A.Celli Nonwovens
A.Celli Nonwovens has been designing and manufacturing machinery for the nonwovens industry for more than 70 years and currently has a recognized leadership position in its core markets.
A.Celli Nonwovens offers a comprehensive range of master roll winders and slitter-rewinders featuring state-of-the-art solutions customized to spunbond, spunmelt, spunlace and airlaid nonwovens roll goods production with a special focus on lightweight fabrics and high speed production. The machinery range is completed by non-stop flying splice unwinders and multi-functional lines.

Iridium is the innovative and flexible A.Celli print revolution developed to offer the highest quality printing onto different kinds of substrates including nonwovens, PP/PE film and tissue with a wide range of basis weights, enhancing the process chain, offering roll goods producers the possibility of adding aesthetic benefits to their products, empowering their brands with high definition designs and images.

A.Celli Nonwovens puts a strong emphasis on the level of assistance and service it offers its customers, with comprehensive plans of expert machinery consultation and software updates, upgrades and retrofits to existing lines, machinery integration and equipment assessments for updates or revamps to improve quality, performance and throughput. The company offers technology transfer and training workshops known as Winding School, which can either take place at the customer’s manufacturing facilities or in Italy at the headquarters in Lucca, Tuscany.

The A.Celli Group offers software and hardware solutions to optimize production and maintenance processes with a view towards Industry 4.0 by developing advanced controls, innovative industrial automation applications and integrated packaging systems, addressing prevalently to the market of machine manufacturers for the world of paper, tissue and nonwovens.
www.acelli.it

ACM Engineering
ACM Engineering is an established Italian company and an innovative solution provider for the production of cotton pads. The company reaches new standards of high quality and shapes the innovation combining converting and packaging in one frame.

ACM has become a benchmark for the success of several companies worldwide. This is due not only to the excellence behind all the machines, but also to the strong focus and flexibility toward the customers’ needs.

Cutting-edge technology, high-speed, reliability and 40 years’ experience in the cotton field make ACM Engineering the standard for excellence in the cotton pads converting and packaging, offering complete, trouble-free, flexible, efficient, fast and reliable production lines in a wide range and with the lowest TCO. The new cotton pad machine models can produce up to 56 guaranteed bags/min and are now provided with several innovations, like for example the energy recovery system, which produces power during the machine movements, the very comfortable maintenance assistance directly on the machine display (which shows how to proceed step by step with the machine maintenance) and much more. 

ACM Engineering not only manufactures fully automatic machines for the production of make-up remover pads (called also cotton pads or cosmetic pads), taking advantage of the deep experience in the field of cotton wool and nonwoven fabrics, but it has designed CrossJet, the spunlace machine to  entangle fibers by water jets (hydro-entanglement).

The company has already supplied four spunlace machines for cotton and wet wipes which are completely developed and produced in ACM Engineering.

ACM Engineering offers extensive experience in designing tailor-made machines to satisfy the various needs of its customers to develop and create machineries for the innovative products of tomorrow.
www.acm-engineering.it 

Aeris Group
Aeris Group Holding is located In Italy and controls highly specialized companies working for 30 years in the field of air treatment, heating, cooling, and filtration, together with auxiliary services like maintenance, spare parts and consultancy developing turn-key and custom made plants, specifically oriented to the different industrial applications and production processes.

The company has recently introduced AleniA NW. Thanks to the long term experience of its management and staff, together with the knowledge of the different nonwovens processes and their technological requirements, AleniA NW offers specific technical advice, guiding the customer to select the most suitable equipment solution to meet both the process and ambient requirements, always aware of energy savings, investment pay-back, and maximum efficiency of the production line.

AleniA NW is the only company in the specific field that is going to receive the certification of conformity to ISO 9001:2008 related to the Quality Management System Standards.

Equipment quality is a priority for AleniA NW. In particular, for the nonwovens field, AleniA NW can propose the following range of products: pre-filtering, filtering and micro-filtering systems; automatic recovery of production wastes; innovated suction systems for conventional end-line (slitters) and spooling lines; integrated systems for the treatment of technological and environmental air; process air treatment for the production machines; technological air-balancing systems; energy recovery systems; quench treatment; and tailor-made solutions.
www.aerisgroup.it

Alliance Machine and Engraving
Alliance Machine and Engraving offers the Automatic Bearing Lubrication System. Failure of a calender or thermo bonder bearing in a highly automated converting or processing line can have drastic consequences. In addition to the value of significant down time, the cost to have riggers and mechanics replace the bearing and repair the damage it may have caused can seriously affect the bottom line. Previously, the process of monitoring and lubricating these critical components required meticulous records and diligent maintenance personnel. As firms continue to do more and more with fewer employees, Alliance responded with an innovative development through which bearings are continuously monitored and automatically lubricated. A central control cabinet with PLC and touchscreen controls a series of solenoids that deliver oil at prescribed intervals. Another screen displays individual alarms of each circuit in the event a bearing does not receive lubrication. A single visual alarm is also activated should any alarm on the system initiate. Options include a self-contained pump, lubricant reservoir and low-level alarm.
www.alliancemachineandengraving.com

Andritz
International technology Group Andritz has acquired a 70% stake in Diatec S.R.L., a leading manufacturer of converting machines for the hygiene and food packaging industries based in Collecorvino in the region of Pescara, Italy. The remaining 30% will stay in the hands of the two current shareholding families.

Diatec designs and manufactures a wide range of special machines and technological solutions, mainly for the production of baby diapers and other absorbent hygiene products, but also for food packaging. With this acquisition, Andritz complements its product portfolio in Nonwoven and is now able to offer the complete supply and value chain, from the raw material, to webforming, finishing and converting.

Diatec was established in 1992 and has developed very favorably since then, with many international references and renowned customers around the world. The company is known for its innovative spirit, providing flexible and sophisticated solutions for the hygiene sector.

The Diatec owners and managers, who will continue to work in the company, acknowledge that Andritz is the best partner to support the company’s long-term growth and – together with employees and suppliers – to create synergies that can satisfy the demands of its customers.
www.andritz.com

Autefa Solutions
In recent months, Autefa Solutions has again sold several card-crosslapper combinations into the Chinese market, which will boost the speed and production in existing and new spunlace lines.

The main challenge in such high-speed lines is to keep fibers at any time and process stage under control. The Autefa Solutions Injection Card enables (drylaid) web forming at very high production. The Injection Card uses a unique combination of mechanical and aerodynamic principle for a gentle fiber treatment. This carding concept joins some benefits of the cotton card with the advantages of traditional cards with workers and strippers. On the main cylinder, the traditional mechanical principle using workers and strippers has been replaced by an aerodynamic principle. The fibers are taken off the worker rollers by an aerodynamic effect generated by specifically shaped devices that are replacing the traditional strippers. This avoids considerable mechanical stress on the fibers, which results in less fiber shortening and less nep formation. The Injection Card delivers a quality web at the highest productions with a better MD/CD.

With the Topliner CL4006 SL Autefa Solutions offers a crosslapper with special features for the spunlace application. Highest layering speeds and precise weight distribution are possible thanks to the integrated drafting unit, compensation belt, antistatic equipment and new designed transport aprons. These features are very important especially for lightweight applications in spunlace lines and ensure the infeed speed up to 130 m/min.

Autefa Solutions high-speed Webforming sub-system, consisting of Injection Card and Crosslapper CL4006 SL supports customers to keep or extend their leadership in the highly competitive spunlace market.
www.autefa.com

Beta Machinery
Established in 1959 in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Beta distinguished itself in the design and production of finishing machinery for nonwovens, technical textiles and fabrics. In 60 years of activity, over 2000 machines and 10,000 rolls have been built and sold all around the world.

Its production range includes: squeezing padders; dyeing padders; impregnation plants; high pressure calenders; and thermosetting machines.

Beta Padders and Calenders are equipped with the exclusive Beta-Roll, a patented system that assures a uniform distribution of both working pressure and temperature along the whole table-width of the rolls. The Beta-Roll makes the difference and solves the endless issue of obtaining an even squeeze (and impregnation), which translates into a perfect production.

Beta machines are designed using 3D and FEA software solutions and are built with high quality raw materials and primary brands components. Its machines are recognized worldwide for their undisputed performance, sturdy construction, long life and high flexibility. Special emphasis is devoted to the design of the safety systems, in accordance with the strictest regulations.

Beta also provides all the related accessories (unwinders/winders, accumulators, dryers, trolleys, heaters), allowing the customer to deal with only one technological and trusted partner for the supply of turnkey plants.

Since 2010 Beta is part of the Comerio Ercole Group and shares the same innovative spirit, dedication, technology and safety procedures.
www.betanonwovens.com

BST eltromat International
BST eltromat International, a leading manufacturer of quality assurance systems for the web-processing industries, complies with the increasing demand for its solutions for ensuring production quality in the nonwovens industry. Different systems of BST eltromat are suitable for assuring quality in this industry, e.g. products for web guiding, 100% inspection, register control, web monitoring and measurement of thickness + basis weight.

BST eltromat web guiding systems are mainly used in machines that process nonwoven materials into hygiene products, such as diapers, sanitary pads and other hygienic articles. Several narrow webs of various light materials are fed through a multitude of process stages, such as ultrasonic printing, stamping and embossing at low web tension and at speeds of up to 1000 m/min. Then they are wound up, later unwound and assembled into the end products. This is where the web guiding system is needed, to ensure that the webs run through the process in a controlled way and thus meet the necessary quality. Some of these machines have up to 20 web guiding systems. If requested by customers, BST eltromat network these systems. This is how these complex machines reach a high level of automation simply and effortlessly.

In the nonwovens industry, BST eltromat web guiding systems are not only used for further processing but also in slitter applications that cut the nonwoven material into narrower webs. Here the web guiding systems ensure that the individual material webs are precisely wound up after being cut.

Customers of BST eltromat have a choice of web guiding systems according to their technical and economic requirements for cutting or processing nonwoven materials. They can choose among eco-variants, basic systems and high-end solutions which can be easily adjusted to specific tasks upon request. The company’s scope of supply for web guiding in the nonwovens industry e.g. includes various web edge sensors, actuators, web guiding devices and coatings for the guide rollers. This way BST eltromat covers the enormous range of materials processed in this market.

For example, the web guiding system CompactGuide can be equipped with various optical web edge sensors, splice tables and clamping devices and therefore is very versatile. Its controller makes it extremely easy to operate, which is a decisive criteria for all operators. The intuitive operation is constructed in a logical way and at first glance, the operator sees whether the materials are being properly controlled. The EcoGuide is also very common in the nonwoven industry. It is a particularly cost-efficient and compact web guiding system that can be put into operation fast and easily via the plug-and-play function just like the CompactGuide web guiding system.

If nonwoven materials with various web widths are processed, BST eltromat’s wide array sensors are also used. Due to their large measurement area, these tried and tested, wear-free and thus maintenance-free web edge sensors do not need to be mechanically adjusted or aligned in case of varying web widths. In addition, during operation they automatically compensate for environmental influences such as dust pollution or fluctuation in temperature.
www.bst.group

Catbridge Machinery
Catbridge Machinery has developed a turret winder optimized for small rolls of nonwovens. This model 324 efficiently converts short-footage rolls of spunbond, airlaid, meltblown and other nonwovens.

The cantilevered, single-turret machine center winds in contact or minimum gap modes, producing finished rolls with a maximum 18” diameter on 2” or 3” cores. It’s capable of shear or score slitting to a minimum 4” width but can also log wind to widths of 84” or more. With an inline cross-web perforator, perforation distances of 12 to 300” are possible.

Features from unwind to rewind help with productivity. A driven, shaftless, floor pickup unwind accelerates quickly, which is especially important on short rewind work. Automatic cut and transfer via a driven, shear system ensures dependable, clean cuts. A roll enveloper and tucker provide consistent, no-foldover starts at the core. An optional tabber applies tape to attach the product to the core of new rolls and to seal the last wrap on finished rolls.
www.catbridge.com

CB Packaging
CB Packaging has been in the packaging market for more than 25 years. Boasting a flexible approach to customers and the dynamism of a young team, it’s supported by the know-how and the strength of the historic group Bettinelli, which became Inman in 2012.

CB Packaging sells machinery all over the world. Its components are made in Italy and it has three main branches: Shanghai, China, Pune, India (Pune) and Sparta, NJ, U.S.

The company’s main goal has always been the increase of technology in terms of speed, compression and reliability, never leaving out its historical strengths: fast format changeover; ease of use; and offering a wide range of products managed without invasive modifications.

Some improvements from the company include offering a bagger compression that is now up to five tons, meaning a reduction of the PE material. In parallel, CB Packaging has increased the speed in order to cover the actual speeds of the converting lines.

The company’s bagger for wet wipes multi-pack can handle a huge range of product sizes, from small wipes packs (cosmetic, for example) to very big wipes packs (baby and adult wipes) in different counts, including the standard multi-row and the special multi-level.

Further, CB Packaging’s machines for sanitary napkins, light-inco and pantyliners have been speeded up and improved.

And, last but not least, the company has a new machine for secondary packaging which, instead of in the usual secondary packaging in cardboard boxes, puts the different packages in bigger PE bags. A big PE bag contains various product packages in vertical or horizontal and this final multi-bag has the same shape and gusseting of the primary packaging.

It’s very easy to realize its advantage, just by comparing cost of the material and savings, the company says.
www.cbpackaging.it

Chase Machine and Engineering
Since 1954, Chase Machine and Engineering has been designing and building Custom Converting Equipment to process films, foils and woven/nonwoven/knit fabrics, while controlling speed, tension and guidance. It specializes in integrating technologies such as ultrasonics, impulse welding, hot air welding, adhesive dispensing, RF welding, band sealing, extruders and CO2 lasers.

Chase Machine manufactures unwinds, rewinds, slitters, laminators, traverse winders, cut-to-length machines, festooners, accumulators, ultrasonic sewing machines as well as custom machines. Its equipment is utilized in the manufacturing of consumer products such as face masks, wipes, safety vests, air/liquid filters, medical devices and hygiene products. Chase Machine uses its 60-plus years of web handling experience to benefit customers in the filtration, medical, packaging, automotive, textile and geotextile market segments.
www.chasemachine.com

Componex
Componex provides dead shaft idler technology with WINertia products. WINertia products feature advanced web-handling technology including WINertia AV (air vent) precision aluminum idler rolls with exclusive WINtrac Coatings. Componex provides innovative precision products at competitive prices with the shortest lead time in the industry.
www.componex.net

Cormatex
Cormatex is a textile machinery manufacturer specialized in developing customized solutions for the most demanding nonwoven customers. Thanks to its long experience and continuous innovation, Cormatex supplies complete lines for the production of unique nonwoven products based on virgin or recycled fibers as well as various types of waste materials.

For customers with production scraps or fibers that are particularly hard to process (such as very short fibers—less than 1 mm, non-fibrous materials like PU-foam, coarse fibers like coconut or fragile ones like basalt and carbon fibers), Cormatex can offer a solution to convert these materials into innovative value-added products.

Thanks to its special airlay technologies called “Lap Formair V” and “Lap Formair H,” post-consumer and post-industrial wastes can be mixed together with low melting fibers or powder resins to create nonwoven panels that can be used for thermal and acoustic insulation, automotive applications, mattresses, packaging and others.

A complete pilot line is available at Cormatex’s premises where both its vertical and horizontal airlay systems are installed (including thermobonding and needlepunching capabilities) and ready to show the high performance it can achieve with its innovative technologies.
www.cormatex.it

Dan-Web Machinery
Dan-Web Machinery is a leading supplier of airlaid and airlaid related technologies. The solutions range from standalone airlaid web forming systems, for combination with other nonwoven technologies, to complete turnkey airlaid production plants for production of all types of airlaid products. A number of spin-off products are also available, for instance defibrators/hammermills.

The defibrators/hammermills ensure optimal defibration of fluff pulp for the airlaid web forming systems, and are always part of the supply to airlaid customers. The defibrators are also supplied individually where capacity increases are needed on existing airlaid plants, as well as for retrofit/improvement projects where older hammermill technology is replaced with Dan-Web defibrators, regardless of the type of airlaid technology.

Other applications for the defibrators are diaper lines, feminine hygiene lines, and in general all applications where optimal pulp defibration and energy consumption is needed.

The latest addition to the Dan-Web airlaid technology portfolio is a new generation of through-air drying and bonding ovens, engineered by Dan-Web to meet the specific demands for dryers and ovens for production of latex, thermal and multi bonded airlaid products. The new generation of dryers and ovens feature highly efficient heat management, cross machine temperature control, innovative cleaning technology for both wire and dryer modules as well as all round accessibility, minimizing downtime and risk of fires.

The dryers and ovens are supplied either together with complete airlaid lines, or as upgrade projects where older dryer/oven technology is replaced or improved.
www.dan-web.com

Dell’Orco&Villani, Fives and TECHNOplants
A consortium of experienced nonwoven experts, Dell’Orco&Villani (Italy), Fives (France) and TECHNOplants (Italy) have launched a pilot line in Pistoia, Italy, for nonwoven producers to test fibers for ADL applications: hygiene, personal care, medical, etc. The 2.8m pilot line is equipped with opening and blending systems from Dell’Orco&Villani, a carding machine DMS Elowave from Fives and a thermobonding oven from TECHNOplants.

The electronic opening and blending systems from Dell’Orco&Villani offer 99% blending precision; 2000 kg/h maximum production rate; buffer area for blending; pre-opening of bico fibers; feeding via bale opener or pneumatic transportation; and fine opening for intimate mixing of fibers.

The DMS Elowave card from Fives features a completely new design. It has an improved roll run-out to 0,03mm for enhanced homogeneity and high mechanical stability during operations. Its main advantages include high productivity: 1000 kg/h/m for 3.75 working width / 3.3 Dtex & 50 gsm; improved MD/CD ratio: 2.5/1 @ 300 m/min; and drastic reduction of fiber accumulation due to controlled aeraulic flow.

The thermobonding oven from TECHNOplants has a robust oven frame to guarantee low deformation. Its advantages include homogeneous bonding due to the enhanced cross air control; a heat recovery system to reduce energy consumption; independent blowing sections to allow blowing boxes to elongate and avoid dangerous flections; and a long life conveyor belt system.
www.dellorco-villani.it / www.fivesgroup.com / www.techno-plants.com

Diaper Recycling Technology
Further to continued R&D investment into their technology platform, Diaper Recycling Technology are scaling-up production of their multi-award winning Generation-7 technology throughout 2018. Expanding their existing Singapore facility from one assembly bay to two assembly bays, Diaper Recycling Technology will use their HQ facility in Singapore for final assembly and customer testing only. In multiple locations new strategically located production sites have been established for sub-component assembly supplying their Singapore HQ facility using Kanban supply chain methodology. This newly added production capacity ramping up in 2018 and early 2019 in conjunction with the expansion of their support operation in Cebu which has doubled in size this year enables production roll-out numbers to be produced of their total product range (system capacities ranging from 0 to 1200 KG/hour) with greatly reduced lead-times. 

With systems being exported to Vietnam, Japan, Europe and Brazil this year to a variety of customers including Unicharm, the response in the market place has been better than anticipated. “We have sold machines to many multi-nationals in the hygienic industry with the key purchasing decision drivers being (1) Our teams technical competence to integrate the recycling process to any production convertor, (2) Low energy, (3) Small machine footprint, (4) Pure material streams and (5) Reduced SAP damage. With an advanced understanding of our vertically stacked air-less process combined with a deeper understanding our customer’s key drivers, it is clear there is a very strong general trend within the hygiene industry not only towards environmental protection but also towards protecting product brands through eliminating the need to send QC reject waste streams into the market as grade-B diapers. QC waste streams can now be re-used without risk and the payback is typically about 10-15 months. This is a well proven financially profitable model which is mainly driven by the low energy usage (20KW) and the pure waste streams enabling the plastic stream to be pelletized. Protecting the environment and also protecting our customer brands; it’s essentially a win-win-win.”

Diaper Recycling Technology are showcasing their low energy Gen7 recycling technology throughout 2018 which enables up to 87% of raw material investment to be recovered. With our 200-400 KG per hour systems already shipping, a stronger focus will be given throughout 2018 to scale up production capacity of their lower capacity machine portfolio: 0-50 KG/Hour, 50-100 KG/Hour and 100-20 KG/Hour.
www.diaperrecycling.technology

Dilo Group
Dilo, as a leading supplier for staple fiber nonwovens processing machinery, is continuously working on innovations. DiloGroup consists of DiloSpinnbau, DiloTemafa, DiloMachines and DiloSystems and offers machinery for complete production processes. In its 116 years of history, the company has always set new standards in regard to machine performance and efficiency. Innovative technologies like DI-LOUR, DI-LOOP and Hyperpunch have created new markets for the nonwovens industry and have contributed to continuous growth.

The HyperLayer was designed on the principle of the camelback crosslapper and completely revised. The kinematic solution of this crosslapper transports and lays down the web very precisely and is especially suited for very light webs, layering only few layers. It realizes highest production speeds (web infeed speed up to 200 m/min) at a precise laydown with a minimum of draft.

The new HyperTex technology which uses a filament or yarn laying machine of Messrs. OnTec combines endless scrims with nonwovens. The sandwich structures consisting of base and cover felt including a reinforcing grid can be produced inline at very high speeds of up to 40 m/min. Infinitely variable mesh sizes and a wide range of reinforcing yarns result in a high flexibility to adapt the number of filaments to the strength requirements of the specific application. This technique requires little space, low energy consumption and provides high production efficiency.

The development of Intensive needling offers an efficient solution for needling very light webs based on mechanical consolidation. Special Hyperpunch needlelooms combine a very high needle density with a low barb depth and thus enable the transport of single fibers, which results in a very high degree of consolidation within the felt. This approach could supplement the important water entanglement technology to reduce its high energy and water consumption.
www.dilo.de

Edelmann
In 2018, Edelmann brought to market several technological breakthroughs.

With the mother roll winder Type ET5, Edelmann Technology presented during a customer acceptance test the capability to produce a mother roll and perform the fully automatic doffing on a 5 m. wide machine at 1450 m./min.

This is the first winder in the nonwovens industry proving that spunbond web can be taken from the preceding line at that speed. The same equipment can also produce highloft spunbond slit reels.
In combination with the non-stop mother roll unwinder and the latest Edelmann slitter, it has been proven that the newest high-speed spunbond lines being brought to the market can be operated with only one slitter also with 8gsm spunbond material.

In early 2018 Edelmann Technology also presented to several customers its latest developments on its in-line slitter rewinder type 640-12 producing nonwoven rolls at 1000 m./min. Up until now, the speed of these were limited at 800 m./min. Besides the high speed of this equipment, it also ensures that the material characteristics of very soft, bulky and highloft spunbond material are not influenced negatively as they are known from off-line slitter rewinders. In comparison to off-line slitting lines, in-line slitter rewinders are by far the most competitive alternative in regard to purchase price and operating cost.

Both product lines are continuously developed further and produced custom made to best support the business of nonwoven rolls.
www.edelmann-technology.com

Fife
Maxcess, a global leader in innovative products and services for web handling applications, announced two new Fife sensors at Labelexpo Europe.

“With the release of the SE-26B Line Guide Sensor and four additional DSE Digital Sensors, we are entering a new era of sensing technology by incorporating LED displays, LED light sources and data information from the sensor itself,” says Shomari Head, global product manager of Fife Guiding. “In addition, the digital connection between our advanced D-MAXE Controller and the DSE sensors allows for automatic setup and opens the possibility of adding additional functions such as contamination alarms and more.”
www.maxcessintl.com/fife

Filcon Fabrics
Filcon Fabrics announces SPUNPRO-7, its latest patented product for nonwovens makers. Filcon’s SPUNPRO series of belts for nonwoven lines are developed to ensure optimal web formation quality, accommodate the lightest web weights, and run at maximum production speeds.

SPUNPRO-7 belt offers a distinct and significant cleanability advantage over its already successful SPUNPRO-6. Filcon knows that time spent cleaning a production line translates into less time rolling out product. Focused on “cleanability,” its engineering design team has developed a new patented belt structure that better resists resin from getting inside the belt. When cleaning SPUNPRO-7, resin drop removal is easier than before, thus minimizing damage to belt due to forceful cleaning. In sum, these benefits of SPUNPRO-7, lead to a longer and more productive belt life.
www.filcon-fabrics.com

Hills Inc.
Hills offers equipment to manufacture specialty spunbond and meltblown fabrics, multicomponent staple fibers, continuous multicomponent filament yarns, and monofilaments. A full range of research, pilot, and commercial machinery is in operation, with particular emphasis on multicomponent fiber structures. Hills’ core technology is its patented “printed circuit board” method of manufacturing precision polymer flow passages to extrude exquisitely complex fiber cross sections containing two or more polymers.

Spunbond Machinery—Hills provides the most sophisticated bicomponent extrusion technology, temperature separation for each polymer, high pressure capability, ultra-high-spinning-speed slot draw units, and characterizable forming tables.  Hills provides:
a) complete spunbond machines for speciality products including lofty or bulky webs.
b) key components for companies building their own machines
c) bicomponent extrusion technology for the excellent bicomponent spunbond machines manufactured by Reicofil. 

Nanofibers under 500nm are easily produced at rates far greater than that of any other method. Polymer choice, cross-section, and process flexibility permit many different products to be made on the same machine.  Some high-value markets being served are artificial leather, industrial fabrics, and filtration media.

Meltblown machinery—Hills machines make a variety of bicomponent and homopolymer products for filtration, breathable barriers, and other high-value uses. Hills’ unique technology…patented thin plates used to create special extrusion dies…permit great design and operating flexibility. Hills dies offer very high polymer pressure capability, hole count to >100 hpi, and unlimited capillary L/D. Thus, its customers’ dies may be tailored to make specific products (choice of polymers including high-viscosity polymers, fiber sizes from under 250nm average to 10+ microns in diameter, and/or bicomponent fibers). 

Staple Machinery—Hills offers high-capacity mono- and bicomponent staple fiber machinery, and also affordable conversions of existing “blended polymer” staple machines to true bicomponent production of dividable and islands-in-the-sea fibers, for such uses as artificial leather and microfiber wipes manufacture. 
www.hillsinc.net

Hyperion Materials & Technologies
Hyperion Materials & Technologies, formerly Sandvik Hyperion, is a global leader in hard and super-hard materials with over 60 years of experience in cemented carbide, diamond and cubic boron nitride technologies, specializing in premium base materials, tool maker components, engineered products and process tools and solutions for the most demanding applications. Among its process tools and solutions portfolio, Hyperion offers an extensive range of rotary cutters and cutting units for the hygiene market. 

The cutting unit is a critical component of a hygiene converting line. Its reliability and lifetime can heavily influence the total productivity output. Hyperion can support customers to identify the main drivers to generate savings in their daily operations and continuously improve the overall equipment efficiency (OEE).

From engineering development of the cutting solution to manufacturing, internal tests, start-up assistance, operators’ training, after-sales assistance and up to the carbide recycling program, Hyperion works closely with customers to provide a high level of technical and manufacturing support throughout the whole cutting unit lifecycle. This translates directly into customer savings through excellent production efficiency, optimization of spare part quantities and a reduction of machine downtimes and maintenance needs.

Hyperion’s most recent developments support this customer focused approach:

• IQut, integrating “intelligence” to the cutting unit, through sensors which measure the main parameters influencing the cutting performance and thus anticipating and preventing possible machine downtimes. This includes temperature monitoring, vibrations, speed, slippage, number of cuts, automatic identification of the tools installed in the unit, etc. The unit will have the possibility to work as a standalone system or to be fully integrated to a converting line. Why not acting instead of re-acting?
• A-Flex, allowing a quick change of the tools installed in the cutting frame, thus minimizing machine downtimes as well as the number of spare part tools and maximizing productivity.

www.hyperion.sandvik.com

Investkonsult Sweden
Investkonsult Sweden continues their strong tradition of arguably being the primary and preferred supplier of second-hand nonwoven and absorbent hygiene equipment. Investkonsult supplies everything from single machines to complete lines – even on a turn-key basis, from small start-up companies in India and Africa doing their first efforts to come into the AHP market all the way to delivering complete spunmelt solutions to the global players. Few – if any – of the other used equipment companies can say that they have delivered and started-up spunbond as well as meltblown lines in such remote places as Indonesia and India.

Alongside the equipment arm of Investkonsult Sweden is also the consulting part of the business, which continues to grow every year – as more and more nonwoven and AHP producers see the benefits of having an outside objective eye looking into specialty projects and doing small but valuable missions for them.

“We always perform with the highest integrity, transparency towards our principals, on-time delivery and full dedication to the projects we take on,” says Kerim Kalkan, sales manager for the company.

As a result of extensive travelling and having visited a large number of production sites over the past 30 years, their database is constantly updated and expanded. The database is completely custom-developed in-house and serves as the brain and heart of all their activities. The geo-mapping system showing the location of almost all global production facilities is also an invaluable tool that they put to extensive use.

Any inquiry is welcome, whether for equipment, parts or consulting missions.
www.ik.se

Kansan Machinery
Kansan Machinery has been holding the pulse of wet wipe industry for over two decades. With the introduction of new generation wet wipe lines and a productive year, now it is time to get ready for IDEA Miami ’19.

An Upgraded Cross Fold Line – Compact and Efficient: Unlike other cross fold machines, Kansan’s Flexiwork model is compact, fast and most importantly doesn’t sacrifice hygiene to get high end results.

Up to 600 cuts/minute, Flexiwork functions with only mechanical folding. This provides a fast and convenient production for manufacturers. And if more capacity is requested, Flexiwork can work with 700 cuts/minute with vacuum.

The short distance between wetting and cutting gives the opportunity to work with sensitive materials such as wetlaid and airlaid effortless with ease.

High Capacity Flow Pack with No Hustle: Kansan’s own packaging machine brand Dynamic Pack has spread to five continents and is used by both new-starters and giant international manufacturers. The latest model Acurapack 160 has 150 packs/minute working capacity. It can offer long dwelling D-cam system for good sealing, automatic laminate change, a complete quality control system, three labelling units, a mechanism to work with both smallest and large packs and a control panel that enables you to make most of the adjustments electronically.
www.kansanmak.com

MAGPOWR
Maxcess, a global leader in innovative products and services for web handling applications, announced the release of three tension amplifiers from MAGPOWR with advanced networking capabilities. Announced are the DLCA NET, DLCA NET-Slim and DLCA NET-IP65, with the slim catering to applications where panel space is crucial and the IP65 to applications where tension values can be converted to communications on the machine itself without going back to a control panel.

“With our new line of amplifiers that include built-in networking capabilities, we are offering EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP, an embedded web server and EtherCAT for the first time in a tension amplifier,” says Chris Harper, global product manager for MAGPOWR Tension Control. “This family of amplifiers and its included features allow for fast and easy integration into machine control networks and adds high performance and enhanced reliability to web tension measurement.”

The new line of amplifiers transmits calibrated tension values from one or two tension zones over dual port communications and offers EDS file AOP, DLR Ring, PTP time stamping, alarms and an embedded web server for setup and calibration.
www.maxcessintl.com/magpowr

Menges Roller
Maxcess, a global leader in innovative products and services for web handling applications, announced the completion of Menges Roller Company’s multi-million-dollar expansion. The expansion doubles its manufacturing footprint while installing state-of-the-art new equipment.

“This expansion will allow us to expand our year-over-year growth, while keeping our high standing in the commercial manufacture of rollers and coverings for the converting, steel, packaging, plastics and other industrial uses of large rolls,” says Garrett Rausch, director of Engineering and Manufacturing for Menges Roller.

The expansion of the plant doubles its manufacturing footprint and features a new state-of-the-art lathe, which enables the company to manufacture rolls up to 58 inches in diameter and 275 inches in length with live tooling and 3-axis machining capabilities.
www.mengesroller.com

Mobi-Air
Scaling up production, Mobi-Air will be shipping soon its new zero M&R Multi-Vortex Tornado air filtration technology which fully eliminates the need to operate conventional air-filtration systems such as drum-filters and bag-houses whilst fully eliminates explosion risk without the need of explosion venting.

The newly developed technology operates at only 1/3 of the energy of a cyclone whilst operating at 1000G using 244 independent multi-vortices.  Capable of supporting any hygiene production machine of 0-75 KCMH per Mobi-Air Module, the process has been described by leading air experts as the most significant air-filtration breakthrough within the air filtration sector. Mobi-Air engineering and R&D teams took inspiration from naturally forming multi-vortex tornados which operate at over 10 times the G-Force of cyclones whilst requiring only one third of the energy to operate. The engineering and R&D teams have been able to reduce the energy consumption by over 70% whilst also significantly increasing air quality. ”Our teams are very proud of their breakthrough achievements which will benefit many industries and perhaps more importantly planet earth.”

Further enhancements to the Zero Energy HVAC have also taken place. This new plug-in zero energy HVAC technology  when operating in closed-loop configuration can reduce customer HVAC costs between 45 – 85% depending of factory location.
www.mobiair.technology

Mondon
Renowned mechanical engineering company Mondon Winding and Converting Machines, designs and manufactures converting machines since 1983. With its 35 years’ experience in winding & unwinding machinery, the French company offers products that meet quality, efficiency and reliability.

Mondon strengthens its presence on the international market thanks to its best seller Mondon FTW Series. The full automatic turret winder offers high productivity first-class results. The FTW Series turret winder is dedicated to wind product without stop in production facility before using coating systems, laminating systems and printing lines for example. The FTW Series can wind rolls until 1400 mm diameter and 1,5T weight. The thickness of the product can fluctuate between 0,2 and 7 mm. FTW range is versatile and offer high quality results: the accuracy of the turret winder rotation and tension control is a key factor to deliver the highest quality results. FTW Series control is performed thanks to a network application with the upstream processing line.

The systems can be applied for several applications on existing lines by adapting the design to the product. They are available in different width from 1600 mm to 4000 mm, with optional devices such as a lifting table to unload the finished rolls. Interface parameter adjustment and mechanical design offer to the end user reliable equipment easy to use and easy to maintain. Training is optimum thanks to a pleasant interface.
www.mondon.com

NDC Technologies
NDC Technologies, a leading global provider of precision measurement and control solutions, has recently released several new and innovative measurement systems ready for Industry 4.0 with data integration and connectivity down to the gauge level. These new solutions enable nonwovens manufacturers to produce higher quality products, increase productivity and realize significant production savings.

NDC’s new Web Surface Inspection Systems (engineered by R.A.M.) provide 100% product coverage, enabling manufacturers to achieve zero defects. Systems include powerful capabilities to instantly detect, classify, document and record all optical defects across a broad scope of web materials.

NDC’s new Low Energy X-Ray Sensor is ideally suited for thickness and basis weight measurements of light weight products such as nonwovens and offers excellent narrow streak resolution. A highly stable, precisely tuned power supply runs at or below 5keV providing high signal-to-noise characteristics and optimum measurement performance.

The new Beta LaserMike LaserSpeed Pro non-contact length and speed gauge offers the highest accuracy in the industry (better than +/-0.03%) and the widest measurement depth of field for the full velocity range. LaserSpeed Pro offers a new, faster processing engine for faster communications and supports Ethernet connectivity. Ideal replacement for contact encoders. Over 8000 gauges installed worldwide.

In other news, NDC also announced that it has successfully recertified to the new ISO 9001:2015 standard. The audit encompassed the complete value chain, from development and production to sales. This certification applies to NDC’s corporate headquarters in Dayton, OH, and Centers of Excellence in Irwindale, CA, and Maldon, U.K.
www.ndc.com

Nordson Corporation
Nordson Corporation is a global leader in industrial fluid conditioning, delivery, and dispensing. Nordson’s Adhesive Dispensing Systems Nonwovens/disposable hygiene product portfolio applies hot melt adhesives, as well as product additives such as wetness indicators, heated lotions, fragrances, and odor control products.

Nordson offers four defined system tiers to meet the diverse needs of nonwovens manufacturers. These defined systems optimize its customers’ performance in production and material use. Production speed, capability to produce multiple products on a single line, and future production needs are considered when choosing a nonwovens system.

Melters anchor each system tier and are differentiated by supported control capabilities, features, and delivered performance. For example, Nordson’s popular tier-2 VersaBlue Plus melter has the advanced capability to provide integrated pattern control and closed-loop flow control, and the soon to be released VersaBlue Connect melter (November 2018) delivers single-point system-level (multi-melter) control, with increased options such as remote communication and wireless support.

Each tier offers applicator choices to optimize dispensing using non-contact spray or contact slot application. Slot nozzles are designed for either continuous or intermittent dispensing, while spray applications are served by the portfolio of Universal nozzles, which feature a patented Universal mount for easy nozzle changes and an industry-best breadth of spray nozzle choices to optimize application performance and efficiency.

Nordson’s global reach and experienced personnel are proud to deliver innovative products and a high-level of support before and after sale. Nordson is committed to helping its customers produce high-quality products efficiently, at high production speed, and with optimized cost. 
www.nordsonadhesive.com/nonwovens

Optima Nonwovens
Optima Nonwovens develops future technologies together with customers. To engage in dialog with customers at the earliest possible stage. To get feedback. To find out whether a customer is on the right track with their thoughts and developments for the future. This is what the in-house exhibition “Partnering with the Packaging Pioneers” at Optima Nonwovens is all about. From June to August 2018, customers learn about cutting-edge technologies and the latest solutions in Schwaebisch Hall. They will gain inspiration in the fields “next level of modularity,” “reduction of the last user interface through automation” and “communication and service in the context of digitization.” The feedback from exhibition visitors will have a decisive influence on further developments.

Early visitors were impressed by the exhibition concept: “I highly recommend in-house exhibitions, as the focus is more on the customers and their needs than on trade shows, where you can just have a quick hello and not really go deep,” says Martin Gärtner, group manufacturing director at Ontex, a leading manufacturer of hygiene products.

Over the coming months and years, he wants to pursue some of the approaches he learned about at the exhibition. “It is always interesting to be inspired by new ideas,” adds Gärtner. He was particularly impressed by the Cobot in action – an approach worth considering in times of rising labor costs.
www.optima-packaging.com

Osprey
Osprey focuses its efforts on continuous improvement to bring its customers valuable and innovative features and services. OspreyCONNECT is its latest development that will enhance the Osprey ownership experience.

OspreyCONNECT is designed to be an Industry 4.0 solution, which combines IOT data from equipment sensors and PLCs with cloud-based analytics and services. The value of this solution is that it provides customers with real-time information needed to make better decisions in critical business areas such as reducing operating costs, boosting productivity, and improving equipment reliability.

OspreyCONNECT provides customers with secure remote analysis and repair services. This saves its customers time waiting on technicians, associated expenses, and most importantly machine downtime. Osprey also provides customers with the option of utilizing monitoring data features, receive email updates on critical machine alarms, health reports, and maintenance recommendations based on historical trends. Easy to access technical information such as manuals, replacement part information, and instruction videos are available through OspreyCONNECT.

In other news, a new patent for the Osprey Blue-Sky filter is expected to be issued by the U.S. Patent Office in early August 2018. The new patent will not require a HEPA stage but still includes the features of the original Blue-Sky patent. Another new development is Osprey’s improved filter media holding bands that are available for all drum filters. For more information on the new bands, visit www.ospreyfilters.com/literature-media/videos/.
www.ospreyfilters.com

PF System
Since its beginnings PF System has been devoted to the hygiene, tissue and airlaid industries, creating profitable and sustainable solutions that are reliable with minimum maintenance requirements.
With joint experience of 35 years within the filtration industry, it brings the know-how from different processes and can apply the right solution where it is needed.

The company’s Continuous Cleaned Filter System is a new design which includes several features compared to the existing types such as lower pressure drops leading to lower power consumption; safety improvements; simplified construction leading to competitive pricing; and part improvements leading to prolonging lifetime expectancy.

Maintenance is of course being a key factor and a chapter that sometimes is overlooked, by always including remote monitoring and support in its scope, PF System can follow the parameters on a customer’s system and provide the right support when needed.

Airflow optimization is an essential part of how it can reduce energy consumption and at the same time streamline the function of the created pressures and airflows, this is foundational.

PF System is global supplier of turnkey filtration systems and spare parts for the majority of filtration equipment on the market and not least supplier of peripheral equipment such as waste handling systems, humidification units, heat exchange systems, etc.
www.pfsystem.se

Ramina
Ramina is a leading Italian manufacturer of nonwoven turn-key plants and machines specialized in: spunbond PP and PET lines, airlaying lines, thermobonding lines, needling lines, spray bonding lines, geocomposites lamination lines & GCL lines.

From the design to the construction, the product range includes: Spinning unit, opening & blending equipment, airlay-S, thermobonding ovens, drum dryers, infra-red ovens, cooling systems, calenders, padders, scatter powder systems, hot-melt systems, smoothing systems, slitting & cross cutters, pneumatic accumulators, winders, re-winders and packing systems.

The company covers an area of approximately 18,000 m2 in which there are two major operating facilities; the first factory that concentrates the metal-mechanical production department and the second building built in 2008 which focuses on the departments of design, assembly and testing of the equipment.

The smart use of the knowledge and the technological processes, the utilization of a state of the art designing tool and the careful use of suitable constructing technologies, place Ramina among the most competitive producers and builders of NW standard machines and NW customized machines.

Thanks to professional research and technological innovations, Ramina has achieved significant results, noticeable in high quality standards and reliability on a machine’s continuous use in any operative condition.
www.ramina.it

Sonobond
Sound-absorbing products using acoustical nonwoven materials can be easily assembled with SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines.

Manufacturers using acoustical nonwoven materials in their sound-absorbing products—like aviation insulation blankets and automotive door panels—use Sonobond ultrasonic equipment to quickly and reliably assemble their products.

Sonobond’s SeamMaster Ultrasonic Sewing Machines are approved by major aircraft manufacturers, and meet FAR 25.856 requirements to assemble aviation acoustic insulation blankets. Their rotary operation is just like using traditional sewing machines, but they create stronger, longer lasting seams. They don’t use needles, thread, glue or tape and they quickly seam and seal synthetic fabrics and coated polyimide films in just one pass. 

Sonobond’s ultrasonic handheld units are used to assemble automotive door inserts that contain acoustical nonwoven materials. These materials can be difficult to cut and sew using traditional methods. The small handheld units securely seal synthetic tape to the nonwovens, and cleanly finish the ends, eliminating the need for back tacks to hold the materials in place.
www.sonobondultrasonics.com

Spoolex
During ANEX 2018, Spoolex Group launched the new generation of its well-known Pegase Jumbo spooling line.

For several months now Spoolex’s process experts and engineering teams have been working together with final customers to enhance performances of the well-known Pegase Jumbo spooling line and to develop a new equipment to match always more challenging new materials. Thanks to numerous material upgrades and new design, the Pegase key functions have been re-designed and improved to allow even more productivity. The result presented by Spoolex at ANEX demonstrates the company leadership for this application: Its newly launched Pegase4 is equipped with new solutions not only to process even more tension sensitive materials but also to increase productivity, to improve easiness of maintenance and conditions of operation.

With this seventh generation of jumbo spooling lines, the French company is now offering a complete range of solutions to process efficiently the always larger range of materials for AHP, light, heavy, lofty, embossed or three-dimensional perforated, with different configurations to perfectly match production needs and capacities, environment and, of course, a customer’s budget.
www.spoolex.com

Technology Transfer Services
Technology Transfer Services, Inc. (TTS) was established in 2013 by three industry veterans to serve the nonwoven and textile recycling industries with technology transfer and proprietary developments on processes and the necessary specific equipment for complete process lines or system upgrades. As consultants, they provide the expertise to develop new concepts and advise in the implementation of process parameters or provide technical assistance in developing advanced process techniques and product specifications.

Beginning in 2017, Technology Transfer Services established a relationship with Cormatex, S.r.l of Montemurlo (Prato) – Italy for exclusive representation in the U.S. and Canada for their complete lines in the nonwoven and woolen industries. Providing complete nonwoven production lines including fiber opening and blending systems, fine openers, card feeding systems, high production cards & crosslappers, airlay systems, cutting and wind-up systems. In addition, Cormatex has two pilot line facilities available for customers to run trials with their own fibers and produce samples under proprietary conditions for machinery and process consideration. Additionally, in 2018, TTS signed an agreement with SICAM, S.r.l. Milan – Italy for representation in North America for their thermobonding ovens, spray bonding ovens, stenter frames and dryers to produce high loft materials, waddings, abrasives, recycled fiber felt and glass fiber production lines.
www.tt-services-usa.com

Teknoweb Converting
IMA, the parent company of Teknoweb Converting, finalized two important acquisitions during the last month.

CIEMME, a company which manufactures end-of-line machines and, in particular, robotic solutions such as lid applicators for wet wipes packs; and TMC, which is active in manufacturing case packers and bundlers for tissue and the disposables industry.

With these latest acquisitions, Teknoweb is able to deliver complete solutions integrating machines from companies belonging to the same group. Therefore, it strengthens Teknoweb’s position as the leader in providing solutions to the wet wipes industry.

From a technical point of view, Teknoweb has introduced new stackers for flat folding lines. Using its proprietary, fully servo-driven stackers, Teknoweb is now able to produce up to 250 packs/minute of typical baby wipe count packs, with a folder including only 20 or 24 lanes. 

Additionally, Teknoweb has introduced improvements to its already state-of-the-art unwinders. Extremely delicate materials require a highly precise control of tension. Teknoweb delivers it by proprietary and unique tension-controlled unwinders for baby wipes, wet toilet tissue, and cosmetic wipes. These unwinders create LAP splices at up to 170 m/min without operator intervention or line speed reduction. Through these innovative unwinders and unique characteristics of the ribbon formers, Teknoweb is able to process dispersible substrates easily and efficiently without any backlash on the operation.

Another important innovation is related to crossfolding machines. Teknoweb’s EXIGE 4 includes two individual cut and fold units. The key characteristic is that they are completely independent and autonomous. When one module is down, the other keeps running. This dramatically increases production efficiency.
www.teknowebconverting.com

Tidland
In 1951, Bob Tidland designed what would become the first air shaft on a cocktail napkin in Camas, Washington. More than 60 years later, Tidland strives to build products that are durable, designed for easy use and engineered for reliable, long-lasting operation. This experience has led to the development of the industry’s most effective winding and slitting systems.
www.maxcessintl.com/tidland

Truetzschler Nonwovens
With the latest developments, Truetzschler Nonwovens targets nonwoven producers’ requirements concerning productivity and flexibility. The high-speed NCT card is designed for high-capacity hydroentangling (spunlacing) lines with speeds of up to 300 m/min at the winder. The main feature is an enlarged carding area which allows for higher throughput, better blending performance and higher process stability. Having been introduced last year, the card now is now being thoroughly tested in various production lines.

Truetzschler Nonwovens and cooperation partner Voith have been refining their wet-laid and spunlaced (WLS) technology. Some months ago a special feature Voith-Truetzschler line for this type of nonwoven has been inaugurated in Dimona, Israel. Albaad’s sophisticated choice of WLS core machinery and additional components allows for a large product range including flushable wipes. The requirement of enhanced flexibility also applies to the recent WLS project of Polish EcoWipes. Voith and Truetzschler will implement a non-standard configuration including a Truetzschler Nonwovens card. This innovative line concept will be able to produce both wet-laid/spunlaced and carded/spunlaced materials.
www.truetzschler.de

Tsujikawa
Dedicated to providing its customers a traditional Japanese approach to customer service, Tsujikawa focused on growing its production network around Asia with two factories expanding in 2018.
Tsujikawa’s Bengaluru, India, factory is now producing a full range of super-high precision rotary tools inside India. The factory opened in 2016, operating as a repair center serving customers in India. With the arrival of all necessary imported production machinery in 2018, the factory is now equipped to produce all tools locally. The factory is currently shipping all sizes of rotary die cutters, embossing rolls, anvil rolls, and many other tools for use in nonwoven and hygiene production.

Established earlier in 2018, Tsujikawa’s newest factory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has started operations as a repair center for super-high precision rotary machinery in the region. The center will continue to develop along with the domestic market in Vietnam to support growing production of multinational and local companies.
www.tsujikawa.co.jp/en  

Valley Roller
Founded in 1984 to service the paper converting industry in the Fox River Valley of northeast Wisconsin, today the Valley Roller Company has evolved into a leader in the North American roll business servicing a wide range of industries from pulp and paper to tissue.
www.maxcessintl.com/valley-roller

Webex
It all began as an idea in 1972 to construct idler rolls for a local consumer goods company in the Fox River Valley of Neenah, WI. More than 40 years later, Webex is an industry leader with a solid reputation for understanding the needs of its customers, engineering the right solution and providing the highest quality precision rolls in the industry.
www.maxcessintl.com/webex