Textile World January/February 2024 by TextileIndustriesMediaGroup

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Quality Control Update Automated Cutting & Sewing QFOM: Saucony®

January/February 2024 Founded 1868

Software Developments • Dobby & Jacquard CAD • Advanced Planning Systems

Executive Forum SPESA’s Michael McDonald

Techtextil/Texprocess 2024 Frankfurt In Focus

Nonwovens Trends Innovations & Companies To Watch

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January/February 2024 TextileWorld.com

Founded 1868

Publication

Features 8

Techtextil/Texprocess 2024 Preview: “Econogy In Action” Messe Frankfurt’s Techtextil and Texprocess shows will highlight sustainability with economy and ecology in mind.

Executive Forum: SPESA President Michael McDonald McDonald shares some insights about the association’s upcoming Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference.

25 Innovations In Testing & Quality Control Part one in a two-part feature reviewing improved tests for fabric performance along with automated inspection and digitalization technologies. ON THE COVER:

29 Advanced Planning and Scheduling Systems

One of the keys to Germanybased DiloGroup’s new MicroPunch intensive needling nonwoven technology is specially designed needles arranged in modules — developed by Groz-Beckert GmbH, Germany — that contain up to 45,000 needles per meter per board.

A look at the latest software developments in advanced planning systems on display at ITMA 2023.

Nonwovens/Technical Textiles 12

Implications For The Nonwovens Industry ITMA exhibitors in the nonwovens arena embraced the show’s sustainable theme.

Knitting/Apparel 18

Departments

Automated Cutting & Sewing For Industry 4.0 Technology highlighted at ITMA 2023 makes it clear that the textile and apparel industry is making steady progress towards Industry 4.0.

From The Editor

News

Bulletin Board

Weaving

People

Calendar

Quality Fabric Of The Month

Digital Innovations In Computer-Aided Design Software For Weaving CAD developers are able to react to client’s needs and also anticipate future needs to offer the textile industry the tools it requires for modern production.

VOL. 174, No. 1 / TEXTILE WORLD (ISSN 0040-5213) is published bimonthly by Textile Industries Media Group, LLC, PO Box 683155, Marietta, GA 30068, and incorporates Modern Textiles, Textile Industries, Fiber World and Knitting/Apparel magazines, which remain the property of Textile Industries Media Group, LLC. Copyright 2023, Textile Industries Media Group, LLC Title registered with the U.S. Patent Office. All rights, including translation into other languages, reserved. Subscription rates for one year are: $65 (US); $85 (Canada and Mexico); $130 (Other International). Single copy rates are: $15 per copy. All prices are in U.S. dollars and all orders must be prepaid. Questions may be submitted to jdavis@textileworld.com. To obtain electronic copies of print articles, please contact ProQuest at www.proquest.com. To obtain microform copies, please contact NA Publishing at www.napubco.com.

POSTMASTER send address changes to: Textile Industries Media Group, LLC, PO Box 683155, Marietta, GA 30068. Send Canadian address changes to: Textile World, c/o The Mail Group, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada. Customer #7007632 Publications Agreement #40612608.

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U.S. Textiles 2024:

Editor

Fingers Crossed

he “January 2024 Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®”on TextileWorld.com in the Breaking News section suggests that business will remain challenged as 2024 takes shape. Manufacturing in general has not been the robust consecutive growth story of the recent past, rather, the January reports shows it is the 15th consecutive month of contraction of U.S. manufacturing industries, “following one month of ‘unchanged’status and 28 months of growth prior to that.” That two years of consecutive monthly growth was a great growth underpinning that textiles’two reporting sectors — “Apparel, Leather & Allied Products”and “Textile Mills”— generally did well. The bright side is that both textile sectors were two of four sectors reporting growth in the January 2024 report, while the 13 other industries reported contraction. There is a lot of blame to go around. Inflation, higher interest rates, election year politics and war are all things that can make businesses pause. Inflation and interest rates are factors that can really highlight age. Inflation — for those who may never have experienced it — is a real pocketbook smack for consumers, who for years have grown accustomed to stable base prices and frequent sales. All of a sudden, base prices rise significantly, are sticky and sales don’t happen as often. And prices don’t head back down, even with the talking heads saying “all is well, inflation is waning …” Falling inflation rates don’t address the price increases already in place, and signal that consumers can expect higher prices at a lower rate — this is good news? It’s akin to saying, “I’ve gained twenty pounds in the last year, and it looks like

I will continue to gain weight, but at a lower rate,”which is not what a cardiologist wants to hear. With years of artificially low interest rates established by the Federal Reserve, free money — loans taken at very low interest rates — created an unusual investment environment. The decision on making multimillion dollar investments changes drastically when the risk-free-rate-of-return approaches 5 percent. That just means that investors — and banks — can make 5 percent on their money with no risk — say by investing in Treasury Bonds — rather than lending to capital intensive industries like manufacturing. Will rate cuts happen in 2024? Who knows. But seasoned manufacturers have seen this before. The concerns are two-fold. Will consumer demand be there when new capacity comes online? And is the environment stable enough to invest? Is it time to be cautious and play wait-and-see? Innovation, creative destruction and reinventing stalling sectors are concepts that don’t wait-and-see well. The U.S. textile industry has survived, and even thrived, during more challenging times. There is no shortage of energy and investment going into advanced sectors of the industry, but there are some tough stories in textiles right now including plant closings and import pressures. However, if the industry continues to fight forward and face the challenges as the year takes shape — it may be difficult, but just maybe 2024 holds more promise than expected.

James M. Borneman jborneman@TextileWorld.com

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EDITOR IN CHIEF EXECUTIVE EDITOR TECHNICAL EDITORS

James M. Borneman Rachael S. Davis Dr. Lisa Parillo Chapman

APR 23 – 26, 2024

Dr. Peter J. Hauser

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

Dr. Trevor J. Little

WE ARE THE INNOVATION CATWALK.

Dr. William Oxenham Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi Dr. Abdel-Fattah Seyam Dr. Andre West CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Kaufmann

INTERNET CONTENT EDITOR

Rachael S. Davis

CIRCULATION MANAGER ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER

Inspiring, functional, diverse. Experience the future of the clothing industry.

Julie K. Brown-Davis Denise Buchalter

ART & PRODUCTION MANAGER

Julie K. Brown-Davis

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techtextil.com

info@usa.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +1 770 984 8016

20th edition ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES UNITED STATES/CANADA

Turner Marketing & Media, LLC

+864-594-0921 • sturner@textileworld.com MEXICO, CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA Virgilio L. González +58-412-622-2648 • Fax +58-212-985-7921 • vlgonzalezp@gmail.com EUROPE (except ITALY)

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News Navis TubeTex, Fibroline Ink Partnership Deal Navis TubeTex, Lexington, N.C., recently announced a partnership with France-based Fibroline, a developer of patented dry impregnation technologies. Navis TubeTex will establish Fibroline USA, an innovation center devoted to promoting Fibroline’s technologies to the U.S. market; and also will be responsible for manufacturing and delivering the technology to U.S. customers. “We are thrilled to announce this strategic partnership with Fibroline,” said Will Motchar, president and CEO at Navis TubeTex. “Fibroline’s expertise in dry impregnation technology aligns seamlessly with our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions to our customers. This collaboration further demonstrates our strategic mission to provide sustainable solutions for coating, dyeing, and impregnation.”

Champion Thread Celebrating 45th Anniversary Gastonia, N.C.-based Champion Thread Co. (CTC) is celebrating 45 years of service to the textile industry. The company, founded in 1979 by current CEO Bob Poovey, began as a small thread distributor and has grown into a developer, manufacturer and marketer of industrial sewing threads as well as

engineered yarns, and trims and findings. “Since our founding, we have remained familyowned and operated, and take pride in offering the highest quality goods, competitive prices, and unmatched industry expertise,”said CTC President Matt Poovey.“Champion Thread’s longevity in the market can be attributed to our ability to adapt and innovate, while always staying true to our core values. Our understanding of the industry has allowed us to consistently deliver superior products that meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers.”

Toray Commissions TORAYCA™ T1100 Production Expansion In Alabama Tacoma, Washingtonbased Toray Composite Materials America Inc. recently celebrated the $15 million expansion of its TORAYCA™ T1100 carbon fiber production line at its Decatur, Ala., facility. The upgrade doubles production capacity for the fiber, which will support the increase in demand for defense applications. “Toray provides high performance carbon fibers which are critical to our defense industrial base and national security,”said Congressman Dale Strong of the Fifth Congressional District of Alabama, who delivered opening remarks during a recent ceremony. “I want to thank them for

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 TextileWorld.com

BASF, Inditex Announce loopamid® Nylon 6 Development Germany-based BASF and Spain-based fashion brand Inditex have announced the launch of loopamid®, a recycled nylon 6 (polyamid 6 or PA6) comprised of 100-percent textile waste. BASF has devised a circular solution for nylon apparel that permits blends of post-industrial and post-consumer waste — such as nylon and elastane — to be recycled in a textile-to-textile process over multiple cycles. According to BASF, the properties of the resulting nylon are identical to those of virgin nylon. Inditex brand Zara has introduced a 100-percent loopamid jacket featuring loopamid in all components — including the fabric, buttons, filling, hooks and loops, and zipper.To make this happen, Zara partnered with other companies — including RadiciGroup, Velcro,YKK, Gütermann and Freudenberg, among other companies — to integrate loopamid into the garment components. “BASF has reached an

important milestone towards circularity in the fashion industry and pioneered an approach to close the loop for nylon textiles,” said Dr. Ramkumar Dhruva, president of BASF’s Monomers division. “ … We are in the process of scaling up our technology to serve our customers with commercial quantities. The capsule jacket together with Inditex is the proof that circularity is possible, and we are eager to further drive the sustainable transformation of the textile industry.” “This collaboration is a great example of how, by collaborating all together, we can use the new technology to transform textile waste into a new resource,” said Javier Losada, Inditex’s chief sustainability officer. “This project is also a first step to move towards a circular solution, as the industry still needs to boost new collecting and recycling capacities in order to close the loop and scale recycling for post-consumer waste.”

their investment in Alabama and wish them continued success.” “Our team in Decatur worked tirelessly to advance the commissioning of our upgraded carbon fiber production line to support the strong demand from the defense industry,”said Dennis Frett, president,

Toray Composite Materials America.“As the [Department of Defense] prioritizes developing a resilient supply chain as part of the NDIS, Toray’s focus is to ensure that we are doing our part to produce and increase material availability for various defense programs.” TW

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The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) is already causing a seismic shift in the textile industry

How the UFLPA is Transforming the Textile Industry

hile the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) is only 18 months old, it’s already causing a seismic shift in the textile industry – one that’s only set to increase. Closer scrutiny of supply chains and stiff penalties for noncompliance have forced textile businesses to ensure their products aren’t sourced from regions known to employ forced labor practices. Failure to do so is directly affecting business’ bottom line. As of November 2023, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has detained nearly 1,100 apparel, textile and footwear shipments, worth $13 million in products. More than 40% of these have not been released – making noncompliance a costly mistake. “The fashion industry has woken up,” believes Ana Hinojosa, strategic regulatory advisor at

Oritain. “Initially the industry was waiting to see if the government was serious about enforcement related to forced labor, but they now know that their products are under the microscope and so are focused on ensuring they comply. Although many companies have strong ethical practices governing their behavior, most are looking to protect their bottom line by ensuring shipments don't get detained. In the fashion industry, products are very seasonal, so losing 30 days or 60 days of a fashion line to detention means effectively losing the season.” Oritain’s market insights data, which identifies the prevalence of risk origin cotton in the global apparel market, reveals a trend towards sourcing diversification, especially at the manufacturing country level. It indicates that textile and fashion brands are reassessing whether their current sourcing

strategy is exposing them to higher levels of risk. Proving compliance is no longer a ‘one and done’ exercise. Greater transparency and proper due diligence into supply chain management has become essential. Instead of occasional written reports, textile businesses must now prove compliance through a series of quantifiable, verifiable actions. Scientific traceability of product origin offers part of the solution. By pinpointing exactly where products originate from, it offers an objective forensic validation that the claims made by suppliers are accurate and that the trust importers have in their partners is well placed. The UFLPA is not just shaping the industry today – it’s also influencing the market tomorrow. Textile businesses that comply with the legislation will enjoy greater access to potential investment that supports future growth.

“There’s much greater interest on the part of investors in the ethical and social responsibilities of businesses,” says Ana Hinojosa. “Investors are evaluating the risk of the businesses they're investing in based on their ethical and social commitments and the demonstrated efforts in meeting those commitments.” With the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) calling on CBP to increase inspections and testing of Chinese imports, one thing is certain. The UFLPA will continue to cast a long shadow over the textile industry in 2024 and beyond. Visit oritain.com/cotton to learn more about the UFLPA and how Oritain’s scientific traceability can help your business stay compliant. This sponsored content has been provided by Oritain.

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TECHTEXTIL/ TEXPROCESS 2024 PREVIEW

“Econogy” In Action Messe Frankfurt’s Techtextil and Texprocess shows will highlight sustainability with economy and ecology in mind. TW Special Report

fter altering its schedule because of pandemic-created delays to an even-year schedule from its previous odd-year schedule, Germany-based Messe Frankfurt GmbH’s flagship Techtextil and Texprocess trade fairs return to the Messe Frankfurt Fairgrounds in Frankfurt, Germany, this year. Scheduled April 23-26, 2024, the biennial shows will gather approximately 1,600 exhibitors from around 50 countries. Visitors will see firsthand the latest solutions and products for technical textiles, as well as machinery and services for making garments, among other offerings. “The sectors are undergoing a rapid process of change,” said Olaf Schmidt, vice president, Textiles and Technologies, Messe Frankfurt. “Participants at Techtextil and Texprocess will have the opportunity to stay in tune with the times, to present innovations to an audience of experts from all over the world and to find new solutions and business partners.”

Techtextil 2024 Techtextil will organize exhibits into 11 different product groups: research, development, education, consulting; technology and processes; fibers and yarns; woven fabrics, laid webs, braidings, knitted fabrics; non-

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 TextileWorld.com

wovens; coated textiles; composites; Bondtec (surface and bonding techniques); functional apparel textiles; associations; and media. As always, Techtextil offers a classification system for exhibits, which are organized according to 12 application areas: • Agrotech — horticulture and landscape, gardening, agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry; • Buildtech — membrane construction, lightweight and solid structures, civil engineering, industrial construction, temporary constructions, interior construction, earthworks, hydraulic engineering and road construction, and agriculture construction; • Clothtech — functional apparel, clothing and shoes; • Geotech — road construction, civil engineering, and dam and waste site construction; • Hometech — furniture upholstery, interior design, carpets, rugs and floor coverings; • Indutech — filtration, cleaning, mechanical engineering, chemicals industry, and electrical engineering industry; • Medtech — hygiene and medicine; • Mobiltech — cars, ships, aircraft, railway and space travel;

• Oekotech — environmental protection, recycling and waste disposal; • Packtech — packaging, protective covering systems, sacks, big bags and container systems; • Protech — personal safety and property protections; and • Sporttech — sport and leisure, activewear, outdoor equipment, sports equipment and outfits, and sports footwear. The application areas are illustrated by graphic icons displayed on exhibitor booths to organizers help visitors find the suppliers they need in an efficient manner. Techtextil exhibitors will be located in halls 9.1, 11.0, 11.1, 12.0 and 12.1. “Techtextil, and especially the event in Frankfurt, as the leading trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, has shown in recent decades that it brings business partners together in one central location — not only from Europe, but from all over the world,” said Oliver Spöcker, director, Workwear & Protective Wear, Global Commercial director, FR Fibers at Lenzing AG, Austria. “We are looking forward to meeting the entire textile world again in Frankfurt at Techtextil 2024 and to holding personal meetings with business friends and partners. The Lenzing Group will continue to bring the idea of sustainability in the fiber industry to the world of technical textiles. Techtextil offers us an ideal platform for this.”

Texprocess 2024 Texprocess, the International Trade Show for Processing Textile and Flexible Materials, will showcase the latest machines, plants, processes and services for the production of garments, and textile and flexible materials. This year, Texprocess covers 16 product groups that encompass the entire value creation chain including CAD/CAM (2D/3D/4D); CMT (Cutting, Making, Trimming); Knitting Technology; Embroidery Technology; Sewing Technologies and Materials; Joining and Fastening Technologies

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and Materials; Textile Treatment; Printing Technologies; Finishing; Digitalisation and Automatisation; Sustainable Technologies; Quality Control and Certification; Intralogistics; Packaging and Transport Logistics; Information Technology; Research, Development, Education, Consulting; Media; and Associations. Texprocess exhibits will be housed in Halls 8.0, 9.0 and Gallery 0.

Sustainability Emphasis Sustainability continues to be a focus for the collocated events, as well as Messe Frankfurt as an organization. Last year, in order to more strongly emphasize sustainability at its events, the group introduced the term “econogy,” which combines the ideas of economy and ecology into one word. This umbrella concept will inform and direct information, discussion, education and networking at all of the more than 50 global textile trade fairs in Messe Frankfurt’s “Texpertise Network” creating synergies among events and activities. “The complexity with regard to social, economic and ecological change in the entire textile value chain continues to increase, which makes it all the more important today to offer orientation for our textile trade fairs, to make innovative approaches by the exhibiting companies visible and to promote the exchange of knowledge among all stakeholders along the textile value chain,” Schmidt emphasized when Messe Frankfurt introduced the econogy concept. The idea will be used at Techtextil and Texprocess in various ways. The Econogy Finder — a directory of certified suppliers of sustainable products — will be available to visitors; Econogy Talks will provide a platform to exchange ideas and information related to sustainable solutions; and Econogy Tours at Techtextil will introduce visitors to exhibitors of sustainable products. In addition, special exhibit areas and curated displays will spotlight natural and biomaterials, reusable materials and recycling technologies, among other products.

Education, Awards And Other Attractions Techtextil and Texprocess offer a myriad of interesting learning and networking opportunities during the show. Visitors may register for the Techtextil Forum and/or Texprocess Forum to learn from experts in the industry on a variety of topics. Check the event websites for a full program schedule with featured speakers and topics as the events draw closer. The Techtextil Forum will take place in Hall 9.1, and the Texprocess Forum will take place in Hall 9.0. “Textile Production” and “Functional Materials” start-up areas at Techtextil and the “Textile Processing Technologies” start-up area at Texprocess will offer young entrepreneurs the opportunity to share their business concepts, network, and attract business partners and investors. Techtextil will host the “Performance Apparels on Stage” show to highlight the multifunctionality of textiles used in the garment industry; while Texprocess will shine a light on sustainable denim production in the Denim Hub and Denim Talks. For the first time in 2024, Texprocess also will feature an Emerging Markets area and Emerging Markets lounge. Organizations from countries with development potential in textile processing will be invited to participate and the lounge will function as a meeting spot for visitors and exhibitors to chat and develop business ideas. During the show, awards also will be presented to outstanding inventions and products at the Techtextil Innovation Awards and Texprocess Innovation Awards. Winners are selected from all entries by two panels of experts and represent the “future at a glance,” according to Messe Frankfurt. “We are proud to once again present the very latest innovations — the result of unrivaled research, products and technologies of the textile manufacturing and processing industry — at the coming Techtextil and Texpro-

The KneTex bandage developed by researchers at The Hochschule Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences.

cess trade fairs,” said Sabine Scharrer, director Techtextil and Texprocess. “For our visitors, the Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Awards are genuine highlights. Every two years, these innovations give a perfect demonstration of the future-oriented direction being taken by the industries in fields of development, such as efficiency, ultra-new materials, coatings and sustainable production, which incentivizes the market and illustrates the innovative power and spirit of the industries.”

Open Hours, Ticket Sales Both shows are open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. April 23-25, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 26. A ticket grants visitors access to both Techtextil and Texprocess. Single-day tickets and four-day passes are available with advanced purchases qualifying for a discount. TW For more information about Techtextil and Texprocess and to register, visit techtextil.messefrankfurt.com and texprocess.messefrankfurt.com.

Textile World JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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ExecutiveForum Challenges, Opportunities & Best Practices In Sewn Products SPESA President Michael McDonald shares some insights about the association’s upcoming Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference. TW Special Report

he Raleigh, N.C.-based Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) association serves suppliers to the sewn products industry operating in various market sectors including apparel, upholstered furniture, home textiles, transportation interiors, leather goods, footwear, industrial textiles, among other sectors. Some of its members are manufacturers and distributors of machinery, systems, technology, supply chain solutions, equipment and parts; while other members offer products and services for the development, production and/or distribution of sewn goods. Part of SPESA’s mission includes providing members with high-quality networking and education opportunities, and the association organizes multiple events every year. Textile World recently had the opportunity to talk with SPESA President Michael McDonald about one such event, the 2024 Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference, which will be held April 11 in Los Angeles.

TW: Give a summary of

SPESA’s value proposition. Tell readers what sets SPESA apart and what we can expect from the organization in the future. McDonald: For more than 30 years, SPESA has been the leading industry association serving suppliers to the sewn products industry. These suppliers are manufacturers and distributors of machinery, systems, technology, supply chain solutions, equipment, and parts, along with other products and services used for the development, manufacture, or distribution of sewn products. It’s important to note that SPESA’s membership is intentionally limited to suppliers. This allows us to provide a platform for our members to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and best practices that impact their day-to-day business with others who are in the same or similar position. In addition to being an industry association, SPESA is also the coproducer of Texprocess Americas, the largest sewn products and technology

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 TextileWorld.com

tradeshow across North, Central, and South America. The next edition of Texprocess Americas will take place May 6-8, 2025. TW: SPESA is hosting

its Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference in Los Angeles for the first time. What do you hope the location will contribute to the event? McDonald: SPESA is a huge supporter of U.S. manufacturing, and we believe advanced technology is key to its future success. So, we thought it was time to bring that technology to the industry’s backyard. Los Angeles is home to around 40,000 garment industry workers and more than 3,000 fashion-related businesses, making it the largest apparel manufacturing center in the country. This is an ecosystem unlike any other. And one that is driving a significant amount of change for the industry. The main purpose of the SPESA Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference is in the name of the event: advancements. Showcasing various manufacturing capabilities and

technologies — all with the goal of advancing the sewn products industry — is at the heart of what we try to accomplish with this event. And we’re hosting it in a place where real change is taking shape. Our hope is that the Advancements Conference taps into the dialogue currently taking place in Los Angeles and across California about how the industry can and should change, while also bringing to the table new issues and opportunities to address. TW: Give a quick value

synopsis for a first-time attendee. What can they expect to see and learn at the conference? McDonald: The SPESA Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference is unique in that it focuses solely on manufacturing innovations. What technology is available to improve supply chain efficiencies? What types of equipment are being utilized to cut back on waste? How are tech trends like artificial intelligence and automation impacting the industry workforce? These are the

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types of things we like to cover during the Advancements Conference. Attendees will not only have the opportunity to hear and learn about the latest in manufacturing technologies, but they’ll also be able to engage in the discussion and share their challenges to help understand the industry’s future technology needs. Open dialogue between speakers and attendees is a very important component in all SPESA events. TW: What type of

attendees typically participate in the conference? McDonald: Participation in the event runs the gamut.You will see suppliers, manufacturers, designers, brands, retailers and academia. This event takes place in different markets across the United States and our hope is that it drives a lot of local interest. TW: Is this a members-

only event or can anyone involved in the sewn products industry attend? McDonald: Everyone is welcome to attend! In fact, we strongly encourage non-members to attend the Advancements Conference. What this event offers is a platform for equipment suppliers and technology providers — notably SPESA members — to share the latest in manufacturing advancements. It will be especially valuable for manufacturers, brands, and designers looking for technology to help improve their production. But, there will be a little something for everyone, including great networking

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in a beautiful setting overlooking L.A.’s skyline. TW: Does SPESA

have any other interesting events planned in 2024? McDonald: Yes. We will host the 2024 SPESA Executive Conference in Montréal. It will be our first event in Canada, and we are very excited to explore this historic and resurging market. More information will be available soon!

APR 23– 26, 2024 FRANKFURT, GERMANY

BEYOND PROGRESS.

TW: Anything else you would like to share with TW

readers about SPESA and the upcoming conference? McDonald: Most of the work we do is built on the principle that there is always more to learn. While our event speakers are experts in their fields, and have a lot to teach us, no one person has all the answers to the industry’s challenges. This is why events like the Advancements Conference are so important; attendees aren’t coming to hear a lecture, they are coming to engage and work together as industry to create solutions that work. Early bird registration for the SPESA Advancements Conference is available through Friday, February 16. In addition, TW readers may use the code “innovation”for $50 off registration. TW

Groundbreaking developments: Stateof-the-art machines and processes for digitalization and automation. texprocess.com info@usa.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +1 770 984 8016

For more information about SPESA’s Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference and to register using the discount code, please visit spesa.ticketleap.com/ 2024-spesa-advancementsconference/ in parallel with

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NONWOVENS

DiloGroup CEO Johann Philipp Dilo with the new MicroPunch at ITMA 2023.

Implications For The

Nonwovens Industry ITMA 2023 exhibitors in the nonwovens arena embraced the show’s sustainable theme. By Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Technical Editor

n North America and Europe, spunmelt nonwoven technologies — spunbond and meltblown technologies and their composites — dominate, while in the rest of the world, staple fiber process technologies dominate. Note that the spunmelt technologies are becoming significant in Asia Pacific as well. Europe, North America and Asia Pacific are responsible for more than 75 percent of the world’s nonwovens production. Today, most lightweight, disposable products are produced using the spunmelt process. No other technology can compete easily in this domain in terms of speed, quality and cost. These machines are multibeam spunbond/meltblown/spunbond systems, where six or seven beam machines are common — producing multi-layered composites that weigh between 8 and 50 grams per square meter (gsm), with each beam laying down 1 to 2 gsm. Naturally, this high rate of production is

intended for disposable applications such as medical and hygiene products. However, for geosynthetics, where the basis weight is often more than 100 gsm, spunbond and carding technologies are used. Here, the spunbond often is a single or dual beam unit. In heavier products, carding technology dominates; an example would be nonwovens used in the automotive sector. Recent and continuing advances in the high-speed carding and highvolume carding production technology will allow this technology to continue to dominate these market segments, and the advances in crosslapping technology and higher weight nonwovens through chutefeed systems will encourage the use of such technologies for heavier weight products. It is the author’s opinion that the high-speed carding technology and its associated processes are not maturing technologies that are holding their own.

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Another key difference between textile machinery makers and nonwovens machinery makers has been the degree of vertical integration in these two segments. Starting in the late 80s and early 90s, alliances and mergers began within the industry. Some of these deals took the form of horizontal integration — buy-out of parallel or competing technologies. Some deals took the form of vertical integration, which encouraged onestop shopping where the buyer could purchase complete manufacturing lines to produce nonwovens for specific markets. In the latter case, the machines from different parts of the alliance, merger, or partnership were better integrated as well.

Nonwovens At ITMA 2023 ITMA 2023 was another phenomenal success. In the style of previous ITMAs, the event was thoughtfully organized and comprehensive. The nonwovens machinery industry continues to embrace increasing participation in ITMA, although many key players were not present with exhibits including Reicofil, Parkinson and Hills, for example. These noticeable absences are partly due to the fact that historically, the nonwovens industry has been organized differently and separately from the textile industry. What differentiates the nonwovens and the textile industries is primarily in the product sector. Nonwovens are not used in fashion and apparel. Furthermore, to compete in a global economy and offer competitive products — disposable, but not always — requires that the labor component of the total cost be very low. Therefore, high speed, large volume and full automation is required in nonwovens production. This in turn, means that short runs and flexibility in offerings becomes limited. The nonwoven industry has grown to present a broad array of engineered fiber and polymer-based products that are

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driven by high-speed, low-cost, innovative, value-added, fully automated processes. This has led to a separation from the more traditional textiles which has been primarily focused on apparel and customization.

ITMA Themes, Exhibits Many visitors came from India, Pakistan, the Middle East and Gulf countries, and North and Latin America. The attendance from Europe and Asia was as expected, with a much higher number of Chinese customers present at the event. A number of themes were evident at ITMA 2023. Sustainability continues to be a major theme and that dominated some of the sessions, discussions and awards. Almost entirely, the nonwovens exhibitors had a very high degree of focus on sustainability including recycling, lower energy consumption and use of natural fibers such as cellulose. Another theme that was evident was automation, and the adoption of machine leaning for process control and optimization. Once again, most companies exhibiting at ITMA were primarily those focused on the conversion of staple fibers into nonwovens through carding/crosslapping, pseudo airlay, and associated bonding technologies. Often, those exhibiting companies also have offerings for the textile industry and see an opportunity in specific areas. The nonwovens machinery industry continues to go through massive changes — reconsolidation together with product differentiation has resulted in many advanced systems — changes that only benefit their customers. Today’s sectors of the industry include raw material suppliers, roll goods producers, the converters/fabricators of the end use products, machinery industry supporting the previous three categories, auxiliary material suppliers, winding, slitting, and packaging equipment makers, among other sectors. With more consolidation, some of this segmentation is rapidly changing.

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In terms of market segments, nonwovens products are used in medical and hygiene, filtration, wipes, automotive, industrial and interlining — the only segment directly related to apparel — applications. The nonwoven section at ITMA continues to grow, but will likely not grow too rapidly. The customers in attendance at ITMA are often not the same as those customers from the nonwoven machinery sector — although that line is becoming increasingly fuzzy. In 2019, the European Disposables and Nonwovens Association (EDANA) ran a program at ITMA focused on the use of nonwovens as a way to make the broader textile community aware of opportunities in nonwovens sectors. In 2023, ITMA organized the ITMA Nonwoven Forum in collaboration with organizations including NC State’s Nonwovens Institute, The University of Leeds, Deutsche Institute für Textil (DITF), and others, who helped ensure that the topics were relevant and timely. The talks were well received, and the session was a success.

Impressions, Significant Process Technologies This report is not intended to be an exhaustive review of the process technologies offered for the nonwovens segment. Note also that the following is presented in no particular order, and merely tries to catalog the recent innovations reported at the show and focuses on companies that have established themselves as leaders in the nonwovens machinery industry. Germany-based Dilo Group had a very prominent booth at ITMA 2023. Dilo has been a major innovator in the area of process technologies for staple nonwoven products. Dilo also has offered complete systems for some time and continues to be a major innovator in the field of machinery for forming staple fibers products from hygiene to industrial. It was the first to introduce the HyperPunch followed by the CycloPunch and now the MicroPunch technology. Its velour and pile needle

Dr. Bryan Haynes, senior technical director, Global Nonwovens, KimberlyClark Corp. was a keynote speaker at the 2023 ITMA Nonwovens Forum.

looms also represent major developments in this arena. Dilo introduced this completely new concept for intensive needling, referred to as MicroPunch, in part to allow the formation of entangled, lighter weight webs intended for use in products such as wipes. The MicroPunch technology is potentially a gamechanger. Needling historically has been used in the production of heavier felts. The MicroPunch changes this tradition and webs as light as 30 to 100 gsm can be produced using needling. The concept was developed to provide an alternative to hydroentanglement, which is an energy intensive process but is incredibly effective for lighter weight webs. Coupled with Dilo’s Spinnbau carding technology, intensive needling is a completely new paradigm. The technology uses small needles — approximately 20 to 40 microns in size — with perhaps a single barb, where many more needles are required to effectively needle the web. This design required a completely new approach to how needles are constructed and how they can populate the needle board. Another industry giant, Germanybased Groz-Beckert KG, took on the needle challenge and created a completely new way of making the needles while making it easy to pop-

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ulate the board by creating needle modules. The MicroPunch technology features up to 45,000 needles per meter (m) per board and can achieve stich densities of 800 to 900 stitches per square centimeter at a line speed of 140 meter per minute (m/min). The previous record in terms of the number of needles/m/board was 20,000 — introduced at ITMA 2007 in Munich by Dilo. In the new Groz-Beckert felting needle module X22, needles are embedded as a module in a plastic mold. The felting needle modules are characterized by very high deformation resistance and offer new dimensions in

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bale opener, carding willow and dosing opener of the latest design followed by DiloSpinnbau MultiCard fed by a universal card feeder including the new IsoFeed system for reduced weight variation. IsoFeed can improve the overall CV value by approximately 4 percent. The high degree of uniformity of the web results in a reduction of the average weight by approximately 10 percent leading to savings. The MicroPunch line on display at ITMA was shipped back to Dilo’s research and demonstration center where DiloGroup will use it for product development and customer trials.

Representatives from Andritz, Pellenc ST and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles hosted a press conference during ITMA to discuss their collaboration on an automated sorting and recycling technology.

needle density. The assembly and replacement of the modules are said to be fairly economical. The new needle “container-board” has the same features as a classical needle board and can be exchanged on the needle beam as in the past within a few minutes by a pneumatic clamping system. Cleverly, the needle board patterns are designed to mimic the look of hydroentangled fabrics with lines along the machine direction — jet streaks — or a random pattern that removes the appearance of the lines. Dilo reports that the MicroPunch reduces energy consumption by 75 percent compared to hydroentangling. The MicroPunch line at ITMA consisted of DiloTemafa fiber preparation, opening using a BALTROMIX

Dilo also announced partnerships with Italy-based companies Dell’Orco & Villani S.r.l. and TechnoPlants S.r.l. The collaboration allows the supply of complete turnkey lines for recycling. Dell’Orco & Villani is an innovative company specialized in tearing and shredding equipment, and TechnoPlants’ aerodynamic web forming technology is particularly suitable for reclaimed fiber processing. Groz-Beckert is a global supplier of needles and precision parts. as well as systems for the production and joining of fabrics. Its products support knitting, weaving, needlepunching (felting), tufting, carding and sewing. The company also manufactures and distributes

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process-critical textile precision tools, industrial cutting solutions, and reinforcement solutions made from highperformance technical fibers for composite materials. In the felting/needling area, two new products were showcased at ITMA — the needle module for Dilo’s MicroPunch, and a new notch felting needle specially developed for needling highly abrasive fibers to minimize wear and reduce notch clogging. Groz-beckert also offers jet strips for hydroentangling — HyTec™ — which are known for their significantly improved wear resistance and handling properties. The company also showcased innovations in new gauges of tufting needles for products such as floor coverings and artificial turf. In the carding area, Groz-Beckert is a relative newcomer to the field of clothing wire. Its new SiroLock ™ plus is reported to enhance web uniformity. Austria-based ANDRITZ AG had a significant presence at ITMA showcasing its existing technologies — including carding technology together with a dynamic crosslapper that reaches speeds of more than 200 meters per minute (m/min), as well as the use of wetlay techniques coupled with hydroentangling and other bonding technologies that is an enabler for the next generation of products, notably, wipes. With the acquisition of France-based Laroche, Andritz now offers a full line of machinery for processing staple fibers, and short cut and recycled fibers including turnkey solutions for carding, spunlace, needlepunch, wetlaid/wetlace and airlaid. Andritz also now offers pulp-based airlay technologies with its acquisition of Denmark-based Dan-Web Machinery A/S. Andritz also offers nonwoven and textile finishing solutions, and components such as belts for hydroentangling, and spunbond and meltblown — as a result of its acquisition of Xerium Technologies Inc., Youngsville, N.C. — and now can offer PGI’s Apex drum technol-

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ogy for hydroentangling for staple flushable wipes from 100-percent ST and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, fiber-based nonwovens. Note that natural and/or renewable raw mate- both based in France, to set up the PGI is now a Berry Global Inc. rials without chemical binders. very first industrial line in France to company. Another feature of its technology is combine automated sorting and Andritz Nonwoven pools the the ability to now apply detailed art- recycling technology. expertise of all its companies in tech- work to flushable wipes using the The Germany-based Trützschler nology, research and development, Apex Drum technology, which offers Group SE has become a dominant manufacturing, service, and automa- the ability to create an unlimited player in nonwovens through organic tion, to fully benefiting its customers. range of designs, patterns and aper- growth, through acquisition — Erko The technologies offered comple- tures. Andritz continues to be the and Fleissner — and more recently, ment one another in process solu- leader in thermal calendaring as well. through a partnership with an Italytions for a great variety of Andritz also showcased its textile- based company that offers applications and contribute to opti- recycling processes. One highlight needlepunching and crosslapping in mized and efficient use of resources. was the ADuro shredder and fine conjunction with Trützschler carding ANDRITZ’s focus at ITMA was on grinder, used for fine grinding of pre- technology. Trützschler also has been sustainability. This is not a new area shredded textile feedstock down to a a leader in processing cellulosic for ANDITZ because in the past, it very accurate granulate size, while fibers, which is becoming more sighas focused on various susnificant in the light of the Eurotainable solutions including pean Union directives and the a reduction in energy conconcerns around the use of sumption with its neXecodry synthetic materials in this age — an energy-efficient dryof sustainability. The coming solution for the spunlace pany’s new developments industry. capable of dealing with recyHowever, its sustainabilcled materials allow Trützschler ity innovations at ITMA 2023 to offer complete turnkey syswent beyond simple energy tems from “cradle-to-cradle” consumption. Andritz showproduction, sales and service cased new textile recycling globally in the staple fiber nonsolutions, which are particuwoven markets. larly targeted at textile comTrützschler Nonwovens panies that have an interest focuses on the variety of manin recycling textile waste ufacturing processes, especially streams to help clients Trützschler unveiled the new Modular High-Performance dealing with web bonding, in achieve sustainability goals Dryer (MPD) during ITMA. addition to total integrated and reduce the overall carturn-key systems. The combon footprint. keeping dust to a minimum. These pany now offers a full array of proAndritz showcased its spunlace, technologies can play an essential cess technologies for staple-fiber needlepunch, and Laroche airlay role in chemical recycling of textile nonwovens including, but not limlines; and most importantly, its abil- waste. Another highlight was the ited to, fiber preparation and blendity to process 100-percent biobased Jumbo tearing module, designed for ing, carding, air card, crosslapping, or natural fibers, as well as reclaimed recycling a high volume of textiles, needlepunching, hydroentangling fibers and/or recycled fibers. whether post-consumer textile waste and thermal bonding (through-air) One of the highlights was its or industrial textile waste. and coating. The four groups of techPA.3000 elliptical cylinder preFor some time now, Andritz has nologies on display included yarn needler, which is said to be ideal for been focused on digitalization. The spinning, nonwovens, man-made creating very even and uniform fab- company offers a broad range of fiber extrusion and card clothing. rics, especially when used with the innovative products and services Trützschler has been a leader in Andritz ProWin ™ web profiler. under the brand name Metris. It the preparation and processing of Another innovation by Andritz is its combines a complete set of produc- cotton and other cellulosic fibers, high-performance Wetlace™ process tion management, simulation and which was very clearly illustrated at for flushable, dispersible and optimization by using the latest AI the show. It showcased various new biodegradable wipes. The original technology. A live demo was avail- and improved cotton processing Andritz Wetlace process combines able at its booth. technologies including the BO-P bale wetlaid and hydroentanglement In addition, Andritz announced opener; CL-X two-step cleaning protechnologies, proven for producing that it had teamed up with Pellenc cess; and TC 30 card, which features

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Bematic highlighted its new carding line at ITMA 2023.

the T-GO gap optimizer for higher quality and productivity. Trützschler also unveiled the new Modular High-Performance Dryer (MPD). Today, hydroentangled nonwoven producers — especially those using cotton, viscose or pulp fibers as raw materials — are under increasing pressure to keep energy costs low and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Trützschler Nonwovens has responded to this need with the innovative through-air MPD dryer that can be adapted and constructed to meet each plant’s, nonwoven’s and customer’s unique requirements. The modular design features a patented, separate intermediate chamber between the drying and heating chambers. This design allows watersaturated circulation air to be extracted before fresh air is sucked in and heated. The result is significantly reduced the amount of energy needed for the drying process compared to dryers without a separation of circulation and fresh air flows. MPD is available as either a standalone single drum dryer or a twomodule, space-saving vertical dryer. It is designed for both classic heating systems such as natural gas, electric, steam or thermal oil, in addition to environmentally friendly hydrogen and biogas burners. The two-module configuration is even capable of using two different heating systems. Gas

burners in the first module are for instance accompanied by electric heating in the second module, allowing for a customer-specific heating solution. At ITMA 2023 Trützschler also announced its partnership with the Italy-based textile machinery manufacturer Texnology S.r.l. to offer complete production lines for needlepunched nonwovens under a new brand called T-SUPREMA. A first joint project has already been successfully completed, implemented and is in operation. Texnology offers a number of systems for the nonwovens industry. The company develops and manufactures needle looms, web drafters, profiling systems and high speed crosslapper systems. The Texnology site in Fontaniva, Italy, offers a show room with a complete needlepunching line for customer materials. Autefa Solutions, Germany, also had a significant presence at ITMA. It showcased several key technologies including its fiber recycling solutions together with the V12/r aerodynamic web forming technology coupled with various needling solutions. Interestingly, it also offers a wetlaid/hydroentangling line in collaboration with Sloveniabased PAMA Paper Machinery for processing 100-percent cellulosic materials, including pulp, viscose or lyocell fibers. Autefa offers a full range of turnkey machinery including card-

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ing, crosslapping, airlay, needling, hydroentangling and thermal bonding. Higher productivity, sustainability and Industry 4.0 compatible solutions were the highlights of AUTEFA presentations at ITMA 2023. Bematic, Italy, has been developing and manufacturing nonwoven production lines for almost 50 years. The company provides turnkey solutions customized to specific production requirements. Bematic showcased its new carding line and new airlay technology at the show. Bematic has been collaborating with the Germanybased Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (Fraunh o f e r I T W M ) and Switzerlandbased Siriotek GmbH to develop the next generation of airlay machines to ensure performance and quality in processing with staple fibers whilst reducing energy consumption, waste generation and carbon emissions. CL Nonwoven, a China-based manufacturer of spunbond and meltblown machinery also exhibited at ITMA 2023. It had a wide range of fabrics on display including spunbond, meltblown and SMS structures mostly made from PP and PE. The quality of the fabrics was surprisingly good. CL Nonwoven has been aggressively marketing its capabilities and is present at many exhibitions globally. CL Nonwoven is a company to watch. France-based Spoolex S.a.s. offers efficient converting equipment and components including ultrasonic cutting and welding equipment, and industrial rollers. Its Converting Machinery division has offered unwinding, slitting, rewinding equipment since 1955 for a wide range of markets. Spoolex’s range of products includes slitter-rewinders, turret winders, spooling lines, but also, non-stop-winders, splicing benches and slitting benches, from simple equipment to fully automated cells. Their modular design allows the machines to be fully customizable and they may be fitted with different unwinding, slitting and rewinding technologies for materials ranging

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from thick, lofty materials to thin materials. Spoolex’s Decoup+ ultrasonic technology performs clean and soft edges; and its Industrial Rollers division has been offering industrial idler rollers, chill rollers and winding cores since 1991. Oerlikon was at the show but was showcasing its new staple fiber process and did not focus on its nonwovens machinery. Cormatex S.r.l., a well-known Italy-based company, presented its horizontal airlay machine nicknamed Lap formair H, a high-speed crosscutting machine, and a water recycling gallery. Cormatex’s airlay technology is capable of processing different types of fibers — virgin or recycled — as well as various waste materials for different applications in furniture, mattress, automotive, thermal and acoustic insulation, and agriculture among other applications. A key feature of this machine lies in its capability for processing fibers as well as non-fibrous materials including very short fibers down to 1 millimeter in length. The webs can range from 100 gsm to more than 5,000 gsm at throughputs approaching 500 kilograms per hour per meter. The machine is capable of processing powder resins as an alternative to low-melt fibers. Its cross-cutting technology is designed to perform a very precise and straight cut without stopping the line at cutting cycles lower than 2 seconds. In addition, Cormatex’s gallery of various nonwoven samples showcased a wide range of materials from recycled leather waste or recycled paper products, to various types of vegetable and wood fibers. Ramina S.r.l., another innovative Italy-based company, also had a large presence at ITMA. It showcased the Leonardo 1.0 technology in spunbond, meltblown and composite lines. It had samples of materials on hand made using polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyester and polylactic acid. The company also

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Above left: Cormatex’s Lap formair H high-speed cross-cutting machine Above right: V-Lap’s vertical lapping technology can be used to produce a variety of products including mattresses.

offers carding and needling lines, airlay lines and thermobonding lines. Ramina is relative newcomer, but one that is growing rapidly and expanding its portfolio of products. This is another company to watch.

Vertical Lapping An interesting surprise was the rebirth and growth of vertical lapping technology. Australia-based V-Lap exhibited its new vertical lapping system. The company first exhibited at ITMA 2011 but did not get any traction partly because it was a start-up. It clearly is not a start-up any longer! Vertical Lapping is not new. Known in the industry as STRUTO, many are familiar with vertical lapping Struto is a nonwoven structure where all the fibers are orientated in the vertical position. This gives the highest possible resilience and recovery after repeated compression at varying levels of thicknesses. This differentiates it from lapped webs or high loft airlaid products. These nonwovens are superior in resilience and their higher porosity results in better performance in critical applications such as automotive and filtration. V-Lap offers turnkey systems with complete fiber processing, carding,

lapping and bonding up to 3 meters in width. It had a portfolio of products on display including automotive parts — door panels, thermoacoustic materials and seating materials — full sized mattresses, pillows, various forms of air filters, performance clothing, among other products. Vertical lapping is an interesting technology that will undoubtedly have many niche applications where the unique properties of the structure warrant their use. This is a development worth watching.

Future ITMAs While the nonwovens sector had a significant showing at ITMA 2023, participation was still less significant than at other nonwoven specific trade shows such as INDEX, IDEA and ANNEX. ITMA is dedicated to textile machinery; consequently, show attendees typically are interested in “textile” products. Most nonwoven users do not consider themselves to be part of the textile community and therefore these customers are not drawn to ITMA. Perhaps this customer division will change in the future as the line between the nonwovens and traditional textile industry continues to blur. TW

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KNITTING/ APPAREL

Automated Cutting

Figure 1 (left to right): Various types of labeling devices — printed sticker by Morgan Tecnica, laser projection by Serkon Makina, and a stamping machine and stamped fabric samples by TPET

& Sewing For Industry 4.0

nlike other industries where diverse products have been manufactured without relying much on human labor in the past decades, automation has made slow progress in apparel manufacturing. Compared to rigid materials, such as plastic and metal, fabrics are notorious for having a much higher degree of freedom when transported. Fabrics deform significantly even under a very small load, such as dead weight or air resistance. This property creates extreme challenges when designing machinery to handle flexible textile materials. Despite continued advances in the latest technologies, fully automated apparel manufacturing still appears to be illusive, for now. Amazon initiated on-demand apparel manufacturing in 2015 and patented its automated apparel factory in 2017. The facilities include printing customer-provided designs on textile surfaces, cutting the fabric into a custom size and fit, and assembling the garments without relying on human labor. Amazon’s service is geared toward the production of made-to-order T-shirts, which are relatively simple in their design and structure. It typically takes a few weeks from order to delivery. However, considering that it traditionally takes 12 to 18 months to have a clothing line ready for mar-

Technology highlighted at ITMA 2023 makes it clear that the textile and apparel industry is making steady progress towards Industry 4.0. By Dr. Minyoung Suh

ket, it is revolutionary to remarkable shorten the lead time. On-demand or just-in-time production is not a new concept in fashion. Historically, every garment was made-to-order. But a lack of skilled labor and accessible resources, meant it required a long time and was very costly to produce a single garment before industrialization. Moving into the ready-to-wear market in the 19th and 20th centuries, textile products became more abundant and affordable as the industry was mechanized and grew rapidly during the industrial era. More recently, the modern concept of on-demand manufacturing — focused on making garments only when someone needs them within a fair amount of time at a reasonable price — has been a major breakthrough in the ready-to-wear market. Technological advances are key drivers to lead and support the transition to on-demand manufacturing.

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At ITMA 2023, Israel-based Kornit Digital hosted a showcase under the slogan “Digital Production Goes Mainstream.” The company highlighted its end-to-end production facilities for on-demand manufacturing where the latest manufacturing technologies have been integrated into a T-shirt production line. It starts with user-friendly design software. The 3D simulation of a virtual garment enables customers to evaluate and finalize their design decisions. Unique, customized designs are digitally printed using a direct-to-garment printer, where curing also is administered seamlessly. The finished products are automatically packaged and shipped out for delivery. During the entire process, every tangible and intangible resource is managed by barcodes, such as print designs, fabric substrate decisions, and information on size and fit, among other information. Although Kornit did not spotlight cut-and-sew processes of the T-shirts in detail, automatic cutting and assembly may be involved on some level. Automated manufacturing of sewn products is a prerequisite condition to enable on-demand production. Thanks to computer-aided-design tools and network systems, product development processes continue to be digitalized and remotely managed,

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but cut-and-sew operations still heavily rely on skilled human labor for hands-on assembly1. Electrically powered sewing machines have assisted the fashion industry for more than 100 years, but the dependence on human dexterity and experience has not yet been lowered as radically as expected. Meaningful advances are semi-automated sewing systems that have been introduced to the market, where a human operator loads and aligns workpieces to the machine1. Sewing automation is considered the last piece of the puzzle that finalizes the transition to a new revolutionary age in the future of fashion. Since the worldwide clothing market is worth about $1.52 trillion2, ondemand manufacturing has arisen as a game changer to boost the global economy as well as improve the quality of life. The benefit will not be limited to fashion consumers taking advantage of satisfactory products at an affordable price right on time. It allows a more ethical work environment for product developers by releasing the pressure from seasonal deadlines and inventory management. Less waste is generated because every production guarantees actual sales3. Personalization could have customers emotionally attached to what they create and buy, and therefore the product lifespan becomes extended, turning the fashion market over for sustainable developments. Based on the observations and discussions with machinery producers during ITMA 2023, this article introduces recent technical advances in automated apparel manufacturing. ITMA is the largest international tex-

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Figure 2 (top left to right): High-mounted cameras for fabric pattern alignment by Zünd, Lakeview Technology and Bullmer. Figure 3 (bottom): Morgan Tecnica Vision System (left) with multiple low-mounted cameras (right).

tile and garment technology exhibition that takes place every four years. In 2023, the event featured 18 sectors for different manufacturing sectors, including spinning, weaving, knitting and printing, among other sectors. The two sectors explored and investigated in depth for this article — automatic cutting systems and automated sewing units — were under the garment making division. By illustrating several examples of automated equipment, novel features and key trends are highlighted for apparel cutting and sewing technologies. Reviewing the report on the same topic out of ITMA 2019 (See

“Automated Cutting & Sewing Developments,” Textile World, March/April 2020), readers can gain more insights into where textile and apparel technologies were, are, and will be.

Automation In Cutting Cutting rooms in apparel manufacturing facilities have been consistently mechanized and digitalized in the past 60 years since Gerber Technology introduced the first auto-

mated cutting system in the 1960s. Nowadays, computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutters are widely spread and adopted by many apparel manufacturers dealing with large quantity production. Various cutting technologies have been developed for diverse applications, including blade, laser, water jet, plasma and ultrasound technologies. As automated cutting technology reaches maturity, cutter manufacturers are focused on the development of auxiliary systems maximizing cutting efficiency. Multiple major CNC cutter manufacturers participated in ITMA 2023. Italy-based Morgan Tecnica S.p.A. is one of the visible leaders in cutting innovations. Switzerland-based Zünd Systemtechnik AG and Kuris Spezialmaschinen GmbH, Germany, also are steady key players. Serkon Tekstil Makina, Turkey, continues to thrive. Based on observations of the automated cutting systems displayed during ITMA 2023, key technical features could be characterized into three points as follows: seamless integrations of equipment before and after

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Figure 4 (clockwise from top left): Automated sewing for towels by Schmale Durate, bed sheets by Texpa, mats by Rimac and towels by TPET

cutting; popularity of optical pattern matching system; and enhanced heavy-duty cutting capability. One of the noticeable features in the latest cutting equipment is that the system integration is more aligned than ever before. Multiple manufacturers presented their cutters together with other equipment in a row mimicking an actual production line, such as fabric inspectors, spreaders and pattern labelers. For example, Italybased IMA S.p.A. showcased its “Syncro Cutting Room” where equipment — including a fabric roll loader, a spreader, an automatic cutter, and a labeler — can be mixed and matched Spreaders and labelers are not brandnew technology, but the seamless integration in between equipment was spotlighted in machine demonstrations during ITMA. Kuris showcased a spreader with air blowers in connection with its cutter. Air blowing facilitates precise and accurate control of elastic fabrics. A compressed air supply of up to 6 bar flattens and prevents the cut edges of fabric from curling. It also assists to blow fabric folds out from each layer, which minimizes human intervention during spreading. Vibrating plates are equipped to help release unnecessary tension on the

fabric. Orox Group S.r.l., Italy, also introduced a spreader with compressed air of 100 liters per minute (7 bar). Its spreading stick is equipped with the buttons for remote control to maximize productivity of the operator. Although cutting has fairly been automated since late 1900s, it has remained heavily dependent on human labor to sort and bundle cut pieces. As the technology progressed, labelers were incorporated into the cutter and assisted manual unloading processes. The features of the labeler seem to be diversified into multiple approaches. Morgan Tecnica continued sticking thermally printed labels directly to the cut pieces by locating additional crossbar for labelling purposes (See Figure 1) . Another approach was demonstrated by Serkon Tekstil Makina which placed a projector screening pattern layouts and the associated information over the cutting table (See Figure 1). Laser projection has been previously implemented for leather cutting, where non-rectangular substances with intricate geometries must be detected and located on the table before cutting. This technology is now widespread and assists sorting and unloading cut pieces. China-based TPET showcased a stamping machine that inks the infor-

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mation directly on each cut piece after unloading (See Figure 1). Vision technology for pattern alignment has become more mainstream than ever before. Machine vision technology collects information from visual resources, detects optical characteristics of the surface, positions and manages them interactively4. Pattern matching assistance using optical devices was initiated in the early 2010s, and the technology continued to grow over the past decades. As a result, most cutters at ITMA 2023 were equipped with a high-mounted camera (See Figure 2) capturing the surface characteristics of cutting beds in real time. Recognizing design patterns over the fabric surface, this camera synchronizes the fabric surface information between the cutting table and marker screen. This allows visual administration of pattern alignment for garments made from stripes or plaids and engineered prints. Possible technical shortcomings are known to be associated with poor image quality, low precision, low efficiency, and high labor intensity of manual operation4. Morgan Tecnica configured its vision system different from other manufacturers. While other manufacturers adopted a single commercial off-the-shelf camera (See Figure 2) , Morgan Tecnica has developed multiple cameras specific to its system. The cameras re mounted as low as 50 to 60 centimeters from the cutting table, together with plenty of light sources (See Figure 3) . To ensure a wider angle of view, four cameras are installed processing data in connection. Intense lighting from relatively short distances could provide clearer vision, improving accuracy and completeness of the overall system. It might also be easier to manage the cameras and light sources in case physical adjustments are required. In addition, the optical system that “sees” the fabric surface makes it possible to cut sublimation printed fabrics without creating separate markers since the print contours are detected for a cutting line as shown in Figure 3.

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Cutting equipment with enhanced heavy-duty capabilities also was on display. Italy-based FK Group S.p.A. and IMA showcased their cutter models, Iron Heavy and Typhoon, respectively, capable of cutting 60-millimeter-thick stacks of denim fabric. IMA also presented a sloper cutter, Maxima SP, that can cut 5-mm-thick hard boards for the accurate and precise management of flat patterns. Germany-based automated cutter manufacturer, Bullmer GmbH, employed modular cutting tools for its Premiumcut ELC cutter, which can handle various composite materials from fabric, rubber, and metal, for diverse industry applications. Here, the maximum cutting depth varies depending on the material.

Automation In Sewing In contrast to the competent progress in cutting technology, automated sewing is still in the middle of developing its core technology. It is notoriously difficult to automate

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Figure 5 (top): Fully automated pillowcase maker by Automatex showing feeding and seaming (left) and labeling (right). Figure 6 (bottom): Automated pillow maker by ACG Kinna Automatic illustrating filling (left) and closing (right).

apparel assembly. In most commercial systems currently available, automated sewing capability is limited to simple textile products such as pillowcases, bed sheets, towels and mats. With only straight seams involved in a simple structure, these types of products are the first-generation products pioneering sewing automation. Automated production of these products looks more specialized and diversified than before and was demonstrated by a number of companies during ITMA 2023.

Multiple technologies for fully automated production of bed sheets, towels, and mats were on display. The flat single layered structure of these products means they can simply be finished by cutting fabrics and finishing the edges, but sewing techniques are quite varied depending on production needs. The systems for bed sheets and towels, demonstrated by Texpa GmbH and Carl Schmale GmbH & Co. KG (Schmale Durate), both based in Germany, were equipped with fold-and-sew stitchers located on

Figure 7: Texpa T-shirt machine featuring curvature sewing capability (left) and the resulting finished seam (right)

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the path along which the fabric was transported. With multiple trimming options, decorative effects are available (See Figure 4). TPET completed towels by applying overlock stitches covering the edges instead of folding and Italy-based Rimac S.r.l. chose to stitch a binding around a car mat (See Figure 4). The appearance of diverse handling technologies was noticeable in each system. As captured in Figure 4, TPET uses a metal plate pressing a fabric piece against a worktable to rotate the piece while its four-side edges are sewn. Another type of handling technique — four grippers — was charged to pick up, unload, and stack the finished towels. Rimac

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dimensions. Flowing on a conveyor, the workpiece is turned to 90 degrees and the third seam is finished while a product label is simultaneously inserted. Heat treatment follows on the unseamed side to protect the edge from unraveling. A pillow maker — which is a separate system from pillowcase maker — was demonstrated by a Sweden-based company ACG Kinna Automatic (See Figure 6). It requires a pre-sewn pillowcase to start with, which could be acquired using a system such as the one described above. The presewn pillowcase is loaded onto the system by a human operator and filled with filler materials. It flows along a conveyor and the open seam

Figure 8: Mobile Cavity Technology by Fast Sewn

adopted spheric rollers, where roller arrays spin omni-directionally and transport a workpiece over the sewing table. Schmale Durate and Texpa utilize a few sets of cylinder rolls to feed and drive fabric forward. Though omni-directional rotations are not achievable in this configuration, it is still possible to turn the workpiece perpendicularly. More than a single layer of fabric needs to be incorporated for pillowcase production. Fully automated pillowcase production starts with two fabric layers passing through feeders into the system directly from fabric rolls (See Figure 5). They are seamed at each side by two sewing machines located on their path and cut to a certain length depending on pillow

is closed (See Figure 6). The pillow maker includes two simple operations for filling and closing, but it is remarkable to see that 3D products can be handled and processed through automatic systems. It is expected sooner or later that the initial loading step will be mechanized, making the system fully automated. One new invention was seen in the T-shirt sewing machine presented by Texpa. It showcased automated sewing capability for stitching seams in a streamlined shape, while other companies have stuck to sewing straight seams. Texpa’s machine was configured with two overlock stitchers located in variable distances (See Figure 7). Once two layers of T-shirt fabric, front and back plied with each

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other, are loaded by a human operator, the sewing machines start creating side seams on each side simultaneously. While stitches are made moving the fabric forward, the machines also travels right and left for a predetermined distance and speed. This movement results in curved side seams that shape a T-shirt. This approach to T-shirt sewing is somewhat comparable to what Germany-based Naehmaschinenfabrik Emil Stutznaecker GmbH & Co. KG (Mammut) has implemented for mattress production in terms of the fact that both a workpiece and a sewing machine are moving. In the Mammut automatic quilter, a big frame holds multiple layers of rectangular workpieces tight while a sewing head travels omni-directionally to leave needle stitches in patterns. Making a synchronized movement to the top sewing head, a counterpart sewing head with a bobbin exists underneath the workpiece. In this way, Mammut creates double lockstitches in diverse quilting patterns. A hollow frame makes it possible for needle and bobbin threads to get interlaced at any spot. The overall configuration of the automated quilting machine is similar to the structure of automatic cutters where a cutting head is attached to a crossbar moving over the workpiece. The use of a hollow frame, however, would not always be possible when stitching fabric pieces of greater variety in their shape and size, such as during apparel production. A Denmark-based company, Fast Sewn (Mikkelsen Innovation ApS), has proposed an innovative method, called “mobile cavity technology” for automated garment assembly (See Figure 8). A sewing table is made of multiple conveyor belts that transport the workpiece, but the belt successfully detours the sewing spot by creating a mobile cavity around a bobbin. In this configuration, the flexible workpiece still gets supported and driven along the process, while the interlacing between needle and bobbin yarns takes place anywhere on the workpiece. This relatively new company is expected to

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launch commercial machinery on to the market eventually. One of the leading companies in automated sewing, Atlanta-based Softwear Automation Inc., was absent from ITMA 2023. Its introduction of the Sewbot® revolutionized apparel manufacturing in 2012, with its vision of producing clothing without traditional garment workers. Its system utilizes a combination of patented high-speed vision technology and lightweight robotics that monitor fabric pieces and steer the workpiece through conventional sewing machines. Specialized in Tshirt production, Sewbot was launched as a service contract for a monthly fee starting at $5,000 per unit5. As reported in Textile World , an automated T-shirt workline was able to produce a collared shirt in 162 seconds6.

Alternative Sewing Technologies On the other hand, alternative sewing technologies were more visible than before at ITMA. They may replace stitch-making operations such as ultrasonic welding, adhesive bonding and printed embroidery. Those operations might be considered easier to administer without a human operator compared to conventional sewing. Ultrasonic welding and adhesive bonding are not new technologies, but extended applications were featured at ITMA. Spain-based Optron Textile Machinery presented calender rolls

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that can create welded lines of quilting stitches over a blanket or a mattress (See Figure 9) . Major sewing machine makers Juki Corp. and Brother Industries Ltd., both headquartered in Japan, also displayed several welding machines that can join thermoplastic fabrics. According to Hayes and McLoughlin7, welded seams are less durable, but create softer and smoother joints than sewn and bonded seams. Adhesive bonding is similar, but different from welding because joining is accomplished by solidifying an adhesive material placed between the layers of workpieces. Typical adhesive materials are in the form of tape, which is activated under heat and pressure and joins seams by melting through the fabric structure. Bonding is possible for almost all non-fleece fabrics with some limitations, such as porous materials8. Brother attracted good deal of attention ITMA with its bonding machine equipped with a liquid adhesive feeder (See Figure 9). Bonded seams for apparel are reported to be smoother and less visible than sewn seams. Another sew-free technology example was demonstrated by Kornit Digital. A printed embroidery technique was spotlighted as a part of its digital production line of T-shirts. Its direct-to-garment printers were improved for quality production enough to mimic 3D surface decorations such as embroidery. As shown in Figure 10, it was not easy to distinguish between stitches and prints

Figure 9: Alternative sewing technologies include welded quilting by Optron (left), and bonded seaming by Brother and the resulting seams (middle and right)

even close up. A major advantage of using printed embroidery is to digitally control the manufacturing processes. Leaving nothing on the wrong side of the fabric, it also maintains the light and soft properties of the fabric rather than adding intense embroidery stitches.

Textile Industry 4.0 The textile industry was at the forefront of three prior industrial revolutions and is actively adapting itself to the fourth revolution currently going on. Triggered and driven by information technology development, the major innovations for Industry 4.0 are based on digital transformation. It aims to merge the actual and virtual worlds through cyber-physical systems and interconnects humans and machines through the Internet of Things (IoT)9. This allows apparel producers to monitor manufacturing issues in real time and control production progress remotely making apparel factories smart. The key elements of the technology are the IoT and interoperable network. The overarching goal is maximizing production efficiency and productivity. As evidenced at ITMA 2023, Industry 4.0 is an active on-going term for many textile companies with lots of technological innovations forthcoming. With Industry 4.0 in mind, multiple cutting and sewing machine

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Figure 10: Printed embroidery as a sewing alternative by Kornit Digital

producers are actively engaged with software development, working to expand the capability of their hardware. Multiple examples were found at ITMA. Switzerland-based Zünd Systemtechnik AG has partnered with Portugal-based Mind Technology to strengthen its user interface. Juki continues linking its hardware devices to the network system, called JaNets 1 . Mammut launched its own software product series that reads machine operation status, formulates analytic reports on productivity issues and suggests predictive maintenance. ACG Kinna Automatic is working on developing software to reinforce their its technology, not only to enhance pattern matching accuracy, but also to inspect and manage fabric defects efficiently. In regard to quality control, advanced technologies are more actively incorporated, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. For a long time, quality control systems were not autonomous and asked machine operators to stay alerted and detect product defects. Relying on human-oriented labor, some defects often ended up unnoticed until finished products reached the end user. Thanks to recent advances in vision technology, artificial intelligence now replaces human inspectors and assists production optimization by suggesting datadriven decisions. At ITMA, Serkon Tekstil Makina demonstrated a new fabric inspection system run by deep vision technology and artificial intelligence. Its system is designed to

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manage not only surface defects, but also color transitions. Another visible area pioneered by artificial intelligence is creative design. By merging artificial intelligence into computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the intelligent CAD system creates digital designs automatically based on the database from various resources and provides professional suggestions for new designs. This enables people with limited expertise in design to customize products for themselves, which supports the very first stage of ondemand manufacturing. A start-up company, Myth.AI, presented an AIbased pattern design tool at ITMA that visualizes unique unlimited options for new designs from multiple clicks. In the meantime, the next revolution — Industry 5.0 — already is underway in the textile industry, while many industries are still in the middle of Industry 4.0. According to the European Union 9, Industry 5.0 discusses the values beyond manufacturing efficiency and productivity. Shifting the focus from economic to societal values, it adds sustainable development and human-centric solutions to Industry 4.0. The concept is not new, however. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) or triple bottom line approaches have been emphasized during the past decades by different levels of entities across the world. Industry 5.0 reminds us that human, environmental, and social aspects are a corporate social responsibility for the textile and apparel industry. Supporting Industry 5.0, specific examples of machinery in tangible and intangible formats are foreseen to dominate future ITMAs.

ting were seamless integrations of equipment before and after cutting, popularity of optical pattern matching system, and enhanced heavy-duty cutting capability. Compared to cutting, sewing automation was still under active development of core technologies, which allowed only limited types of products in automated configurations. The direction of this developmental journey makes it clear that the textile and apparel industry is making a steady progress every day towards the fourth industry revolution and Industry 4.0. TW References 1. Suh, M. (2019). Automated cutting and sewing for industry 4.0 at ITMA 2019. Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management. Special Issue, 1-13. 2. Aeppel, T. (2022). Robots set their sights on a new job: sewing blue jeans, Reuters, Retrieved on July 2023 from https://www.reuters.com/technology/robots-settheir-sights-new-job-sewing-blue-jeans-2022-12-12/ 3. Davies, G. (2021). How does on-demand manufacturing work for fashion brands? Techpacker, Retrieved on July 2023 from https://techpacker.com/blog/design/ fashion-on-demand-manufacturing/ 4. Li, R., Zhao, S., and Yang, B. (2023). Research on the application status of machine vision technology in furniture manufacturing process. Applied Sciences, 13(4), 1-14. 5. Francis, S. (2019), SoftWear Automation launches Sewbots as a service, Robotics and Automation News, Retrieved on July 2023 from https://roboticsand automationnews.com/2019/02/05/softwear-automation-launches-sewbots-as-a-service/20847/#:~: text=For%20a%20monthly%20fee%20starting,and%2 0three%20shifts%20a%20day 6. Textile World (2019). Sewbots® Transforming The Sewn Products Industry, Textile World, Retrieved on July 2023 from https://www.textileworld.com/textileworld/2019/07/sewbots-transforming-the-sewn-prod ucts-industry/ 7. Hayes, S. and McLoughlin, J. (2015). The sewing of textiles, In J. Jones and G.K. Stylios (Eds.) Joining Textiles (pp. 66-122). Sawston, United Kingdom: Woodhead Publishing. 8. Sarkar, J., Rifat, N. M., Sakib-Uz-Zaman, M., Al Faruque, M. A., & Prottoy, Z. H. (2023). Advanced Technology in Apparel Manufacturing. In M. Rahman, M. Mashud, and M. Rahman (Eds.) Advanced Technology in Textiles: Fibre to Apparel (pp. 177-231). Singapore: Springer Nature. 9. Muller, J. (2021). Enabling Technologies for Industry 5.0, European Commission, Retrieved on July 2023 from https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/8e5de100-2a1c-11eb-9d7e-01aa75 ed71a1/language-en

Developmental Journey The technological innovations presented in ITMA 2023 were summarized to highlight the advanced state of automation in apparel cut-andsew processes. The advances were obviously seen both in quality and quantity. More diverse applications of automated cutting and sewing technology were visible compared to ITMA 20191. The key trends in cut-

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Editor’s Note: Dr. Minyoung Suh is an assistant professor in the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State, Raleigh, N.C., in the department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management. This article was adapted for Textile World from a paper by Dr. Suh published in the NC State Wilson College of Textiles’ Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (JTATM).

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QUALITY CONTROL

The company attracted attention for its new 360Q integrated solution suite.

The article covers the latest developments and advancements in testing and quality control technologies for fibers, yarns and fabrics presented by exhibitors at ITMA 2023 in five separate areas — fiber and yarn measurement, fabric performance testing, color measurement and communication, tactile measurement, and QC measurement.

Innovations In Testing &

Quality Control

Fiber And Yarn Measurement

Part one in a two-part feature reviewing improved tests for fabric performance along with automated inspection and digitalization technologies that reduce product defects and waste to help improve the textile supply chain. By Dr. Kavita Mathur

ey topics at ITMA 2023, held in Milan, Italy, included Automation and Digital Future, Advanced Materials, Sustainability and Circularity, and Innovative Technologies. These focus areas were very prominent throughout the show and were displayed in the ways of continuous improvement and advancements in technology, design capabilities and service for enhanced performance and overall efficiency. Machine manufacturers displayed diversified machines for apparel, home, carpet and technical textiles applications. To service these broad product portfolios, testing and quality control (QC) equipment manufacturers offer advanced instruments in the field of measurement and control and automation, which support the textile industry in achieving efficient and reliable QC. Textile testing and QC form a very important part of textile production, distribution and consumption. Quality management is important not only inside the factory, but also between suppliers because it helps to ensure the safety and quality for

brands and consumers. Textile testing is used to check the quality and suitability of raw materials and aid in their selection, monitor production, assess the final product, investigate faulty material, and during product research and development. QC instruments, software and test methods have never been more important throughout the textile supply chain. It is worth mentioning the increased number of digital solutions — many presented at the show — to help manage resource use and minimize waste, perform continuous online QC, and carry out automatic fault detection and predictive maintenance. The machinery and software presented at the show reduces the need for physical prototypes by way of virtual design software, simulation tools and digital replicas that facilitate testing and QC. Software solutions — either stand-alone or integrated into machinery — were more present at ITMA 2023 than in previous editions of the show. Machine learning and generative artificial intelligence (AI) may be the next frontier in testing and QC of textile materials.

Germany-based Textechno GmbH & Co. — represented in the United States by Greenville, S.C.based Measured Solutions Inc. — presented its latest innovations at ITMA 2023, including several testing devices for fibers, yarns, nonwovens and fabrics. Two of these innovations are a new weak spot tester for spun yarns; and a modular testing system, which determines the quality parameters of recycled fibers, including fibers from post-industrial and post-consumer waste, regardless of their color, blending or chemical treatment. The increasing importance of work safety as well as new demands for testing reinforcement fibers motivated Textechno to develop a new electronic wrap reel, the Texreel. It is applicable to textile yarns as well as technical yarns and reinforcement fibers used in composites such as carbon fiber tows and glass fiber rovings. As part of the new ITMA chapter “Composites,” Textechno demonstrated the Fimatest testing system for fiber/matrix adhesion and for the characterization of roving and tow properties. The system consists of the Fimabond embedding station and a clamping accessory to the Favimat+. Information about the dynamics of the bonding process is provided through a new feature of the Fimatest, via contact angle measurements. Additionally, the company exhibited the latest generation of its Favimat+ and Statimat DS testers. Favimat+ Airbot 2 is an automatic linear density and tensile tester for

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single fibers used to test various types of fibers, including high molecular weight polyethylene, glass, carbon and aramid, and is considered among the most important test devices with its structure combining six single-fiber test methods. For this device, since Textechno has already successfully entered the market of testing reinforcement fibers such as glass or carbon fiber, the company also presented an integrated measurement of fiber conductivity that is especially interesting in the field of smart textiles. Covafil+, designed by Textechno for filament yarns, was also on display. Compatible with MDTA 4, Covafil+ is identified as a reliable quality control system that can be adjusted to various applications, ensuring that all yarn parameters are tested at the same time. Statimat DS, another innovation exhibited at Textechno’s stand, offers a new series of automatic tension tests, including tensile, shear, evenness and yarn count measurement, which are the most important four test methods of textile yarns and threads. Beside these machines, Textechno also introduced the MDTA 4, a micro-dust, trash and fiber-length tester, part of its Fibre Classifying System. The MDTA 4 works by processing raw cotton from the bale, providing data relating to impurities such as neps, trash, dust and fiber fragment content. The MDTA 4 can be used to determine the stickiness of raw cotton. For precise analysis of the number and size of impurities, it can also be combined with the NT-DA module. Another well-known manufacturer of textile testing equipment, Lenzing Instruments GmbH & Co. KG, Austria, provided a detailed insight into its comprehensive range of testing equipment for online, at-line and laboratory applications. In line with sustainability being a key theme for the textile industry at ITMA, these resource saving factors connected to QC with Lenzing Instruments also contribute to greener production processes. The company presented solutions for enhanced testing efficiency,

reproducibility and accuracy, including the ACW 600/DVA, the DTI 600, the Rapid 600 and Sess. These systems enable yarn bobbins to be tested for linear density (dtex, denier) — using the ACW 600/DVA; for molecular orientation via the DTI 600, as well as for entanglement of flat and industrial yarn shortly after the last production step. Used together with the highly automated sampling system Sess, these ASTM standardized atline testing instruments can decisively contribute to quick reactions to any detected quality issues. Additionally, intended for high-volume offline

Lenzing Instrument’s ACW600

detection of filament yarn defects such as broken filaments and fluff, the company presented its Elkometer 200. Equipped with a customized number of Prompt Olo optical defect detection sensors, the system enables simultaneous defect inspection of up to eight yarn bobbins. Italy-based MESDAN S.p.A. offered a comprehensive range of testing equipment for physical analysis, dyeing, and finishing assessment. At ITMA, MESDAN displayed its solutions in the spinning hall on the VANDEWIELE stand and at the Thermetrics booth. Highlights from the company included a new mechatronic splicer for the Savio Proxima machine; two novel cotton fiber test-

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ing systems — the CONTEST-F2 for high volume cotton fiber testing and the CONTEST-S, a cotton stickiness tester; and the LAB SHREDDING MACHINE, a new laboratory scale equipment for textile mechanical recycling. The latest shredding machine complements its well-known MiniSpinning line, extending Mesdan’s applications in one of the most important trends — textile recycling. Switzerland-based Uster Technologies AG introduced its latest product for fabric inspection. The company presented solutions based on automation and artificial intelligence, which are now integrated in its innovative fabric inspection technologies. The company attracted attention at the show for its new 360Q integrated solution suite, which combines instrumentation, software and support services for better decision making in the mill. The company has observed that many mills do not have enough personnel resources, and considering the fact that the number of textile graduates is insufficient, automation will simplify mills’ work. Uster’s 360Q presented a solution suite to enable the mill to be more successful, meaning it can make better-informed decisions that have a real impact on profits. For fabric quality management, a component of the 360Q suite is the Uster Fabriq Assistant, a central platform for automated processing, analysis and visualization of quality data from Uster fabric inspection systems. The application is a Web-based tool with individual user accounts and specific dashboards. The Assistant eliminates manual data processing and speeds up decision processes significantly. Fabric manufacturers can release their product for delivery automatically based on their specific business rules without any humans in the loop, which eliminates bottlenecks and increases productivity. The application can also show a summary of quality performance from all the fabric rolls ever inspected in the mill. Information is presented as a variety of statistical analysis tools, with

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results in different charts, histograms or evolution trends. Fabriq Assistant uses advanced technologies such as AI. The AI attaches codes to each image generated by the Uster Fabriq Vision products, eliminating the need of mill personnel to spend time and effort, inserting codes to each defect in a computer to carry out a data review. Data classification — AI Classification — is fully automated with the use of AI, so producers can save more than 80 percent of the time taken when using manual methods. The company also launched a new edition of Uster Statistics, a globally accepted quality benchmark for industry-wide quality improvement, which now includes a section for recycled yarn. The Uster Statistics 2023 edition features an extended range of fiber data, supporting sustainability goals. The challenge in this area is the spinning of recycled yarns. Uster Statistics aims to facilitate spinners transforming their mills to a more sustainable future, as spinning yarn blends of virgin and recycled fibers is a much bigger challenge than any other commonly used blend. Italy-based Tomsic S.r.l., active in the production and marketing of complete laboratory equipment for spinning mills and autoleveller systems for cards and drawframes, showcased its new innovation — the Tomsic Nep & Trash Tester — designed to facilitate the control and tuning of fiber parameters in spinning mills. The company is trying to reduce electricity consumption in its products. The tester offers spinners control technology, simplicity of operation, flexibility and low maintenance costs, according to Tomsic. The company also presented its Evenness tester and the TensoTester3 strength tester, as well as other laboratory equipment for spinning mills.

Fabric Performance Testing Among the companies with solutions to test fabric performance, Atlas Material Testing Technology, Mount Prospect, Ill. — a provider of accelerated lightfastness testing instruments and services for the tex-

tile industry — showcased its Ci3000+ Fade-Ometer ® and Xenotest ® 440 instruments. With Atlas weathering instruments, users can closely simulate real-world exposure to sunlight, temperature and moisture under accelerated conditions, allowing them to quickly and accurately predict product service life. The Ci3000+ Fade-Ometer is widely considered the benchmark instrument for weathering and lightfastness testing of textiles. It has an advanced digital control system and optical technologies for reliable control of all test parameters, providing accurate prediction of textile products’ service life. The instrument features a

dards. The exhibit included Martindale consumables, detergents, grey scales, blue wools, and SDCE’s signature Multifiber for guaranteed consistency in the quality control of textiles. In addition to its fiber testing equipment, Mesdan also presented three new yarn and fabric testing solutions: AUTOFIL, a high speed, fully automatic, 24-position yarn strength tester that can also test threads, hanks and fabrics in the semi-automatic mode; AUTODYN 3, a single-position, automatic version tensile strength tester for fibers, yarns, hanks and fabrics that incorporates an automatic yarn loading system; and BURSTMATIC, a pneumatic bursting

Mesdan’s Autofil

large and intuitive graphical user interface, WXView. Also, for textile weathering tests, the Xenotest 440 is a compact, high-performance xenon-arc instrument with an ultrasonic humidifier to reduce water consumption, up to 4,000-hour lamp service life, and capable of simultaneous testing of more than 200 samples and meeting global lightfastness and weathering standards, including AATCC, ISO, Marks & Spencer and GB/T. England-based SDC Enterprises (SDCE), with a newly designed logo and brand refresh, used ITMA 2023 in Milan to launch two new products — the PVC Sensor Film for testing BS EN ISO Standard 9185:2007 and the Reference 7 Wool Liquid Detergent, in line with the updated version of ISO Standard 6330:2021. These two products add to SDCE’s range of products for color fastness, lightfastness and physical testing for QC of textiles at international BS, EN and ISO Stan-

tester to determine the bursting resistance of woven and knitted fabrics, nonwovens, and cardboard. Rock Hill, S.C.-based SDL Atlas presented its extensive offering in consumables for QC. In addition to many core performance textiles testers, like the MMT moisture tester, DryRate 201 for the determination of dry rates, and FTT for skin touch property measurements, the company displayed next generation versions of its HydroPro, a hydrostatic head tester; AirPerm, an air permeability tester for paper, textiles and nonwovens; and Vortex Plus, a multiple-wash simulator machine. England-based James Heal, a PPT Group brand centered in material testing, focused its presence at ITMA on innovations related to testing protective clothing and personal protective equipment. Continued development of textile testing equipment has been driven by global growth in

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more advanced protective wear, particularly for military and emergency services sectors. Initially launched at ITMA 2019, the company showcased developments in the James Heal Performance Testing Range line of instruments. Among them were the WickView, a tester for moisture wicking behavior in fabric; Aquabrasion, for analysis of effects of wet abrasion to better replicate real-life wear situations; and TruRain, a sustainable water repellency tester able to recycle water and cutting waste by 99 percent. In particular, WickView has moved ahead of the current test standard for moisture wicking behavior in fabric. James Heal is working with the industry to establish new standards in this area of textile testing after it developed its own test methods. England-based Roaches International — a globally recognized manufacturer and supplier of laboratory dyeing, finishing equipment and textile performance testing instruments — introduced its IR Bonder, a vertical infrared bonding and chemical application line consisting of a single end bond applicator and infrared curing chamber with extremely low electrical consumption. The IR Bonder is integrated with a single head winder and, in addition to textile industry, has a potentially broad range of application markets including the automotive and medical sectors. Its drying mechanism simulates current coating technology and standard winding equipment to bond sewing threads by applying a nylon terpolymer, which is applied in a solution form. The system has a running speed of up to 600 meters per minute to process narrow width yarns or textiles on as many as six lanes. GESTER International Co. Ltd., China, presented the GTC13B-6 Martindale Abrasion Pilling Tester, offering precise evaluation of fabric pilling resistance, which is the standard method of determining the wear resistance of textiles or leather and the resistance to pilling. The company also displayed its GT-C021, a precisely calibrated tester to determine the tensile strength and

elongation of fabrics. Also on display was equipment for waterproof testing of fabrics, hood fabric, tarpaulin, rainproof fabrics and geotextiles; the highly efficient GT-C26B hydrostatic pressure bursting tester; mask synthetic blood penetration tester, the GT-RA01, exclusively designed to test the blood penetration resistance of masks; the GT-C09 vertical tensile button tensing machine, which can perform even and vertical tensile test

Atlas Ci3000+

of all kinds of buttons on garments; and two circular sample cutters — the GT-C75 and GT-C75-3. In the area of smart textile testing, China-based ChiuVention presented a number of instruments including its SmartTexLab smart lab management system, which is the first of its kind in the textile industry. This smart system efficiently digitally links multiple smart textile testing instruments and sample preparation equipment using multiple technologies like IoT automation, RFID, AI or vision detection. With this software, customers can easily control, obtain and share test results by installing the company’s SmartTexLab app on their cell phones. This is in line with the Sustainability and Circularity topic at ITMA, as textile labs can

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achieve automatic sample identification, automatic sample cutting, and automatic transmission of test results for the same sample and instrument, and then, after the test, a summary report can be quickly shared online to the quality control department or customer. In addition to the SmartTexLab, and among the most popular of its nine instruments showcased, the company showed its SmartShrink Rate Tester. The machine is used to automatically calculate the shrinkage rate of a particular textile product, using visual automation to capture warp and weft data of the textile before and after shrinkage rate testing. The process can be done in seconds, reducing human error and improving the efficiency of this process in textile factories. Q Lab Corp., Westlake, Ohio, showcased its accelerated weathering and lightfastness testers. The varied versions of the Q-SUN testers use xenon arc lamps, which provide the best match to the full spectrum of sunlight and rain, and can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years in outdoor environments. The company also presented its QUV, an accelerated weathering tester to measure UV damage in textiles. The QUV tester’s fluorescent lamps simulate short-wave ultraviolet (UV) rays, reproducing the physical damage caused by sunlight, which can include color change, gloss loss, blistering, embrittlement and strength loss, and oxidation, among other damage. The test chamber includes a condensation system that simulates dew, accelerating its effect using elevated temperatures. TW Editor’s Note: Dr. Kavita Mathur is an associate professor in the department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, at Raleigh, N.C.-based NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles. This article was adapted for Textile World from a paper by Dr. Mathur published in the NC State Wilson College of Textiles’ Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (JTATM). Part two of this article will appear in an upcoming issue of TW.

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SOFTWARE

just PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) is a software that helps implement a strategic approach to the management of information, processes and resources to support the life cycle of a product

WORKFLOW • ACCOUNTING • MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS • PLANNING • PRODUCTION • MANAGEMENT • DESIGN • WAREHOUSE • PURCHASING • PERSONNEL

Retelit S.p.A., offers the Just MES manufacturing execution system

PRODUCTION ORDER MANAGEMENT • INTEGRATION WITH ERP & AUTOMATION SYSTEMS • QUALITY CONTROL MANAGEMENT

MACHINERY CONTROL • EVENTS • PROCESS PARAMETERS

ERP

S ME &S PLC

ERP = Decision Making Level (Software) MES = Executive Level PLANS = Operational Level (Employees, PLC, SCADA)

A CAD

INE H C MA

just planning helps manufacturing managers ensure that existing production resources (instrumental and personnel) are optimally exploited just monitoring is a module for the detection and management of production data useful, in particular, to optimize processes just quality control is a system for the quality control of the finished product TEXTILE

Advanced Planning & Scheduling Systems

TMA 2023 featured a wide range of software technologies from companies located throughout the world. Software ran the gamut, but this article focuses primarily on advanced planning and scheduling systems (APS) showcased at ITMA 2023. In contrast to an ITMA review written after the 2019 ITMA show (see “Supply Chain Man-

agement Software For Textile Networks,” TW, September/October 2020) that provided an overview of 10 APS systems, this article compares the features of APS systems featured at ITMA 2023, presents developments in those systems over the past two to three years, and provides information on what company representatives feel are the key differentiating factors of their software. Companies included in this article appeared in ITMA’s Index of Products in category 15.3.2 — “Software systems for Supply Chain Management (SCM) in textile networks” and/or 15.3.3, “Software for Enterprise resource Planning [ERP], Product Lifecycle Management [PLM], and Production Planning and Scheduling [PPS].”

Details Of APS Software Packages All the software packages discussed here offer the ability to provide detailed capacity planning, and

A look at the latest software developments in advanced planning systems on display at ITMA 2023. By Dr. Kristin A. Thoney-Barletta also can generate detailed production schedules to help meet customer due dates and minimize costs over one or more factories. Most of the company representatives who were interviewed considered their company’s software to be an ERP system, a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), a Quality Management System (QMS), a Warehouse Management System (WMS), and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system (See Table 1) . Only some of the representatives considered the software to be a PLM system. This is not surprising, since PLM systems are designed to manage product development, while APS systems focus on managing production. Only Italy-based Retelit S.p.A., the developer of Just MES manufacturing execution system, did not consider its software to be an ERP system. Company representatives also were asked about the types of textiles processes and industries in which their software package is imple-

mented. Table 2 displays the process results, while Table 3 reveals the findings regarding the industries. The tables show that all of the software systems have been implemented in a wide range of processes and industries. Software was least commonly implemented in nonwovens processes and footwear. To provide information about system capability updates since the article from ITMA 2019 was published, the company representatives were asked what changes and additions were incorporated into their software over the past two to three years. Company representatives were also asked what differentiates their software from that of their competitors and what their customers tell them about why they chose their software over alternatives. The answers to these questions follow. The sections are grouped by the primary regions in which the software is implemented to allow the reader to focus on the regions in which they are most interested in APS software implementation.

Austria, Germany, Switzerland Halo GmbH – inteos®, Germany: Klaus Kreutzberg of Kreutzberg Consulting, a Halo Business Partner, said that new features of inteos include the ability to control machines with

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Software Functionality Company

ERP

MES

QMS

WMS

CRM

PLM

Arel

yes

Computer House®

yes

Datatex®

yes

Halo GmbH – inteos®

yes

Interlem GP Omega

yes

Just MES

yes

Porini

yes

Schaeffer Productique

yes

no Table 1

Industries In Which Software Has Been Implemented

has added artificial intelligence into its software, including new functions to provide better production plans. Computer House’s experience over the past 30 years is what differentiates it from competitors. Langé said customers choose its software because Computer House continually improves its product and shares implementation of new features requested by one customer with other customers. In addition, Computer House is always willing to listen to its customers and react to customer requests. Interlem GP Omega, Italy: CEO Andrea Picone said that Interlem GP Omega is now a completely Webbased software. It uses a new scheduling system called Net@Pro, in partnership with another company, and Interlem GP Omega also includes a new ERP version. In addition, a new Gantt chart-based procedure helps detect the source of problems. Picone believes that Interlem GP Omega’s scheduling is better than that of its competitors. The lower price and flexibility of Interlem GP Omega’s solution are other reasons he thinks that their customers choose Interlem GP Omega.

Apparel

Home Textiles

Carpet

Automotive Textiles

Technical Textiles

Footwear

Arel

yes

Computer House®

yes

Datatex®

yes

Halo GmbH – inteos®

yes

Interlem GP Omega

yes

Just MES

yes

some

Porini

yes

Worldwide

Schaeffer Productique

yes

AREL, Australia: According to Michael Sakowicz, project manager, Arel has added business intelligence into its software, which allows companies to better meet a company’s key performance indicators. The strategy of how Arel works — taking a template and customizing it to the customer’s processes and business — is what differentiates it from competitors. Sakowicz believes that its customers choose Arel over alternatives because it can quickly change the software in reaction to the customer’s needs. Datatex®, a global company with offices in Alpharetta, Ga.: Shannon McCarthy, head of Business Development & Administration Americas, said that Datatex® has updated its user interface, and its ERP module now has some finite capacity plan-

Company

Table 3

mobile devices. A primary differentiator of inteos compared to its competitors is that inteos can track all materials used and can therefore support the identification of an optimized reuse of the raw material. Kreutzberg says that customers choose inteos because Halo knows how a textile company thinks, helps to analyze its customer’s process and can customize its software if required.

France And Other Parts Of Europe Schaeffer Productique, France: Olivier Heitz, technical manager, said that the latest version of Schaeffer Productique is fully Web-based, there

is now workflow to manage fashion, and artificial intelligence has been added into the ability to change the scheduling rules. Key company differentiators include Schaeffer Productique’s ability to communicate about textiles and that the software is already used in textile factories. Heitz said that customers choose Schaeffer Productique because the company speaks the same language as most of its customers — French and German — and employs many textile engineers.

Italy Computer House S.r.l., Italy: Paolo Langé, engineer at Computer House, said that Computer House®

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Processes In Which Software Has Been Implemented Company

Fabric Cut & Sew Nonwovens Inspection

Spinning

Knitting

Warping

Weaving

Dyeing

Finishing

Printing

Arel

yes

Computer House®

yes

Datatex®

yes

Halo GmbH – inteos®

yes

Interlem GP Omega

yes

Just MES

yes

Porini

yes

Schaeffer Productique

yes

yes Table 2

ning and scheduling. Datatex now also offers a finance module and a mobile sales app. Key differentiators of Datatex include strong scheduling, excellent transferability, and bottom up and actual costing. In addition, there is fairly limited customization in Datatex implementations because the software has so much functionality and this makes it easier to upgrade customer’s software with new releases. McCarthy believes that customers choose Datatex because it is proven, the company knows their customers’ manufacturing processes, and the software looks modern and is modern. Just MES, Germany: Just MES used to be owned by Up Solutions, but now is owned by the Retelit Group. Lucrezia Rivetti, sales back office specialist, said that Just MES has added automatic planning capability and now includes machine learning algorithms to help companies analyze their processes. Differentiators of Just MES over its competitors include lower cost, ease of use and implementation, and that it is ERP independent. Rivetti said that customers appreciate that they do not have to explain textile processes to Just MES contacts at the Retelit Group because these contacts are very experienced with textile operations.

Porini S.r.l., Italy: Thorsten Steiert, a consultant at b4dynamics — an IT/ERP consulting company that works with Porini — said that Porini offers a complete system. Key differentiators are that Porini is based on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 system, it has cloud functionality, and when new features are added to the Microsoft system, Porini also can offer these capabilities. Steiert believes that customers choose Porini since it works with all kinds of textiles and textile processes and is very flexible.

Conclusions There have been many changes to APS software over the past two to three years. Some company representatives said that its software now includes some mobile device capabilities. A few companies said that its software is now fully Web-based. Several mentioned that they have included artificial intelligence and business intelligence within their software solution. With regards to factors that differentiate the software and why representatives believe customers choose their software over their competitors, many highlighted their company’s knowledge of textile process. In addition, many representatives also emphasized that its system has been

developed to be used with textile processes, which means less customization is required. These advantages speak to why a textile company might want to choose an APS system that focuses on the textile industry rather than a general APS system. APS company representatives also mentioned many other differentiators and reasons customers choose its system. Better scheduling was mentioned by a few representatives, as was lower cost. Some discussed cultural factors, like language knowledge or competency of area business practices. However, the reason most commonly given by company representatives was its responsiveness to customer requests. Choosing the correct APS system is difficult. This paper provides a highlevel comparison of potential options to help textile companies begin to narrow down possibilities. TW Editor’s Note: Editor’s Note: Dr. Kristin A. Thoney Barletta is professor, associate head & director of Undergraduate Programs in the Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management Department at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles. This article was adapted for TW from a paper by Dr. Barletta published in the NC State Wilson College of Textiles’ Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (JTATM).

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WEAVING

Arahne’s ArahPaint drawing product allows a weave designer to draw or edit images in seamless repeat.

he theme for ITMA 2023 was “Transforming the World of Textiles” with attention to sustainable innovations and digital advancements. This focus was seen in many processes of the textile industry from fiber development and production to fabric finishing. Included in these processes where digital advances were evident was computer-aided design (CAD) for the weaving industry. CAD for weaving is an essential step in the development of woven fabrics and the demands of the software are constantly adapting and changing. Digital advancements for improving function, speed and visualization are constantly being updated to meet the needs of the modern textile design world. This article reviews four different CAD software companies focused on woven design for dobby and jacquard development and production. All of the software reviewed may be used

for CAD and communication to the manufacturing equipment through computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). Each company has a strong set of tools for each part of the fabric design process starting with initial pattern design development to technical weave development and image simulation and communication to the weaving machinery for production. The companies are reviewed in alphabetical order.

CAD Software For Weaving: Arahne Slovenia-based Arahne is a software company that specializes in developing CAD/CAM systems for dobby and jacquard weaving. Established in 1992, it works closely with many mills and is very customer focused, developing its software with the designer experience as a main focus. Arahne is closely in step with the international textile industry and

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has adapted to the ever-changing needs of speed, function and flexibility. The software is available in 17 languages and runs on Mac OSX, LINUX and Windows — with virtual box, Vmware or Windows Subsystem for Linux. Arahne offers different software products including ArahPaint, ArahWeave ArahView 3D and ArahDrape developed to suit the needs of the woven designer from initial concept development to final production. ArahPaint, the company’s drawing product allows the weave designer to draw or edit images in seamless repeat using all the standard drawing tools. It has the ability to work in multiple or single layers, can draw in fabric density and quickly clean the image of unwanted pixels with its special despeckle tool. The program can also load CAM formats so it can be used to verify the correctness of Stäubli, JC5 or Bonas EP files. A new special feature is a filter that uses mathematical algorithms to design quick variations of patterns by rearranging motifs into different distorted mosaic type patterns. This program cab be freely downloaded for Mac, Windows or Linux, and works without limitations. ArahWeave, Arahne’s technical weaving program, combines the function of dobby and jacquard design software into one single product. It includes functions for creating weave files at a maximum size of 65,000 ends x 65,000 picks that can be sent directly to the loom and are adaptable for a variety of looms. It has a weave development function with a database of 41,000 available weaves, a fabric cross-section view, automatic correction of long floats, a thread pattern generator for making complex thread patterns, a fabric price calculation feature and allows up to 500 colors variants in one file. Innovative advancements to ArahWeave include a weft blanket tool and realistic fabric simulation. The

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weft blanket tool, a function of ArahWeave XL can handle up to 260,000 ends and picks and allows customers to weave many different designs in a continuous file without stopping the loom, thus reducing the cost of sampling down to normal weaving. Realistic fabric simulation that includes technical data like thread pattern, weave structure, density, color and yarn composition with interactive editing allows the designer to immediately see what a fabric will look like in real time. These simulations can then be applied to Arahne’s fabric mapping and draping programs ArahView 3D and ArahDrape to show how the fabric will look in application. Simulations also may be exported as a GLTF file to external fashion design and draping programs like CLO3D. Both of these innovative digital advancements show a moving toward sampling efficiency, production time and overhead.

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uct categories and include dobby, jacquard, 3D weave, 3D weave comp and simulation options. EAT Dobby has all the necessary functionalities for creating a dobby pattern like an easily adaptable arrangement of the shafts/harnesses, adjustment of the peg plan and an easy change of colors. A new integrated Stripe editor in the EAT Dobby program allows for the easy creation of stripes and squares. EAT Jacquard is an extremely flexible program that is unique in that it works with a running chain system which carries all necessary information from the functions related to the development of a woven design. The program includes many functions

to develop and display an infinite amount of weave constructions from simple weaves to multilayer weave constructions. Specific parameters of the weaves such as number of warps, wefts and interacting compound layers can be set and reviewed in a digital 3D model which can be rotated and adjusted. This feature is ideal for creating and reviewing a variety of weave structures. For more advanced technical weave structures, EAT has developed the 3D Weave Composite program. In this program weave structures can be developed as composites of a cross section of warp or weft that can be visualized and controlled with the 3D view. For final production this cross section can be

EAT - The DesignScope Co. EAT GmbH “The DesignScope Company” is one of the oldest established CAD for weaving software companies that is still running today. Originally developed in Germany in 1983 to simplify the working steps in the woven textile production industry, it has now turned into a software house and consulting company for many textile applications of CAD/CAM. Working closely with its customers, this software was developed based on the needs of textile production and has grown with the textile industry since. It has been consistently updated and adapted to meet the ever changing creative and technical needs of both the designer and the manufacturer. This software is available in many languages and currently runs on windows; and depending on the market needs, may offer different options in the future. EAT offers a range of modern software solutions for woven design from dobby and jacquard to technical weave development and simulation. The woven software components of EAT are divided into different prod-

EAT’s 3D Weave Composite is a specialty software for developing technical textiles.

related to jacquard fabric development including drawing, color reduction and correction, expansion, weave application color reduction, box motion, and machine definition. New updated functions to the EAT Jacquard program includes a new mask function that helps to find similar areas in a pattern and automatically change them in one step and an addition of an EAT layer editor that works with up to 50 vector layers at a time and can simultaneously change densities of the fabrics in the different layers. Unique programs to EAT are the 3D Weave and 3D Weave Composite programs. 3D Weave allows the user

converted to a traditional flat weave file. This multi-dimensional function of the 3D Weave Composite allows the user to visualize complex weave structures in a new way, allowing room for fabric design innovation. EAT has a woven textile Simulation function that has been continuously improved over the years. This simulation feature starts at the yarn level and can be modified to specific yarn parameters, fabric densities, lights/shadows and perspectives which enables the user to simulate a variety of high-resolution textile designs very quickly. A new yarn creation function has further pushed the

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simulation feature by easily allowing the user to create and display light and shadows in the yarn which in turn impact the end result in the fabric simulation. Finally, a 3D Mapp program allows for the high-resolution simulations to be applied to 3D rendered CAD images to best display design concepts in application. Continuous innovative digital advancements to EAT software programs have propelled this company and established its place as a strong player in the textile design industry.

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on Windows and several run on both Windows and Mac. Easy Weave is an easy-to-use weave program that allows designers with limited technical weaving knowledge to create simple dobby patterned fabrics like plaids and stripes. It has a full complement of tools for inputting various warp and weft color arrangements. It has an option to create custom weave patterns by inputting custom weave textures or using one of the hundreds of weaves in the included library. It

Jacquard CAD/CAM solutions from NedGraphics are the most complex of its weaving software products.

NedGraphics NedGraphics is a global company with offices in America, Europe and Asia. It has been around for 45 years, providing software solutions for the apparel, home furnishing, carpet and retail industry. NedGraphics creates design software for a variety of textiles including print, woven, and knitted fabrics as well as for carpet design, color management and calibration, merchandising, and more. The software can be obtained in modular units depending on the needs of the customer. For the weaving sector of the industry, it provides a variety of software options including Easy Weave, Dobby Pro, Texcelle solutions and Jacquard CAD/CAM solutions. All software products run

offers simulations of the woven fabric with realistic yarn textures. Dobby Pro allows the designer to easily develop any type of woven dobby fabrics. With a variety of tools, it can meet the design needs of a beginner to advanced woven dobby designer. Design ideas can be started from scratch or by using a fabric scan as a starting point. Features of the software allow the user to create basic and compound weaves, access automatic float checking and instantly convert files to be produced on any weaving machine. The user’s own yarns can be scanned in to visualize a fabric and weave structure in real-time. Texcelle is a more complex software program used by jacquard and carpet companies to create a woven

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design. It is user friendly and offers more than 150 design tools for drawing, scaling and creating repeat structures. It has additional special features that make the weave design process more efficient— like an option to fill patterns or weave structures, support large files, the option to work on multiple designs simultaneously, an easy access clipboard where designs can be stored, and an easy to use color palette saving function. Jacquard CAD/CAM product is the most complex weaving software by NedGraphics, which takes advanced jacquard fabrics from concept development to final production. A variety of woven fabric types are supported in this software including upholstery, terry, ties, velvet or labels. Functions include easy creation and storage of weave files, automatic and manual float checking, export of files to run on any type of weaving machine, and instant creation of production data. An advanced high-quality simulation engine where yarns can be scanned in can generate realistic virtual samples that can be recolored using its True Coloring Software. Pair it with other NedGraphics programs like Texcelle to create a fully creative suite. In addition to weaving software, NedGraphics has a variety of software products for other textile development needs. For printed fabrics, NedGraphics offers a variety of design creation and preparation products to ensure designers will get the best printed fabric. Color Reduction & Cleaning allow designers to reduce the number of colors and clean up art images, Easy Coloring enables recoloring of designs, and Design & Repeat caters for motif repeats. All products enable better color palette management whatever the program. NedGraphics recently partnered with Pantone® to integrate key Pantone libraries and the X-Rite i1Pro 3 spectrophotometer in upcoming NedGraphics software releases. For presentation options, NedGraphics Storyboard & Cataloging allows designers to create professional presentations, storyboards, line sheets and catalogue pages. Its

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Easy Map Creator applies fabric designs directly onto 3D simulations of garments or furniture, with an option to automatically change the color options. In addition, NedGraphics is a leader in software for Carpet Design Solutions, covering the complete workflow from design to production ready files. Its tiling software product creates stunning and realistic floor layouts for office buildings, hotels and other commercial spaces. The biggest announcements for NedGraphics this year include the NedGraphics for Adobe ® plug-ins and extensions to Illustrator and Photoshop. These NedGraphics design products for sketching, design, repeat functions, coloring, knitting and weaving allow for an ease of use, time and cost savings and an accelerated design workflow.

Penelope Penelope ® is a global graphic software company focused on the development of programs for the textile industry. The Spain-based company is well established with more than 600 customers in 36 countries. It has more than 30 years of experience, originating in 1986 with a dobby development program, adding jacquard software 1994. Its focus is client oriented with a user-friendly interface and a powerful set of tools for each part of the fabric design process. The Penelope software is divided into two product categories, Dobby CAD and Jacquard CAD. Each of these software products comes with a variety of design tools and functions that can take a designer from initial concept development to exporting CAM files for final production. Penelope Dobby CAD has all the tools needed to design and produce dobby fabrics. Dobby designs can be easily created and adjusted to meet the needs of the designer through user-friendly tools. After designing, the software generates files with all technical data needed to communicate to a variety of industry machines like looms and sample warping

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Penelope Jacquard simulation

machines. In addition, this software can manage and produce different combinations of designs for blanket sampling. Penelope Jacquard CAD, like its dobby program, has all the tools needed to create and produce a woven fabric but with the complex demands of jacquard design. It is equipped with a strong drawing component, Penelope IMAGE, which has the ability to work in layers and in vector format, and can also work in multi-density options. For technical weave needs, warp and weft layouts can easily be created and edited. There is a tool for easy generating weaves with a library of 3,500 basic weaves that can be easily accessed and simulated. Additionally, there is an automatic float cutting tool. The software can automatically convert a predesigned image into a graph with the image parameters, make color blankets and can automatically generate designs and colorways. Innovative digital advancements for both the Penelope Jacquard CAD and the Dobby CAD are the yarn creation tool and a powerful simulation tool. The yarn creation tool uses a colorimeter feature to accurately reproduce yarn colors into the system. One of the strongest features is the Hyper realistic fabric simulation which can simulate all types of fabric effects including leno weave, seersucker, and brushing effects with high quality

graphics. One of the biggest announcements from Penelope in terms of simulation is its new partnership with CLO3D. A digital texture from Penelope can now be exported from Penelope and dragged and dropped directly into CLO for immediate simulation onto a digital 3D mapping form. These advancements towards realistic fabric simulation show the company’s understanding of the needs of the textile industry.

Understanding The Industry’s Needs Digital advancement in textiles was a strong theme at ITMA 2023, which was greatly represented in the area of CAD software for weaving. The companies reviewed in this article work closely with their clients and react to their needs, as well as anticipate needs in software development. All four companies reviewed in this article are up to date on innovations in the industry and designed for the contemporary woven textile designer. TW Editor’s Note: Janie Woodbridge is an assistant professor in the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State, Raleigh, N.C., in the department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management. This article was adapted for Textile World from a paper by Woodbridge published in the NC State Wilson College of Textiles’ Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (JTATM).

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People Peter D. Dornier will step down from his position as CEO of Germany-based DORNIER GmbH on July 1, 2024, and transition to the supervisory board. Technical Managing Director Andreas Kueckelmann will succeed Dornier as chairman of the board of management. Kueckelmann will be assisted by Commercial Managing Director Franz-Peter Matheis. Germany-based Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co. KG has appointed Alexander Mandel sales director. In

addition, Raghav Kuberan has assumed responsibility for production and materials management at Brückner’s Leonberg and Tittmoning, Germany, locations as vice president, Operations. Kuberan, who will also handle IT responsibilities in both locations, replaces Rüdiger Gieske who is retiring after more than 25 years as COO. Vince Tyra is the new president and CEO of Montreal-based Gildan Activewear Inc. Kentwool, Greenville, S.C., has named Justin Ferdinand president and

BulletinBoard Keel Labs, Morrisville, N.C., has debuted a T-shirt made using Kelsun™, the company’s seaweed-based fiber. The 70-percent Kelsun/30-percent cotton garment represents the first Kelsun garment made using industry-standard knitting machines. DuPont, Wilmington, Del., has formed a partnership with Pompano Beach, Fla.-based Point Blank Enterprises Inc. to produce body armor using Kevlar® EXO™ aramid fiber. The armor will be available to North American state and local law enforcement departments.

CEO. Ferdinand replaces Owner Kim Kent and represents the first CEO in the company’s history who is not related to the Kent family. Kim will continue as chairman of the company. High Point, N.C.-based Culp Inc. has hired Mary Beth Hunsberger as executive Hunsberger vice president of Culp Upholstery Fabrics. Hunsberger will work alongside Boyd Chumbley during a transition period and will succeed Chumbley as president of the division

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Brett Baird was promoted to vice president of sales at Burlington, N.C.-based Trivantage®. Winston-Salem, N.C.based HanesBrands has named Richard Mcleod vice president, chief marketing officer of Global Champion®. NatureWorks, Plymouth, Minn., has appointed Erik Ripple president and CEO. He succeeds interim president Jill Zullo. TW

PAKA®’s PAKACLOUD™ polar fleece half zip

gold levels for its Thrive® matter nylon 6 fiber.

Fi-Tech Inc., Richmond, Va., recently launched a newly designed website — located at fi-tech.com, —which features a modern look, updated content, optimized search structure and user-friendly navigation, among other features. Paka®, Boulder, Colo., recently introduced PAKACLOUD™, an alpaca fiber fleece fabric. According to the company, this alternative to traditional fleece fabrics outperforms man-made fiber fleece fabrics in warmth to weight ratio and tests warmer in

sometime during the third quarter of 2024. Chumbley will continue with Culp in an advisory role.

CLO value tests. The company also has added a Pima cotton/baby alpaca fiber blend T-shirt and Performance 3/4 crew socks to its product offerings. Universal Fibers®, Bristol, Va., has received a C2C Certified Material Health Certificate™ at the silver and

Dallas-based Celanese and Baltimore-based Under Armour have introduced NEOLAST™, a new stretch fiber for performance fabrics. The spandex alternative could increase the recycling potential of garments featuring stretch fibers. Precision Textiles LLC, Fairfield, N.J., has announced it will use Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi Inc.’s REPREVE® recycled fiber to produce all of its filler cloth products. TW

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Calendar MARCH 13-14: European Polyamide Conference 2024, organized by Wood Mackenzie, Kap Europa Congress Center, Frankfurt, Germany.Visit woodmac.com/events/ euro-polyamide-conference/.

20-22: Expo Producción 2024, World Trade Center, Mexico City, Mexico. Visit expoproduccion.mx/en.

16-19: Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN) Carolina Mill Tour. Visit aapnetwork.net.

27: STA Southern Division Spring Meeting, Greenville, S.C.Visit southerntextile.org.

17-19: Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) second annual golf tournament, Rocky River Golf Course, Concord, N.C.; followed by the 2024 SYFA Spring Conference, Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C.Visit thesyfa.org.

APRIL 19-21: Spunbond Technology Short Course, organized by the the Nonwovens Institute (NWI) and Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), NWI, NC State, Raleigh, N.C.Visit inda.org/ training/advanced-training.php 19-22: FESPA Global Print Expo 2024, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Visit fespaglobalprintexpo.com.

9-11: National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.Visit ncto.org. 11: Sewn Products Equipment and Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference, California Market Center, Los Angeles.Visit spesa-association. org/spesa-advancements-conference.

23: STA Northern Division Spring Meeting, NC State University, Raleigh, N.C.Visit southerntextile.org. 23-26:Techtextil 2024/Texprocess 2024, Messe Frankfurt fairground, Frankfurt, Germany.Visit techtextil.messefrankfurt.com; texprocess.messefrankfurt.com. TW

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Saucony Runs After A More Quality Fabric

Sustainable Future Saucony’s Triumph RFG running shoe features a cotton upper and 55-percent Susterra® propanediol mid-sole for a more sustainable performance product.

Of The

Month By Rachael S. Davis, Executive Editor

CONTACTS:

For more information about Saucony’s Triumph RFG shoe, visit saucony.com; and for more information about Susterra®, visit susterraperforms.com

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erformance running shoes almost exclusively have been produced using man-made materials because performance — including flexibility, cushioning, breathability and stability — as well as durability are specifications that are easily met with synthetic materials. But when such performance shoes reach the end of their useful lives, they are not very environmentally friendly and are typically difficult to recycle. There are roughly 22 billion pairs of footwear manufactured each year according to various sources, with the U.S. Department of the Interior reporting as many as 300 million pairs of shoes each year are discarded into landfills where they can take 30 to 40 years to decompose. Lexington, Mass.-based brand Saucony® — a division of Wolverine World Wide Inc. — recently published sustainability goals that aim to have 90 percent of its production contain organic, recycled or renewable materials by the year 2025, ramping up to 100 percent by 2030. With these goals in mind, the brand developed its Triumph RFG (Run For Good) performance shoe — its most sustainable running shoe to date — using sustainable materials throughout its construction. The shoe features a mesh cotton upper that is dyed using plant-based dyes. These dyes result in light, neutral colors for the running shoes. To produce the mid-sole, Saucony collaborated with CovationBio PDO™, producer of biobased Susterra® propanediol, to produce the shoe’s PWRRUN BIO+®

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midsole foam. The foam is made using 55-percent Susterra, a regeneratively grown dent-corn-based 1,3 propanediol, which is petroleum-free. According to CovationBio, Susterra generates “48-percent less greenhouse gas emissions cradle-to-gate compared to 1,4-butanediol (BDO), a common petrochemical-sourced alternative,” thus reducing dependency on fossil fuels. In addition, Saucony engineered a material for the outsole featuring 80-percent rubber, which Saucony reports performs just as well as a man-made material but is more sustainable. “At Saucony, we say that when we innovate, we elevate — the industry, our partners and the sport,” said Rob Griffiths, Saucony global brand president. “But quite simply, the future of our sport depends on the future of our planet, and we know we can do better for ourselves and the earth. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. That means as a member of the global community, it is imperative that we are constantly innovating, researching, and committing to our promise to find more sustainable options. We believe there is no finish line when it comes to sustainability; we are dedicated to pushing ourselves and the industry to do better.” “We are proud to be a part of Saucony’s sustainable mission, and this marks a milestone for Susterra propanediol,” said John Hurban, vice president of global marketing and sales at CovationBio PDO. “It’s the first example we’re aware of where this percentage of bio-based content is used in the midsole of an athletic shoe. We believe runners and fitness enthusiasts will benefit from increased high-performance shoe flexibility, comfortability, and durability. This shoe sizes up against the competition and goes the distance to have a lighter environmental footprint.” TW

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