Saurer’s path-breaking innovations @ ITMA

Saurer Group is a leading globally operating technology group focusing on machinery and components for yarn processing. As a company with a long tradition, Saurer has always been a leader in innovation. Today, Saurer comprises the two segments Saurer Spinning Solutions and Saurer Technologies.

Saurer Spinning Solutions offers high quality, technologically advanced and customer-specific automation solutions for processing staple fibre from bale to yarn. Saurer Technologies specialises in twisting and embroidery as well as engineered and polymer solutions. With annual sales revenues of EUR 1.1 billion, 4,300 employees, and locations in Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, the US, China, India and Singapore, the strongly growing group is well positioned to serve the world’s textile industry centres.

For Saurer Group, ITMA 2019 was a platform for launch of path breaking innovations and future technologies in yarn manufacturing. Saurer also celebrated some important milestones during the show.

One of the most important launch at ITMA was the new mill management system ‘Senses’, which is a new innovative control and analysis tool. Senses allows to collect and analyse the production, quality and machine data. The advantage is total transparency and the optimization of production processes. The result is enhanced efficiency and increased profitability.

Autoairo, the game changer

Autoairo, the new game changer in air spinning, was the biggest attraction at the Saurer booth. The Autoairo air-spinning machine defines new benchmarks in productivity, efficiency and especially automation in the lucrative air-spinning market. The interest from visitors and the spinning industry in general has been overwhelming. 

The Autoairo has autonomous spinning positions with individual drives, integrated intelligence and a digital piecing unit. Twenty-four piecing operations can be carried out simultaneously with SynchroPiecing 24. Compared to other machines on the market, the piecing capacity of the Autoairo is roughly twice as high. The Autoairo requires 40% less space than air-spinning machines with a one-sided design. This means that spinning mills’ floor area can be smaller, which reduces construction and air conditioning costs. In this way, the return on investment is accelerated. With MultiLot, up to four lots can be spun on the Autoairo at the same time. In addition, seamless lot changes during ongoing production are possible. With PilotSpin, test packages can be manufactured while the other spinning positions simply continue with normal production. LED strips at each spinning position signal, among other things, that cans need to be replaced soon. This ensures rapid intervention by personnel without the need for cumbersome tours of inspection.

The first Autoairo was sold to Zagis, an innovative Mexican textile company, known for its use of cutting-edge technology. “The Autoairo combines the advantages of air spinning with the world’s most advanced automation technologies,” says Mayer Zaga Galante, CEO of Zagis. “Saurer’s digitised single spinning position technology is a groundbreaking basis for intelligent automation. The Autoairo is highly competitive in every respect.” Visit www.zagis.com for more information on this company.

Saurer’s CableCorder – a success story

Saurer celebrated the 30th anniversary of its CableCorder with impressive figures. With more than 1900 CableCorders sold, around 270 000 spindles have been put into operation in the last 30 years. The CableCorder for production of high-quality tire cord is a permanent fixture in the tire industry. The fifth generation of the CableCorder will appeal to customers with numerous innovations. It provides Saurer’s customers with decisive competitive advantages: they benefit from higher efficiency, lower energy consumption, a smart spindle concept, modern quality monitoring, improved ergonomics, flexible automation solutions and the integration of the CableCorder into Senses, the Saurer mill management system.

Energy, productivity, quality

Saurer has further improved the patented energy-saving technology of the latest machine generation with new hardware and optimised software. The CableCorder CC5 is therefore more economical than ever.

The optimised thread balloon diameter and reduced spindle gauge cut down space requirements and increase productivity. Online monitoring of the quality parameters reliably ensures the required quality of the tire cord. User-friendly and intelligently automated new machine components and an optimum thread path enable extremely straightforward operation and process reliability. Intelligent automation solutions increase the efficiency of package transport.

In addition to the basic CC5 version, the new CableCorder is also available in the CC5-TFO version for production of yarns in the two-for-one twisting process and as the CC5-3PLY version for production of symmetrical 3-ply tire cord.

Key features of the CableCorder CC5

– Reduced spindle gauge due to optimised thread balloon diameter

– Further energy savings as a consequence of the adapted spindle pot geometry

– Sensor-based control system for compliance with quality parameters

– Integration into Senses, the mill management system, for monitoring and evaluating production data

– Servo-assisted creel, new thread guide elements and new Cord Regulator for greater user-friendliness

– CC5-TFO variant for production of yarns in the two-for-one twisting process and CC5-3PLY variant for production of symmetrical triple tire cord.

150 years of Intelligent Embroidery Solutions

In 1869, Saurer produced its first manual hand embroidery machine, taking advantage of the embroidery boom that was gripping the region at the time and changing the industry on a grand scale. Over the decades, we continued to refine and improve our shuttle embroidery machine, bringing many innovative technologies to market.

“While we can be proud of our achievement, we have to keep an eye on the future as our journey goes on. In the coming years, the business unit will continue in the pioneering footsteps of its founding family. We look forward to new successes, which will allow our customers to produce fabulous creations,” says Efthimios Katsidis, General Manager, BU Embroidery, Saurer Technologies.

At ITMA, Saurer presented the intelligent embroidery solution that offers a wide range of customisation options for customers. The Epoca 7 shuttle embroidery machine features enhanced automation technology and a new application device. It also incorporates modernised CAD/CAM design software and a new mill management system.

The embroidery machine

Epoca 7 sets new standards in terms of productivity, with an increase of up to 25% compared to its predecessor. It also boasts a speed of up to 700 rpm. The machine requires 5% less energy than its forerunner, even when machine speed is increased by 18%. In terms of savings, this gives the customer the edge to total cost of ownership. We are committed to sustainability and strive to ensure that our products are energy efficient, minimising the impact on the environment.

Automation solutions

The new automatic rear carriage adjustment helps in reducing the machine setting time. The rear carriage width can be set automatically according to the yarn properties, resulting in a substantial reduction in yarn breaks. The intelligent thread watcher SmartMon drives the precise and fast detection of yarn breaks, on both shuttle and needle side, which drastically lowers mending costs by up to 70%. In an environment where cotton is used, cotton dust pollutes the machine, resulting in early wear of the moving parts. With the new overhead cleaner – CleanGuard, this phenomenon is significantly reduced.

Enhanced application device

The HeadLine system with sequin, cord and the new LaserHead redefines and pushes the boundaries of embroidery applications and designs. The laser technology drives the precise cutting of virtually all synthetic and natural fabrics.

Modernised CAD/CAM platform

EmStudio incorporates all design workflow from sketch to production on a single platform. This modern tool provides the full solution from embroidery drawing, punching, visualisation of the design, product optimisation and productivity analysis to archiving design with information and machine settings. The intelligent stitch editor iSed optimises the quality of embroidery stiches.