Production technology for nonwovens and textiles

With the acquisition of Andritz Diatec, Italy, the product portfolio has been expanded to include converting lines for the hygiene, lamination, medical and food pad sectors. A wide range of special machines and technologies for the production of baby diapers and pants, adult incontinence underpants, adult diapers and pants, adult light incontinence products, sanitary napkins, panty shields, food pads, medical and laminating applications extend the supply and value chain. The converting process for hygiene products requires premium quality standards, high capacities, and top-level production efficiency by reducing labor costs and machine downtime. Thus customers can develop and run trials on Andritz pilot facilities to optimize raw materials, roll goods and final product applications.
At the Index 2020, Andritz Diatec will present its new adult pants line. The growing market for adult incontinence products has resulted in a state-of-the-art process with highest quality standards, such as the development of ultrasonic side seam solutions with very good results in terms of bond strength and system reliability. The machine speed no longer limits quality bonds. As a result, operations and size changes are faster and easier. The modern forming system for higher SAP concentration and the turning and placing system guarantee maximum process stability and put customers’ adult pants at the top of the adult hygiene market.

Trends and innovations in the hygiene machinery

Sustainability is more than just a trend in the nonwovens industry. The strong demand to reduce the use of plastics, save energy and increase efficiency is a clear innovation factor for the nonwovens industry and has led to newly developed production processes. For the hygiene business, the group provides air-through bonding, spunlaid, spunjet, spunlace and wetlace machines, as well as converting technologies and corresponding services to meet these demands for years to come.
One great highlight at the stand will be the introduction of innovative technologies for the production of environmentally friendly, biodegradable products. Such processes for the production of biodegradable wipes achieve high performance entirely with natural and/or renewable raw materials. The added benefit of using a blend of fibers, like wood pulp, short-cut cellulosic staple fibers, viscose, cotton, hemp, bamboo or linen, without chemical additives or binders results in a 100 % biodegradable fabric.
To save raw materials, the neXline spunlace for lightweight fabrics will be presented. Decreasing weight/m2 while maintaining high MD and CD tensile strength is the main challenge, as the fibers account for a substantial part of the production costs. Very high productivity is needed for the lighter fabrics required with perfect uniformity.
Here Andritz provides the well-known TT card web forming and the high-performance Jetlace hydroentanglement units. The spunlace roll goods may achieve weights of 25 g/m2 and even less for ultra-light spunlace fabrics, with very good web uniformity.
Another highlight will be the latest technology developments in the spunlaid sector. Besides the well-known calender technologies, the company also delivers Spunjet technologies, finishing solutions, and state-of-the-art dryers. Customers can produce the fabric characteristics they need with the Andritz technologies. The patented nonwovens process called Spunjet is the in-line hydroentanglement of continuous filaments, creating a new generation of spunlaid nonwovens with unrivalled bulkiness and softness compared to standard spunbond fabrics. Spunjet offers customers the best properties ever achieved in existing and new nonwovens applications.

Process and product optimization

In order to optimize processes and gain a faster return on investment, the group develops innovative products, e.g. in the needlepunch segment with the new ProWin technology for profile weight correction. This unit combines the well-known technologies ProWid and ProDyn, enabling even better performance. By uniting these processes, an even more homogeneous web can be produced and the input of raw materials can be reduced. ProWin minimizes the level of instantaneous acceleration as well as the maximum internal speeds. As a consequence, the same machine can run faster with less mechanical stress. ProWin can also be retrofitted to recent ProDyn installations.
With new development of the PA3000 pre-needleloom, Andritz is responding to customer demands for higher capacities and lighter products. The machine is an optimized cylinder pre-needleloom, which offers greater speeds and widths and has been specially developed for lighter webs. There is no friction between the web and the rolls, and there are no issues with the visual appearance.
Another focus is smart IIoT products and solutions developed in-house and marketed under its technology brand Metris. Metris products offer effective and intelligent methods to successfully digitalize industrial production processes, data are continuously analyzed, and the machines, plants and their production operations are networked and optimized.
Running complete lines calls for in-depth expertise in nonwovens technology, very good service and prompt support. Most recently, the new 24/7 remote diagnostic service has been introduced. The remote assistance is based on 3 pillars: 24/7 service hotline, online diagnostics and augmented reality support.