GRAZ - Andritz will present its latest nonwovens production and converting solutions at the upcoming IDEA exhibition.

On show will be the latest technology aimed at improving production processes across a range of industries including the hygiene sector.

In a continuously changing nonwovens market, notes Andritz, the demands of high quality nonwovens production are increasing constantly – including an increased demand for lower production costs, higher capacities and speeds, improved product quality as well as sustainable and intelligent production.

For this sector Andritz provides high level air-through bonding, spunlaid, spunjet, spunlace, Wetlace and converting technologies.

One driver of the spunlace market, for example, is decreasing weight per square metre by maintaining a high MD and CD tensile strength. Indeed, fibres account for a substantial part of the production costs while very high productivity is needed for the lighter fabrics that need perfect uniformity.

Andritz says it provides technologies that can more than fulfill these challenges, highlighting how its solutions lead to spunlace roll goods that can achieve weights of 25 gsm and even less for ultra light spunlace fabrics, along with high quality web uniformity.

Andritz also notes how maximized uptimes, high capacities and intelligent production processes are key requirements in a modern spunlaid production plant. The newly developed Andritz neXcal twin pro generation is the response to these demands with features that include high-speed production of up to 1,300 m/min, IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) systems, clean production concepts and operator-friendly machine configuration.

In addition, the spunjet process, the in-line hydroentanglement of continuous filament, can open up new opportunities from added value products with properties such as softness and bulkiness.

"Moreover, the converting process for hygiene products requires premium quality standards, high capacities, and top-level production efficiency by reducing labor costs and machine down time," Andritz says. "Andritz Diatec, for example, offers its customers a comprehensive baby diaper lineup and meets diversified market requirements. Adult care is another key segment of the converting industry with growing demands from manufacturers all across the globe. The Andritz Diatec adult pull-up line responds to this demand with its high-quality components and innovative technology processes. Converting processes applied to the food pad industry have resulted in Andritz’s dedicated line for food pads."

Flushable

Andritz has also responded to the growing demand for flushable/dispersible wipes. Conventional spunlacing provides wipes with high tensile strength and softness, but, the company points out, they are only flushable due to their size and neither dispersible nor biodegradable leading to blockages in the sewerage systems.

Flushable wipes made on Andritz Wetlace solutions (inclined wire forming and hydroentaglement), are 100 per cent biodegradable and dispersible with the fabrics produced using this process also complying with the latest EDANA/INDA flushability standards, passing all tests according to the new guidelines.

Andritz’s technology also offers high degree of flexibility to produce other types of wipes such as biodegradable products as well as supporting the trend of moving away from plastics and synthetics.

Service

Andritz also provides a full service offering which has been created to improve uptime, productivity, and product quality. This includes on-site support, specific training, line audits and troubleshooting, upgrades and modernizations, spare parts, and roll repair centers in Europe, North America, and China. In the USA, Andritz is well supported in sales and service by its local branches Andritz Küsters in Spartanburg, South Carolina and Andritz SHW in Torrington, Connecticut.

Andritz has also developed an IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) solution for existing and new plants under its new technology brand Metris. "Nonwoven producers have high expectations of the greater plant efficiency and increased profitability that can be gained by networking machines and applying new technologies," the company says. "Metris products are the very latest state of the art – they can be customized to suit individual customer requirements, and they make a substantial contribution towards helping customers achieve the best possible productivity and efficiency goals."

At IDEA, which takes place from 23-25 March in Miami, the Andritz team can be found on booth 1412.