textile technologist and consultant in Lahore. The highlights of the seminar in Karachi and Lahore are contributed by PTJ editors in Karachi and Lahore respectively, and we are pleased to publish with thanks the following proceedings for the interest of our readers.

Mr. Patrick Steverlynck member of the Picanol Group Board was also present at the seminar to welcome the participants, friends and guests. Mr. Steverlynck said, “Our mission is to satisfy the customer by meeting his requirements accurately. Market is continually changing all over the world. The customer uses new yarns to produce varieties of new fabrics, and Picanol has the capability to meet the requirements of the changing market. By designing machines and accessories in accordance with customer demands Picanol guarantees highest quality level, lowest material waste, highest operational speeds for highest productivity, minimum energy consumption, minimum downtime and long useful life of machines.”

He added, “By using Picanol machines incorporating all possible features, the customers can get the most out of their talents. We offer the best machines for the Pakistani market. We have also reinforced our sales and marketing in Pakistan with the assistance of Mr. Mehboob Shakoor and Mr. Iqbal Moosani and also Mr. Ghauri from Moonaco. We have stationed three local service technicians and one local service engineer in Pakistan on permanent basis.

Mr. Johan Verstraete, CRT Manager provided details about the Picanol Group as follows:

The headquarters of the Picanol group are located in Ieper, Belgium. The group also operates major production plants in Europe, USA and Asia.

The group is active worldwide with 2400 employees. The group, has become one of the world leaders in the development and manufacture of modern weaving machines and accessories. The history of the group is spread over the last 70 years as listed below:-

It may be mentioned that GTX plus and Omniplus 800 machines are being manufactured at the Picanol Suzhou plant in the P.R. of China.

Mr. Johan Verstraete also gave detailed information about the organisation of the Picanol Group. The main departments were:-

Picanol Group is active supplying weaving machines for the manufacture of fabrics for workwear, household, apparel, upholstery, industrial and technical textiles etc.

In consequence of design, development, manufacture and marketing of modern weaving machines and provision of adequate after sales services, the Picanol Group is recognized as Global Textile Partner (GTP).

The Global fabric market is dominated by China. In 2006 China contributed 71% of the fabric output whereas only 29% came from the rest of the world. The number of Picnol looms installed in Pakistan at present is about 7,000. The share of Picanol in weaving machinery imports in Pakistan ranges from 15% to 35% per annum.

GTP Accessories

Mr. Maarten Impens, Area Sales Manager GTP gave comprehensive information on GTP Accessories.

For better weaving. GTP Accessories are being manufactured by the following companies:

(ii) Steel Heddles Co. is manufacturing steel heddles, frames and drop wires since 1898.

(iii) Te Strake Co. develops and produces main nozzles, relay nozzles, valves and sensors used for weft insertion on airjet weaving machines. The company is manufacturing these parts since 1947.

The advantages of using GTP accessories on airjet weaving machines were explained in detail by Mr. Impens.

According to a report by S.M Qutab, the event in Lahore was packed full to capacity with technologists and engineers which showed their commitment to the textile industry. In Lahore Jamil. Z. Ghauri introduced the team of Picanol, Patrick Steverlynck, President; Johan Verstraete, CRT Manager, Rex Pattyn, Sales Manager, CRT FFE, Maarten Impens, Area Sales Manager GTP.

The Chief Guest at Lahore session was Tariq Saigol, chairman Kohinoor who spoke on the occasion. Other speakers include Rex Pattyn who explained other type of weaving machines manufactured by Picanol, narrating their main features and their specific applications. Area Sales Manager, Maarten Impens gave details of GTP Accessories for better weaving.

Picanol introduced its latest rapier weaving machine, the OptiMax. The new machine offers weavers a combination of great versatility and highly productive weaving. Highlights of the OptiMax rapier weaving machine:

According to a press release by Picanol, in case of this new OptiMax concept, each machine is based on a common platform designed to accommodate future extensions or conversions. This modularity safeguards the weaver’s investment: no other weaving machine is so easy to adapt in order to take advantage of new market opportunities.

In developing the OptiMax special attention was paid to the shed geometry. The short stroke of the sley and the frames and the redesigned rapier heads, allow the machine to weave with smaller shed opening. Less stress is put on the warp ends, resulting in increased warp friendliness especially in case of filament weaving. The optimized shed geometry leads to uniform fabric characteristics over the whole width. The location of the sley cams below the fabric allows heavier beat-up forces, so fabrics with real high cover factors can be woven with ease.

OptiMax can be fitted with a Guided Gripper system for maximum speeds or a Free Flight system for maximum versatility. Both systems are interchangeable.

The Guided Gripper system (GC) is the standard solution for weaving spun yarns. The rapier tape of the newly designed light-weight Guided Gripper system is perfectly guided by one-piece hooks. Together with the small shed and small rapier head, industrial speeds are obtained that were never reached before. The stroke of the guiding hooks through the lower shed has been optimized for extreme warp friendliness, widening the field of application in filament weaving.

The Free Flight system (FF) is specially designed for weaving delicate fabrics, providing maximum warp friendliness and filling versatility. Free Flight means that the rapier tape is no longer guided by hooks, so the yarns cannot be damaged by hooks diving into the warp yarns. The machine has a covered raceboard for gentle treatment of filament warp yarns, as used for e.g. upholstery weaving, or the rapier is guided by supporting hooks, as used for e.g. wool or worsted weaving. The stability of the Free Flight rapier head is assured by an enlarged tape.

The weft presenter is fully modular, allowing weavers to start with e.g. 4-color inse

rtion and to add more channels later. OptiMax is available with up to 12-color insertion (specially for necktie, upholstery and label weaving). The color and weave pattern are controlled by microprocessor or jacquard.

Finally, the Quick Step modules are interchangeable, and there are no mechanical drives, so no maintenance or lubrication is required.

The OptiMax can be fitted with a positive cam motion, electronic positive dobby or electronically driven jacquard. The basic machine structure for the cam, dobby and jacquard versions is identical, making it possible to change the shed formation system at any time in the future.

Based on an entirely new future-oriented concept, the OptiMax also offers the possibility to produce leno fabrics without the need for a superstructure or leno heddles. With the OptiLeno module (patented), it is possible not only to obtain fabrics with S-crossing or Z-crossing of the leno ends, but also to obtain alternating S- and Z-crossing in the same fabric, giving an additional special effect to the design. Even a combination of stripes of leno and plain weave is possible.

In line with the “common platform” philosophy, the OptiMax is ready to have a superstructure mounted on it. The mountings are identical in all cases, making it possible to decide at some time in the future to add e.g. a fancy beam or jacquarette.

The fancy beam is an additional warp beam with a separate let-off motion. The beam can be top-mounted or mounted in line (behind the machine on a separate creel or integrated in the machine frame). The system is mainly used for warp ends that give a certain aspect to the fabric, e.g. seersucker, and which have a different tension and/or a different woven length compared to the ground beam, e.g. upholstery or ties.

Improved control of the weft insertion is afforded by the positive opening of the right-hand traction-gripper with the Electronic Right-hand Gripper Opener (ERGO) system. This allows individual setting of the moment of opening according to each type of weft inserted. Both the length of the weft tail can be adjusted and the degree of opening of the right-hand gripper during the release of the weft.

The OptiMax can be equipped either with a versatile mechanical tucker or with an air tucker, both designed for high speeds, in line with the high industrial speeds of the machine. Moreover, changing from a leno selvedge to tucker or vice versa is easy and quick with repeatable settings.

The mechanical components and advanced electronics of the OptiMax are designed for optimum fabric quality and minimum waste.

Rigid construction: The OptiMax has two cast-iron side frames connected by sturdy cross-members. This robust frame and the perfect balancing of the mechanical parts eliminate all vibration, enabling the machine to work continuously at high industrial speeds in all weaving widths while maintaining permanent stability.

High-tech reed drive for powerful beat-up: The sley is driven by 2 sets of conjugated cams with cam followers below the fabric, with continuous high pressure lubrication from the central lubrication system.

Quick Step filling presenter for low filling tension operates with independent modules, each consisting of an electronically controlled stepper motor with a presenter needle. After the left gripper has taken the presented yarn, the Quick Step needle returns to an intermediary position, so the course of the filling yarn is straight and the tension of the yarn is low and remains constant (patented). At a filling break the needle is presented automatically in the most convenient position for re-threading, thus saving time for the weaver.

The Electronic Disc Cutter cuts every filling yarn always at the right moment, while clamping the filling.

Programmable Filling Tensioner: The tension control makes it possible to weave strong or weak yarns at even higher speeds. It also drastically reduces the amount of filling stops, and enables weavers to set an individual waste length per channel.

Electronic Selvedge System: The unique Electronic Selvedge System (ELSY – patented) full leno selvedge motions are electrically driven by individual stepper motors.

The electronically controlled Take-Up (ETU) and Let-Off (ELO) are fitted as standard on OptiMax. A heavy duty ETU motor is optional for heavy fabrics.

Energy saving technologies have been developed and implemented on the OptiMax, taking into account the rules and regulations concerning the environment. The OptiMax is equipped as standard with the energy-efficient Sumo motor. The combination of the highly energy-efficient Sumo motor with the direct drive (patented) of the main shaft and shedding motion results in power savings of more than 10% in comparison with conventional clutch and brake configurations. Moreover, the energy cost for air conditioning is also reduced as the Sumo motor dissipates less heat in the weaving mill.

Another patented energy saving feature is removing heat with water cooling system. Fast running machines generate more heat than their slower predecessors and the consequences are particularly important in regions with a hot climate. As the weaveroom temperature rises, it gets harder to maintain the required air humidity at weaving machine level. Another consequence is that the sides of the warp tend to dry out because of heat radiation from mechanisms in the machine frames. In this way, a new air-conditioning installation can be kept small and energy efficient, or an existing installation could still be compatible with high-speed weaving on OptiMax.

The OptiMax weaving machine is based on an entirely new concept, as a future-oriented platform whose components are designed for higher operating speeds and top productivity. For with the Sumo motor it is possible to continuously adapt the machine speed pick by pick to match the strength of the filling yarn. Secondly, Picanol has included many unique features on the OptiMax to keep machine downtimes ultra-short. They include the Picanol Quick Style Change system, the quick harness connections, the roll-away filling creel, the hand-operated quick snap locks for warp beam and cloth rolls, and the use of the microprocessor for modifying crossing time settings for selvedges and shed. These all increase the time available for what OptiMax is meant for in the first place: producing quality cloth at high speeds.

Another time saving feature is fast width changes, which may be either symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Similarly the electronic setting of shed crossing allows a maximum number of settings to be carried out on the microprocessor. The electronic setting of the closed shed position (AKM) – a unique Picanol feature – allows the weaver to control the aspect and hand of the fabric without even touching the drive train of, for instance, the dobby. A few simple keystrokes on the display are all it takes to let OptiMax reset its crossing point. The crossing time not only influences the fabric quality, it also has an impact on stop figures.

Quick Style Change enables a style change to be carried out by a single person in less than 30 minutes.

The machine has an automatic full pickfinder driven by the Sumo main motor. In case of a broken pick the machine stops and only the harness frames are brought in motion – automatically – so as to free the broken pick, without the reed touching the beat-up line.

The OptiMax has a piezoelectric filling detector that stops the machine in case of a filling break. With its optional Prewinder Switch-Off (PSO) system, the machine carries on weaving even if a filling break occurs on the bobbin creel or one of the prewinders.

Picanol Batching Motion (PBM) systems have been designed for economical production of large cloth rolls. They ensure excellent fabric rolls and their operation is simple and efficient, with protection against too low or too high tension.

LoomGate makes it possible to communicate between the PC and the weaving machines over the network. Using LoomGate, machine settings are transferred from the PC to the machines and vice versa, the weaving machine can be updated with new software, or the current settings and operating parameters of the weaving machines can be consulted. LoomGate also includes a monitoring function to consult and process machine data and shift production data on the PC.

Picanol Pattern Editor is used to create new designs on the PC, for transfer to the weaving machines. Picanol Style Administration is used to prepare settings while the weaving machine is running another style.

EasyStyle helps to select the optimum machine settings: it generates the best settings for the specific style chosen, based on Picanol’s broad weaving experience. OptiStyle provides on-loom tools to improve efficiency or quality in a fast, interactive way: just enter the problem and corrective measures are suggested, taking into account the actual machine settings and specifications.

The Picanol Group is an international group specialized in the development, production and sales of weaving machines and technology for the textile industry and others. The group’s activities are centered in two core divisions:

OEM Business develops, produces, and sells high-tech components and system solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers in the textile and other industries. OEM Business markets its products via the brands PsiControl Mechatronics, Proferro, Te Strake Textile, Burcklé, Steel Heddle and Melotte. Weaving Machines is active in the development, production, and sales of high-tech weaving machines and complementary services and products for the aftermarket. Weaving Machines focuses on weaving machines based on air (airjet weaving machine) or rapier technology (rapier weaving machine). Picanol is the brand name of these weaving machines.

PTJ would like to thank the team of Moonaco (Karachi & Lahore), Rex Pattyn from Picanol and our two editors Dr. H R Shiekh and S.M. Qutab for this special seminar coverage and technical report.