Pakistan Textile Journal. Picanol launches new Airjet Terry Weaving Machine Terry plus 800

After seventy years of its establishment in 1936, Picanol launches its new airjet terry weaving machine TERRYplus 800. It is based on the same high-performance weaving technology as the OMNIplus 800 airjet weaving machine, which Picanol launched last year. Picanol has developed TERRYplus 800 for the production of high-quality terry in a wide range of applications and at very competitive prices. The new TERRYplus 800 airjet terry weaving machine enables weavers to get the most out of their talent, their market, their material, their energy and their time.

With the TERRYplus 800, Picanol has created the space and the possibilities weavers need to deploy and realize their outmost creativity. Special attention has been paid to the cloth quality, by implementing a direct driven cloth movement, without mechanical settings.

The TERRYplus 800 offers full flexibility in design. The pre-beat-up is independently driven by the pile height motor and all settings can be electronically set on the microprocessor. No mechanical settings required. With the pile height changing device, it is possible not only to change the group beat-up rate, but also to weave structured patterns such as waves, thus permitting options in designing the products without limitations. The pre-beat-up distance can be set up to 24 mm, so easily allowing pile heights of 12 mm. Fabrics with a weight of more than 1600g/m² can be produced without any problem.

The fabric quality is guaranteed by the stability of the cloth movement, which is driven from both sides by a torsion-free shaft. The cloth movement is direct driven – without mechanical settings – simultaneously with the backrest movement. The ultra-light compensation rollers in combination with the robust structure of the loom make sure the pile is formed smoothly, with a completely even pile height. The fabric quality is further ensured through the minimal distance between cloth formation and take-up and through the care for constant yarn tension, as the construction is designed to keep an equal yarn length during the whole pile formation process. The pile height measuring device gives continuous feedback on the woven pile height. The possibility to automatically release tension at stop, and automatically re-tension again to the required tension at start, ensures a correct pile height even after a stop.

Picanol PC Suite is a collection of PC software applications to monitor the design, setting and production data of the weaving shed in a very easy way.

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 actual settings and operating parameters of the weaving machines can be consulted. LoomGate also includes a monitoring function to consult and process machine and shift production data on the PC.

Picanol Pattern Editor is used to create new designs on the PC, to be transferred 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.

In the new TERRYplus 800 concept, each machine consists of an identical, standard platform designed to accommodate future extensions or conversions.

The PiCAN (Picanol CAN) system is based on the CAN data bus. This simple, flexible system enables the weaving machine to communicate with devices mounted on or connected to it, and for the movements of these devices to be synchronized with the machine movements. The system is designed so that new developments can be incorporated in the future without problem.

The TERRYplus 800 can be equipped for up to eight different colors or filling yarns. The filling insertion system is modular, with two channels per module. The air supply components for the fixed and movable main nozzle are identical. This modular concept with its unique configuration for the air supply channels makes it possible for the machines to be converted to more colors in next to no time.

The TERRYplus 800 can be fitted with an electronic positive dobby or electronically driven jacquard. The basic machine structure for the dobby and jacquard versions is identical, making it possible to change the shed formation system at any time in the future.

Special attention has been paid to fast width changes. All the components to be moved are mounted on a single support whose position can be easily varied.

Mechanical settings have wherever possible been replaced with electronic ones. These have several advantages: they are very accurate, can be checked immediately and are easy repeatable and transferable from one machine to another. The ability to set the crossing time of the harnesses fully digitally is unique.

The microprocessor on the TERRYplus 800 controls all the machine functions. Using the self-explanatory menus on the display, the operator can start the machine and carry out fine adjustments without problem. And thanks to the real-time nature of the digital settings the results are immediately visible.

The microprocessor also records and analyses all the production data, so that the performance figures for the machine over the last two weeks can be consulted. The weaving machine itself can be linked to a central monitoring system by an Ethernet or bidirectional connection.

The material waste has been reduced to the minimum by inventing, developing and providing the necessary technology to achieve this. The mechanical components and advanced electronics of the TERRYplus 800 are designed for optimum fabric quality and minimum waste.

Thanks to the electronic controls, the machine settings for improving the fabric quality are easy to adjust, even while the machine is running. In addition to the many diagnosis screens, the terminal screen gives the weaver access to a whole series of pre-programmed values for shed formation, insertion, pick density and warp tension. For example, the crossing time can be set automatically, and the machine speed can be adjusted or programmed for optimum fabric quality, with immediately visible results.

The CANplus prewinders – exclusive to Picanol – have a sensor for the reserve windings and may also carry a built-in optical yarn break detector. Thanks to the adjustable motion and force of the magnet pin, the TERRYplus 800 is able to weave yarns ranging from extremely light to coarse.

The Programmable Filling Tensioner (PFT) reduces the peak tension in the yarn at the end of insertion when the magnet pin on the prewinder closes. This makes it possible to weave weaker or more delicate yarns at higher speeds. The PFT is automatically threaded along with the prewinder when the latter is threaded pneumatically. The PFT is mounted on the balloon breaker ensuring the ideal insertion line together with the fixed main nozzle.

At the entrance to the main nozzle a pneumatically controlled mechanical clamp holds the yarn during the non-insertion period, enabling the continuous airflow to be kept at a very low level. This improves the fabric quality and reduces the number of stops with weaker yarns.

The unique design of the Argus filling detector ensures perfectly reliable detection of the yarn. This high reliability is achieved thanks to the detector having a full view of the entire cross-section of the insertion channel, so that detection is independent of the position of the yarn in the channel.

ELSY electronic selvedge system (patented)

The unique ELSY selvedge systems are driven by separate stepper motors that are controlled electronically. The selvedge patterns and crossing times can be programmed on the microprocessor independently of the shed crossing. This can be done even while the machine is running, so the weaver immediately sees the result of the new settings.
Optimized sley drive

The sley is driven by a cam and cam follower system, for perfect beat-up and balanced lower insertion for higher speeds.

The electronically controlled let-off (ELO) and take-up (ETU) are fitted as standard on the TERRYplus 800 machine. The ETU also makes it possible to weave fabrics with variable pick densities, with highly accurate settings.

The TERRYplus 800 loom is equipped as standard with the energy efficient Sumo motor and with highly effective main nozzles, relay nozzle and valves.

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.

Fixed and movable main nozzles

The air supply system and highly efficient main nozzles permit higher performance. The position of both the fixed and the movable main nozzles is simple to adjust. Moreover the air pressure and timing can be adjusted separately for fixed and movable main nozzles, giving reduced air consumption.

The Electronically-controlled Low Continuous Airflow (ELCA) system holds the filling yarn at a lower pressure in the ideal position during the non-insertion period. The digital setting for each channel prevents the yarn unraveling.

The TERRYplus 800 relay nozzles are optimized for more efficient use of air. The shape of the nozzles and the position of the holes give a higher Pitot value (more pressure for the same amount of air) and enable maximum use to be made of the available insertion time.

The new Diamond-Like Coating (DLC) on the relay nozzles ensures a long lifetime.
The electro-magnetic valves on the relay nozzles have been redesigned and are easy to reach, so that changing the width can be done quickly and easily. The air tubes between valve and relay nozzle have been made as short as possible, thus further reducing air consumption.

Adaptive Relay Valve Drive (ARVD)

The unique ARVD system is a further development that automatically adapts the relay nozzle settings to the behavior of the filling yarn throughout the insertion, making use of the advanced integrated electronic controls. This results in an absolute minimization of the air consumption
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TERRYplus 800 enables weavers to get the most out of their time

The TERRYplus 800 weaving machine is based on the OMNIplus 800 – an entirely new concept, as a future-oriented platform whose components are designed for high operating speeds and top productivity. The frame of the TERRYplus 800 and all the moving parts are perfectly balanced and robustly built to permit the very highest machine speeds. The TERRYplus 800 weaving machine has many unique features that reduce downtime to the absolute minimum.

Unique Sumo main motor (patented) fitted as standard

The oil-cooled Sumo main motor drives the weaving machine directly, without belt or clutch and brake. The very short drive train is simple and compact, and the machine is up to full speed right from the very first pick.

The speed of the motor is controlled electronically, without a frequency converter, thus reducing power consumption and permitting greater flexibility. The shed crossing time is set entirely from the display. This combination of the Sumo motor with electronic settings makes it easy to obtain the highest possible industrial speeds, taking into account the yarn quality, number of harnesses and weaving pattern, and considerably reduces the set-up times.

The machine has a fully automatic pickfinder driven by the Sumo main motor. Pickfinding is done using a sliding gear on the Sumo motor, so that no slow motion motor and clutch are required. 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. This reduces the stop time in case of filling break and avoids starting marks.

Prewinder Switch-Off

With the patented 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; the prewinder signals the break and the system switches to one of the remaining channels.

Optimized harness frames and connections

The harness frames, connections and guides (DRC-30) have been entirely redesigned for weaving at high speeds.

With the unique DRC-30 harness connection (patented) no manipulations have to be carried out under the fabric line when connecting the frames to the drive system in a single movement, and height adjustment is done entirely at the top of the frames.

The warp beams are driven by an electronically controlled let-off system via a separate gearwheel that remains on the machine. Fitting the warp beam and changing the cloth roll are done by means of quick connections. No specific tools are required.