X-Rite President, Ron Voigt, To Present At FEI 2017 In Boston

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — April 26, 2017 — X-Rite Inc. and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, are pleased to announce that Ron Voigt, president, will be presenting at FEI 2017 in Boston, May 8-11. FEI Boston takes attendees through the entire value supply chain, from idea conception to execution, in order to maximize the opportunistic potential of innovation teams. Voigt will present on using specificity in the creative process to help innovators more accurately bring their winning ideas to fruition. As a case in point, at FEI, X-Rite will showcase its award-winning Total Appearance Capture (TAC™) ecosystem, an appearance solution that captures ultra-specific physical material appearance for use in virtual design applications by using 32 white LEDs, 8 LEDs with spectral filters, a moveable linear light source, a projector and 4 cameras.

“I am so excited to be speaking at FEI for the first time,” said Voigt, “In addressing the FEI audience, I am really engaging with my type of people – innovators dedicated to a continuous pursuit of improvements and groundbreaking solutions. I was inspired to present on this topic because I often notice how misunderstood specificity is. Designers often fear that being specific early in the innovation process stifles creativity. But in reality, specific data points define the target a design team must achieve in the front end of innovation, eliminating detours and roundabouts in the process and ensuring a common vision. This ultimately leads to better quality and more efficient execution on the back end of innovation.”

The X-Rite Total Appearance Capture solution builds on company’s legacy of innovation, going beyond the science of color to the more significant challenge of capturing and managing appearance. TAC brings virtual designs to life with digital material representations that are truly physically correct. Using the TAC ecosystem, product designers, 3D artists, material specifiers and marketers can scan in physical material samples and create vendor-neutral Appearance Exchange Format (AxF™) files to digitally communicate and share consistent appearance-related data with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Computer-Aided Design (CAD), and state-of-the art rendering applications. Incorporating the TAC ecosystem into the digital design process helps to improve design time, reduce approval cycles, and accelerate speed to market.

Presentation Details

Title: The Counterintuitive Magic of Specificity

Description: For innovators, ensuring that a creative vision comes to life as originally imagined can be a challenge. Learn how getting specific early on helps you span the gap between design and execution, accelerate time to market, maximize your creativity, and gives you confidence that your vision will be faithfully produced…the first time and every time.

Posted April 26, 2017

Source: X-Rite

SHIMA SEIKI Launches PLM Software For Flat Knitting Industry

WAKAYAMA, Japan — April 25, 2017 — Japanese computerized flat knitting machine manufacturer SHIMA SEIKI Mfg. Ltd. has announced the release of its new Shima KnitPLM® software specifically engineered for the flat knitting industry.

Today’s apparel industry is evolving at a rapid pace. New forms of retail such as fast fashion and e-commerce require new production infrastructure that support quick response and mass customization, and smart factories utilizing Industry 4.0 and IoT are key to the future of industry success. To that end Shima Seiki has been introducing various products and services to enhance its TOTAL FASHION SYSTEM which advocates fully integrated apparel manufacturing from planning and design to production and sales promotion. Initiatives that have already materialized include the new “staf” web-based fashion trend archive that supports fashion planning, the SPS (Shima Private Server) cloud-based point-of-sales tool, and the Virtual Fitting System virtual-reality based fitting room.

To further support knit manufacturing in the 21st century, Shima Seiki has developed the world’s first PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) system dedicated to flat knitting as a powerful implementation of IoT for realizing factory automation. With Shima KnitPLM, the entire manufacturing process of knitwear from planning to production can be visualized to support efforts in maximizing production efficiency throughout. To this end, Shima Seiki has released the following soft- ware as part of Shima KnitPLM.

SPP: Shima Production Planning (production planning system)

SPP software manages production scheduling and machine assignment based on manufacturing order (MO) information managed by the user’s existing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. Even users without ERP can input MO information from a dedicated input menu. Production plans created with SPP can be sent automatically to SPR3, where progress can be managed according to schedule.

SPC: Shima Production Control (data distribution system)

It is still the norm for knitting data at the factory to be prepared and sent manually to each machine via net- work or USB device. SPC can automatically send the required production data to individual machines based on scheduling data provided by SPP, reducing workload and preventing mistakes.

SPR3: Shima Production Report 3 (production management system)

As a new and improved version of Shima Seiki’s SPR2 production management software that is already used by most of Shima Seiki’s mid- to large-scale customers, SPR3 can provide high-level solutions through linkage with existing ERP systems, management of machine operators, and — when production stops for some reason—the time and cause of stoppage. Moreover, by using cloud service, factory operating conditions and production status for individual orders can be confirmed remotely at any moment.

Shima Seiki will continue to provide solutions for customers facing new issues such as diversified fashion trends, globally expanding production bases, and shortening of production lead times.

Posted April 25, 2017

Source: Shima Seiki

INX Digital’s Industrial Print Solutions At InPrint USA Get Products To Market Faster

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — April 25, 2017 — As InPrint USA is held for the first time April 25-27 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, INX Digital (Booth 1431) will have speed on the agenda. The CP100 UV digital cylindrical printer is powered by the highly efficient JetINX™ Printhead Drive Electronics and Ink Recirculation systems and a separate SLED test machine accelerates the process to deliver products to market. Booth visitors also can expect to find unique home décor and packaging displays courtesy of Prodigy™ brand inks.

Jim Lambert, vice president, General Manager – Digital Division of INX International Ink Co., will discuss the development of JetINX at the InPrint Showcase Theater (Booth 1235) on Wednesday, April 26 from 1:30-2 p.m. He will participate in the “Digitizing Brand Color in Metal Decoration” conference and highlight new technology and product research, which he says requires consistent updating in order to compete in today’s marketplace.

“Over time, we have gradually improved and refined the JetINX engine. That has impacted the CP100, which we originally introduced in 2010,” said Lambert.

The upgraded CP100 UV digital cylindrical printer is ideal for promotional products distributors and others. Both it and the SLED are built to meet the growing demand for Direct-to-Object printing in industrial markets. Most importantly, Lambert notes these machines allow designers and brand owners to produce cost efficient short runs, proofs and prototypes with Direct-to-Object printing.

“The CP100 is a natural for the drinkware, cosmetic and industrial printing industries. It comes equipped with the newest patent pending helical printing software and delivers exceptional quality single or multiple-color images at very high speeds. And it’s fast; it can produce a sample or prototype in only a few seconds,” said Lambert.

“The SLED machine is a cost affordable test and demonstration device. It’s a single pass machine that examines inks and chemistries in different fluid delivery systems. It also can test printheads and various ink sets, and gives you the ability to look at how the ink is responding to a variety of substrates and materials.”

Lambert said INX Digital’s Prodigy UV Curable and solvent inks will be on display in the booth. Designed for use on demanding industrial applications, these inks can be found in the home décor and packaging settings. Pigmented inks were used on the corrugated and folding cartons stored on shelves in the packaging exhibit. Learn more about Prodigy or any of the products by speaking with an INX Digital representative in booth 1431.

Posted April 25, 2017

Source: INX Digital

Orders Surge In March

Jim-Phillips-colorBy Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor

After a disappointing end to 2016 and a sluggish beginning to 2017, spinners are finally beginning to regain some optimism. A number of spinners reported a significant uptick in orders beginning in early March.

“I wouldn’t say business is great right now, but it is certainly better than it was. We’ve been getting a steady stream of orders for the past five or six weeks and inquiries are on the rise,” said one spinner. Another commented: “It looks like we beginning to return to normal. We’ve had a noticeable increase in interest. The sizes of the orders are getting a little bigger. We are beginning to build a little bit of a backlog again.”

One yarn broker noted: “A lot of it certainly depends on what you have to offer. Ring-spun and air-jet yarns are getting a lot of attention. Positions are beginning to get a little tight again. Orders for OE yarns, in general, are still a bit light, but are improving.”

Interest is particularly high in specific categories. “I have had a lot of interest in organic products lately, and I think this will continue to grow, given the growing consumer obsession with organic everything.” Other products attracting particular attention, he said, include fire retardant yarns and products used for filtering. “As the oil industry continues to recover, I think you will see these categories continue to grow.”

One spinner noted business has recovered in a lot of key areas, but some still have room for improvement. “We are seeing renewed interest in a lot of areas. One area that has not come back as strong as I thought, however, is home furnishings. I expect business to pick up substantially here in the very near future.”

TPP Hangover?

For quite a while, spinners have puzzled about the cause of the recent downturn. Now that business is beginning to turnaround again, some answers are beginning to appear.

“For quite awhile, we attributed the decrease in orders to a significant inventory correction by our customers. We knew they were over-ordering, especially in the case of ring-spun yarns, when positions were very tight. We figured they would deplete that inventory and then resume business as usual. Except it didn’t happen that way. Now, we have some evidence of what really happened.”

Another spinner agreed: “I think it was a lingering hangover from the TPP [Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement]. Back at the beginning of last year, when it appeared the TPP was imminent, it appears a lot of companies started moving programs to Asia — to take advantage of the lower costs the TPP promised them. Then, when it became obvious that TPP was not going to become a reality — at least during the next four years — companies began moving this business back to this hemisphere.  Obviously, there was a time lag for this to happen.”

Despite the renewed optimism among spinners, there are still a few concerns. Pricing and margin concerns are at the top of most spinners’ lists. “We can sell all the yarn we can make,” said one spinner, “but if we can’t make a profit, what’s the use?  Margins continue to be a lot thinner than we would like. We are doing everything we can to keep our prices as low as possible, but, in a lot of cases, we have to rely on our value-added advantages to create differentiation — quality, delivery and service.

Spot Cotton Prices Stable

Spot market cotton prices remained relatively stable over the first quarter of the year.  As of the week ended April 13, quotations for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets measured by the USDA averaged 72.39 cents per pound. The weekly average was down from 72.51 the previous week, but up from 58.89 cents reported during the corresponding period a year ago. Spot transactions reported for the week totaled 9,639 bales. This compares to 17,150 bales reported the previous week and 14,906 spot transactions reported during the corresponding week a year ago. The ICE May settlement prices ended the week at 75.62 cents, compared to 74.51 cents the previous week.

YMchartAprilonlne

April 2017

April 2017: Textile Activity At A Glance

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April 2017

Lectra Helps Automotive Suppliers Leverage Industry 4.0 Opportunity

PARIS — April 25, 2017 — Lectra asserts its stewardship of the automotive leather industry’s 4.0 transformation with the third consecutive edition of its annual event on the digitalization of leather cutting processes.

Decision-makers from more than 20 countries assembled at Lectra’s International Advanced Technology and Conference (IATC) center in Bordeaux-Cestas recently to discuss the new business opportunities emerging from digitalization of the automotive leather value chain, from factory to consumers. Topics presented by industry experts and Lectra customers included, among others, the smart factory of the future, likely impact of the Made in China 2025 initiative and chief business challenges to overcome for automotive industry players.

Driven by cloud-based solutions, smart manufacturing and powerful analytics, the new connected economy and industrial revolution are redefining business models and manufacturing processes. The real-time communication enabled between connected objects, production lines and services boosts manufacturing flexibility while optimizing the use of available resources. As an organization at the forefront of the Industry 4.0 movement, Lectra’s aim in hosting the event is to help the automotive leather industry prepare for the changes to come by learning more about the vital technologies they need to implement, as well as adopt more collaborative, agile and efficient practices.

“Although automotive players realize that 4.0 transformation is underway, they often don’t know how to go about it,” observes Norbert Audéoud, Operational Excellence & Strategic Transformation Expert. “Reflecting together on 4.0 transformation will make the task less challenging for the makers of leather interiors, while presenting great opportunities for performance improvement and business development.”

In the opinion of Benny Daniel, director of Consulting, Frost & Sullivan, the Go Digital event underscores the urgency for companies to plan and execute their 4.0 transformation. “The automotive industry is fiercely competitive and digitalization of the manufacturing sector will only make the landscape more uncertain. By acting now, automotive players can ensure they don’t lag behind once the pace picks up.”

From the standpoint of Henning Gathmann, Material Development, Leather, AUDI AG, new ways of doing business and running factories will also bring about new ways to meet consumer demand. “The connected economy is making it possible to satisfy consumer expectations in novel, technologically enabled ways. This event provides us with a unique opportunity to share our market vision with suppliers.”

Alberto Silvagni, head of the automotive division of the Mastrotto Group, was pleased to share insight on his company’s successful digital transformation with other automotive leather suppliers. “Competing in a connected supply chain requires a more flexible approach. Now that we’ve digitalized our cutting room, the next step for us is to increase automation elsewhere in our customer processes, to provide them with actionable information in real time.”

The event brought into sharper focus the importance of fostering interaction in the automotive leather ecosystem at such a critical time in suppliers’ 4.0 transformation. “Industry relationships are central to our success,” remarks Céline Choussy Bedouet, chief marketing and communications officer, Lectra. “Providing answers to broad-reaching questions like 4.0 transformation is as much a part of what we do as developing advanced technologies and specialized services, all of which create value for our customers.”

Posted April 25, 2017

Source: Lectra

Techtextil 2017 Exhibitor Preview: Teijin

TOKYO, Japan — April 25, 2017 — The Teijin Group announced today that its core aramid-fibers business Teijin Aramid, and fiber and products converting business Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd. will exhibit at Techtextil, an international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens to be held at Messe Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, from May 9-12.

The Teijin booth, Hall 4.1, Stand E09, will showcase its advanced solutions incorporating various proprietary materials that are widely used in safety and protection, infrastructure, automotive, and other industrial fields, including:

  • Teijinconex® meta-aramid fiber, offering highly durable heat resistance and flame retardation for firefighting protective apparel and industrial uniforms. It is also used as a reinforcement material for heat-resistant filters, rubber belts and turbocharger hoses.
  • Teijinconex® neo meta-aramid fiber, achieves unsurpassed heat resistance, excellent dyeability and environmental compliance for diverse solutions suited to protective clothing.
  • Twaron® and Technora® para-aramid fibers, withstanding temperatures of up to 400°C and offer exceptional strength for bulletproof and stab-resistant protective clothing. They also are excellent materials for automotive brake pads and reinforcement in tires, conveyor belts and various composite materials.
  • Endumax®, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) offering high dimensional stability at very low weight, making it suitable for a wide variety of applications whenever there is a need for superior strength, safety, light weight or durability, such as ballistic protection or high-performance unit load devices.
  • Nanofront®, the world’s first 700-nanometer ultra-fine polyester fiber featuring superior fitting, slip resistance, heat and light shielding, and filtering properties. It is used for diverse applications, including clothing, sportswear and industrial applications.
  • elk®, lightweight, durable, cushiony and breathable material, serves as an excellent substitute for polyurethane in a range of cushioning applications.
  • Tepyrus®, polyester ultra-fine short-cut fiber specially engineered for nonwovens. It is used in applications such as nonwoven sheets for filters and electronic materials.

The Teijin Group aims to work to properly address heightened disaster mitigation awareness and growing needs for refurbishing and expanding infrastructure as one of the growth strategies in its medium-term management plan for 2017-2019. The comprehensive presence of the Teijin Group at Techtextil is an evidence of its strong position in the global market and commitment to advanced solutions that meet these growing needs, utilizing its high-performance materials such as technical textiles and nonwovens.

Posted April 25, 2017

Source: The Teijin Group

Ricoh Continues To Grow Wide Format Portfolio, Partners With EFI

MALVERN, Pa. — April 24, 2017 — Ricoh USA Inc. today announced the addition of EFI’s H1625 LED and VUTEk® H2000 Pro hybrid roll/flatbed wide format printers to its growing wide format portfolio through a reseller agreement with EFI™. This new partnership is part of Ricoh’s ongoing efforts to better serve customers looking to add or enhance capabilities in the fast-growing wide-format segment. These devices’ versatility, productivity and broad capabilities help entry-level and advanced wide format printers alike produce dynamic roll and rigid output on a virtually endless variety of substrates to better serve end-customers, as options for white inks and clear coatings further expand print providers’ product offerings and profitability.

At a time when wide format is expected to experience 6.5-percent CAGR between 2015 and 2020,1 many print providers are eager to add or improve wide format capabilities to take advantage. Meanwhile, the barrier to entry for wide format has never been lower.

As more print providers enter the growing wide format space, it is more important than ever for wide format applications to stand out. Ricoh’s technicians and consultants leverage decades of experience to help customers produce eye-popping visuals with consistent branding and efficient workflows. This approach makes adopting wide format even easier for printers new to the space, putting the industry’s most powerful tools in customers’ hands and helping businesses get the most out of their use.

“Shops new to wide format and those established players are both constantly looking for a competitive advantage: the best approach, the latest technology, the strongest marketing,” said John Fulena, vice president, Commercial and Industrial Printing Group, Ricoh USA Inc. “This partnership brings EFI’s top-notch devices into our award-winning portfolio. These additions, combined with our services-led approach is a powerful combination that provides even more ways for our customers to succeed in a rapidly changing field.”

“We’ve partnered with Ricoh in a variety of ways throughout the years as we have both looked to blend our unique strengths to better serve a wide variety of print operations,” said Ken Hanulec, vice president of Marketing, EFI Inkjet. “By offering these market-leading hybrid printers to Ricoh customers, with Ricoh’s robust service and support organization facilitating tailored, reliable implementations, customers can expand their offerings into new areas, which can increase profitability and customer retention while opening new market opportunities. We are proud to play a role in that kind of transformation.”

Posted April 24, 2017 

Source: Ricoh USA

Proxy Biomedical Group To Become Aran Biomedical

GALWAY, Ireland — April 24, 2017 – Proxy Biomedical Ltd. — provider of outsourced design, development and manufacturing services for implantable medical devices — today announced the formation of a new group company and brand Aran Biomedical.

According to the company, the new corporate identity is part of an overall rebranding and restructuring strategy, to position the company in line with the broader range of capabilities now servicing key growth markets of Cardiovascular, General Surgery and Orthopaedics.

Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, the company has been delivering innovative solutions for medical implantable products for over 15 years, servicing many of the leading Tier 1 medical devices companies globally.  During this time, the company has invested significantly, to establish a comprehensive suite of product development and manufacturing capabilities, including medical textiles, stent coating and encapsulation, and resorbable implants.

“The company has grown and diversified significantly from its origins, servicing the General Surgery market”, according to company CEO, Peter Mulrooney.  “Establishing Aran Biomedical allows us to position the company to better reflect the breadth of innovative solutions the company now offers for different markets and indications.” This announcement follows a significant facility expansion and investment in state of the art equipment, that enhances our medical textile, coating and covering service offerings for the Vascular, General Surgery and Orthopaedics markets. Mulrooney added, “leveraging new facilities and an advanced technology portfolio will enable us to meet and build on the excellent demand that we are currently experiencing for biomaterial solutions to service the global implantable medical device market, and we look forward to continued growth under the new Aran Biomedical name”.

Posted April 24, 2017

Source: Aran Biomedical

Comau To Showcase Its Advanced Automation Paradigm At Hannover Messe 2017

HANNOVER— April 24, 2017 – Comau, a global company operating in the industrial automation field, will showcase its “new era of automation” at the Hannover Messe 2017 tradeshow, being held April 23-28, 2017 in Hannover, Germany. The event, which is considered to be the world’s leading industrial show, is the perfect location to display Comau’s commitment to innovation aimed at harnessing the full potential of Industry 4.0 within today’s factories.

Leveraging its 40+ years of experience in the industry, Comau is in a unique position to understand the processes and the underlying needs of the operators and to propose them its advanced solutions. As a result, Comau’s approach to collaborative, digital manufacturing is open, connected and easy to understand and to use. More importantly, it is characterized by a totally safe and synergistic collaboration between man and robot. HUMANufacturing: where industrial robots are no longer confined within the barriers and instead work directly alongside operators. HUMANufacturing also means strengthening the value of “human” in the manufacturing industry, and to this end Comau will showcase the power of its innovative vision in hall 17, stand C04, directly inside a working production line. Using wearable and mobile human-machine interface devices, line operators will work in close contact with AURA robots within the assembly line. In addition, Comau’s SmartRob assembly solution and the new Agile1500 AGV system, both of which are fully IoT-ready, are also part of the production line.

Another robotics first at Hannover Messe 2017 is the unique, “build-it-yourself” articulated 6-axis robot based on a 100-percent open-source hardware and software platform that encourages application sharing and expansion. Perfect for educational, entertainment, commercial and consumer use, the evolutionary e.DO robot can handle everything from executing simple pick and place movements to automating applications for business or personal use. A true industrial-like robot, e.DO has the power and flexibility to run virtually any application that falls within its speed and payload parameters.

“It’s an honor to demonstrate our vision of Industry 4.0, which we call HUMANufacturing,” says Mauro Fenzi, CEO of Comau. “Digitalization is transforming the industry in amazing ways, and our role is to guide companies of all sizes throughout this process, providing them with customized solutions that are fully connected and easy to use. This commitment to developing products and skills that enhance the digital factory is evidenced in the expansion of our comprehensive offer, which we have the pleasure of unveiling here at Hannover Messe.”

The digitalization process will also require the creation of new expertise and professional roles at all levels, which is why a dedicated area of the Comau booth is designed to help visitors understand the new opportunities and challenges presented by Industry 4.0. Finally, Comau Academy will offer two free seminars per day — at 10.30 and again at 14.30 — looking at how companies can exploit their potential to the fullest and increase the efficiency of their production processes.

These and other innovative solutions can be seen exclusively at the Comau booth, hall 17, stand C04. Comau showcases its collaborative robots AURA together with the openROBOTICS solutions also in the Application Park (hall 17 – stand E42).

Posted April 24, 2017

Source: Comau

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