It was quite peculiar when I recently mentioned that I will attend a press conference. "Why?" people asked. This reaction was pretty amazing to me. This company probably wants to show it is still around and its people do their homework: research and development resulting in new or enhanced products for the industry -- and, last, but not least, to be ready when the upswing will truly start. Admittedly, this conclusion was only a guess; however, why not?

So I drove to Sargans, Switzerland, to visit Stäubli AG and realized that the company not only invited the media but also people from the local authorities. And, yes, the event started as expected: The management welcomed all attendees and mentioned that they want to show their will and the ability of the company to carry on work even in a difficult market environment. This seemed to be a clever move because not only is the market suffering, but the workforce as well. Information is motivation.

Flexibility
But let's have a look at the event's technical news: The weaving preparation process was for centuries one of the most time-consuming in a weaving mill. With the start of the electronic era, this situation improved greatly. Old-fashioned jobs disappeared. However, drawing-in and tying remained. Also here, advanced systems were needed. Today, modern weaving mills around the world recognize the benefits of automatic drawing-in and tying machines. Availability, productivity and flexibility of these machines are excellent, and the high quality of automatically drawn-in warps are a prerequisite for successful weaving.

Drawing-in Machine
Stäubli, one of the market leaders in this sector, presented its Safir upgraded automatic drawing-in machine. The system can be configured to draw in one or two warp beams with up to eight thread layers each. A camera system checks the yarn to be drawn in during each cycle, ensuring that no double or wrong-color yarns will be processed.

The great operational flexibility also relates to the weaving harnesses that can be used. Virtually all heddles used in shaft weaving can be handled without restriction. In the maximum configuration, heddle distribution is programmable on up to 28 frames. Another special feature is the processing option of using two different types of drop wires for the same weaving harness. This application is especially interesting for double-beam weaving such as for terry fabrics. With its virtually unrestricted application potential, and user-friendly ergonomics and convenient operation mode, Safir seems to be a big step ahead.

Warp-tying Machine
The second highlight of the presentation was the further developed Magma warp-tying machine. The system is especially suitable for tying coarse yarns. Threads to be tied are separated at the lease using a new, patent-pending system developed by Stäubli that works without any yarn-specific settings. This development simplifies operation and changing from one application to another. A built-in camera system monitors the separation of the threads and prevents doubled threads. By a simple push of a button, Magma can also be set to tie double knots, even with very slick yarns.

Almost every kind of raw material can be used. For warps with 1:1 lease, the yarn count range goes from Ne 0.3 to 50/1 for staple fibers. The length of knot ends is variable with a minimum of 5 millimeters, and the system is applicable on all Stäubli type TPF3 tying frames.

Stäubli reports its new, patented separating system reliably separates threads from the lease, completely without thread-specific separating elements or special adjustments. Optical sensors check every separated yarn pair before it is tied, preventing a false double yarn from being tied.

Information Means Motivation
In a discussion at the end of the presentation, people from the staff welcomed the activities of "their own" company and mentioned that every move is bringing up the level of motivation of the staff. Information is motivation -- this is still the first lesson in human relations. On top of that, Stäubli highlighted its presence in the market by raising its flag. Gathering people under the flag and showing your power and presence has been traditional for millennia. Cleverly, now is the best time to mark presence, when everybody can see it and the territory is empty.

November 24, 2009