FibeRio Technology Corp., McAllen, Texas, reports its Cyclone™ Fiber Engine (FE) 1.1 machine is the first industrial-scale model utilizing Forcespinning™ technology that can continuously produce nanofibers via solution and melt spinning. The technology uses centrifugal force to spin nanofibers, nanowires and nanorods.

The Cyclone FE 1.1 enables an increased range of materials to be processed and products to be manufactured at significantly reduced costs; and can be integrated into an existing nonwoven line to increase productivity, or delivered as a discrete roll-to-roll system for specialty products or limited runs. The machine can produce nanofibers with diameters averaging 500 nanometers and below with a very tight standard distribution; and features a proprietary design that uniformly deposits the nanofibers across its 1.1-meter width. Its advanced extrusion and solution pump system can be controlled discretely or by software custom-designed to interface with the customer's factory floor controls. In addition, the manufacturing process requires no toxic solvents.

November/December 2011