Stäubli creates new benchmarks with high-performance textile machinery

“Stäubli creates new benchmarks with high-performance textile

machinery ” Mr. Fritz Legler – Division Marketing Officer, Stäubli Textile

What areas of activity are covered by the Stäubli Group? What range of solutions does Stäubli offer to the textile industry?

With its four divisions – Fluid Connectors, Electrical Connectors, Robotics, and Textile – the Stäubli Group serves a great many industrial sectors. We are an international group that operates its own business units in 29 countries and collaborates with agents in 50 countries on four continents as well. Our global workforce of 5,500 shares a commitment to partnering with customers to provide comprehensive solutions and long-term support.

Our two Connectors divisions cover connection needs for all types of fluid, gas, electrical, and data systems. Our Robotics division is a leading player around the world in industrial automation, including solutions for the food and pharmaceutical industries. And our Textile division is a leading global supplier of shed formation solutions for the weaving industry. We provide cam motions, rotary dobbies, and Jacquard machines for all sorts of weaving applications. Our Textile product range also includes automation solutions for weaving preparation, like warp tying and warp drawing-in systems – for example, SAFIR automatic drawingin machines – to enable efficient style changes and ensure the best quality in the downstream weaving process. We also offer complete weaving machines like the double-rapier ALPHA series for face-toface carpet weaving and our TF series for technical textiles. These provide unlimited design options and enable 3D-weaving.

Tell us about the vision and the core strengths of Stäubli that give it a unique competitive advantage.

Stäubli is a pioneer in mechatronics, with a proud engineering heritage and over a century of experience. We are also a forward-thinking organization on a continual quest for the next great innovation that will help our customers work more productively, efficiently, and sustainably. As a long-term partner, we serve customers worldwide who aim to increase their industrial productivity without compromising quality, reliability, or safety. Examples of solutions that we have refined over the decades are our S3000/S3200 electronic rotary dobbies and our LX/LXL/LXXL Jacquard machines. These are renowned worldwide for their long service life, exceptional precision, and reliable operation at extremely high weaving speeds. We have also developed unique automation solutions for warp preparation. Our drawing-in machines are used by virtually every leading weaving company in the world.

How has the Jacquard machine evolved, and how has it affected the textile industry over the years?

Jacquard machines, along with electronic cam motions and rotary dobbies, are central in Stäubli’s range of shed-formation solutions. Our first one marked a key moment in Stäubli’s history, and the second one was a major technical advancement. Jacquard machinery was integrated into Stäubli many decades later, actually in 1983, when Stäubli took over the activities of the century-old company Verdol.

Verdol was a French company situated in the heart of the area where weaving was revolutionized by Mr. Jacquard and by the Italian Tagliabue brothers. Once within the Stäubli Group, with its competencies in electronics, Jacquard weaving was revolutionized in 1987 when Stäubli presented the CX 860 at the ITMA in Paris. This was the world’s first electronically controlled Jacquard machine. Jacquard machinery is a very important part of the textile industry. Stäubli is the leader in this market, with several thousand machines produced each year. Stäubli machines can weave a wide variety of fabrics, from clothing fabrics to interiors fabrics, toweling, ribbons or labels, and technical fabrics like OPW (one-piece woven) airbags. By the way, Jacquard fabrics are not printed, so they can be completely recycled at the end, without losing material or producing waste.

SAFIR S40 automatic drawing-in machine.

Stäubli SX PRO can operate under extremely challenging conditions with reliability and resilience, even at high weaving speeds.

What new technological developments does Stäubli offer that can give weavers a competitive edge?

The first one that comes to mind would be the new-generation SX PRO Jacquard machine, which was launched at the ITM 2022 trade fair in Turkey in June. Equipped with up to 2,688 hooks, this machine answers the market’s demand for better power efficiency and lower energy consumption. It incorporates all of the proven technology of Stäubli’s predecessor Jacquard machines and it features a number of innovations to reduce energy consumption: low-friction design of the MX PRO module, a power supply fully integrated into the machine itself, and a new ventilation system with optimized temperature monitoring. In combination with the new TC8 Controller, the Stäubli SX PRO can operate under extremely challenging conditions with reliability and resilience, even at high weaving speeds.

One step ahead of weaving, Stäubli lays the basis for an efficient overall weaving process. The broad range of automation solutions for weaving preparation includes SAFIR automatic drawingin machines that enable an overall fluid workflow in the weaving mill – not only in the drawing-in department but in the weaving process itself. There are also convincing solutions for fancy yarns like elastic yarns for mixed denim warps, for cotton, filament, and even very fine glass yarns. State-of-the-art Active Warp Control technology features like optional repeat management enable perfect

preparation of top-quality multicolor warps, even without a lease. Stäubli continuously adapts its machinery to market demands, and we recently introduced offset management for double warp beams. This allows easy adjustment for offset and enables the highest drawing-in speeds. By employing the most advanced sensor, optics, pneumatics, and software technologies, Stäubli stays ahead of the curve.

What are Stäubli’s key markets? Stäubli has been doing business in Pakistan for a very long time; how important is this market for the company? Tell us about your agent SIMAG in Pakistan?

Pakistan is unquestionably a key market for our Textile Division. We have a strong, long-standing partnership SIMAG, our local agent in the country. SIMAG is a recognized local leader in the field of textile machinery representation. Working closely together, we make a very strong team, and we successfully meet the many various needs of our weaving customers.

Other key markets for us are the main textile manufacturing countries around the globe. We maintain a strong presence everywhere, and we continually strive to remain close to our customers.

What current challenges does Stäubli face, and how do you plan to meet them?

I think we’re in the same boat as everyone else – we are dealing with supply-chain disruptions, currency distortions, limited market access in some areas due to pandemic, and drastic cost increases caused by these and other factors. Consumers have to absorb a lot right now. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that they stay positive and confident despite the global situation.

How was your participation at ITM and Techtextil? What are your expectations regarding IGATEX 2022 and ITMA 2023?

ITM 2022 was our first opportunity for face-to-face interaction with our customers after the pandemic restrictions were eased. It exceeded our expectations in terms of visitors and interesting discussions and projects. The ITM trade fair has become a hub in the Middle East, underscoring the importance of Turkey as a major manufacturer and supplier to Europe and the USA. Suppliers throughout the entire textile value chain were present at the event in strong numbers.

Techtextil Frankfurt reconfirmed its status as the global trade fair for technical textiles in terms of exhibitors and visitors, although visitors from certain Asian countries were absent. Interesting applications were exhibited, and new applications were addressed. Many steps toward sustainable solutions in construction, aeronautics, automotive, and medical technology were to be seen. The trade fair was as interesting as ever.

Due to various issues like the pandemic, visa restrictions, and so forth, ITMA Asia is still considered a regional trade fair. Nevertheless, it will still be very important for the Chinese textile production market, which is a global leader.

Regarding IGATEX in Pakistan, Stäubli shall highlight for Jacquard weaving: the brand new SX PRO Jacquard machine and few other state of the art technologies. When it comes to ITMA 2023, this mega trade fair for the global textile industry is in preparation. Here at Stäubli, we are already gearing up for it. We are looking forward to presenting some very interesting developments and innovations!.