In an increasingly competitive, and really globalized international scenario, the most skilful players of the world textile machinery industry are now giving the final touches to their most significant offerings to be showcased next September at ITMA 2007 in Munich (Germany).

Among the Italian builders, specialized in the fabric finishing sector, Biancalani of Prato has prepared for this prestigious, and very important  event, a novelty really worth its salt, and the justified reputation rightly enjoyed by the Tuscan company worldwide. A sound reputation gained in 50 years of activity at the highest levels of the sector, thanks (in particular) to its exclusive “Biancalani/AIRO” technology which has become synonymous with superior quality in the demanding field of treatments aimed at imparting effects of a soft, bulky and supple handle to fabrics of all kinds. More than 1200 machines sold (in different versions developed in the course of time) to the best customers of the whole textile world represent a record, which fully justifies the aforesaid statements. Having for quite a time fully satisfied, with this very successful machine, the needs of the specialists operating with batch rope treatments, Biancalani has of late spared no pains, in terms of economic and human resources, to hit a new mark, therewith demonstrating (once again…) its innovation savvy!

In fact, on the market the demand has been recently rising for handle effects of equal technical-commercial value, obtained also by a continuous process and with the fabric in open-width form. A target that cannot be easily achieved, but which Biancalani has now attained by calling upon its deep experience gained in many years of construction activity, and of co-operation with the reference customers in this field with an enormous development potential.

The machine capable of offering this very high performance is, in fact, by this time a convincing reality, largely tested in mill practice with excellent results. Its name if AIRO® 24 (by Biancalani) and, as from now, it looks likely to be a real show-stopper at the forthcoming ITMA in Munich.

The latest jewel of a very successful series of machines: AIRO® 24: performance and features

The AIRO® 24 name is the outcome of the association “24 HOURS = non-stop treatment, 24 hours a day”, which epitomizes the continuity concept of the process. The machine was so named in that it operates by exploiting the technology of fabric transport and treatment by means of a combined interplay of differential air flows (a system pioneered by Biancalani…); and it does this  round-the-clock.

Favorably surprising the builders themselves, the new machine does not require higher power (111 Kw only), and can produce top flight quality effects in few minutes of treatment, thanks to  engineering principles of the latest generation, duly patented.
In this way, the plant’s profitability is at least trebled, in comparison with the established reference standards, as regards meters of fabric processed, energy consumption being equal; moreover, also the personnel cost is halved, in that actually only one operator is required to control the entire process. The operating flexibility too, is very high since the AIRO® 24 can handle both dry and wet materials, loading both plaited and roll-wound fabric, and (virtually) without slowdowns at start-up.  Furthermore, the cloth is delivered dry, cooled, perfectly stretched (contrary to the previous machines it doesn’t require rope openers), and with an automatic stabilization effect generated by the type of treatment it has been subjected to; which is a proper form of crucial compressive shrinkage. And this regardless of the material typology, as the new machine can handle fabrics of any weight (from 50 g/m to 2000 g/m), fibrous composition, and structure. It also treats widths from 60 to 360 cm, and can process also minimum quantities (after drawing-in, the machine can even treat just one 50 metre piece).  At delivery, the product is well stretched, perfectly relaxed, “clean” and especially endowed with the characteristics of the soft and bulky handle unique of the AIRO process.

An important physical-mechanical exploit (no chemicals, and hence also high ecological quality…) made possible by the effect generated by the air conveyed into the machine at high (adjustable) pressure, combined with the beating against a grid with a special profile. The third element contributing to the desired final result is the fabric feed speed, a parameter that can be easily adjusted by the operator, acting on the control panel.
The technical data sheet reported at the end of this text, shows the detailed construction details and the most significant performance qualities of AIRO® 24. But it is also interesting to point out some judgements passed by the textile specialists who are already operating with the new machine. Two are the common observations, of greatest practical  importance, which we mention in our conclusion:

• conscious and extremely positive evaluation, by distinguished experts ,of the many technical, operational and economic advantages;
• the incredible user-friendliness of the process (fully computer-controlled by touch-screen), that enables to operate really without problems.