Advantage Manufacturing Group (AMG), Claremore, Okla., has created a process to convert denim
cutting scraps into a usable product.AMG extracts and recovers the indigo dye to produce a bleached
white cotton fiber. the fiber is then used in non-woven and spinning operations.
November 1999
Expressive Designs, a division of Shaw Industries Inc., Dalton, Ga., has introduced three new
coordinating wool carpets. The three new carpets are Dolce Vita, Tatiana and Mariella.Dolce Vita is
a multi-level loop texture with a trellis pattern. Mariella, a loop pile, features an interlocking
pattern of geometric swirls. Tatiana, a loop pile, has a branched patterned with different levels
of loop pile yarns. All three products have a 12-color palette and is crafted from New Zealand
wool.
Circle 309.
November 1999
Zellweger Uster completely re-invented the yarn clearer with its Quantum clearer. This new
clearer is digital, has capacitive and optical sensing capability and gives yarn fault
classification according to the Uster Classimat concept.The Uster Quantum clearer can be used in
several different modes including: capacitive or optical sensing, capacitive and foreign matter
sensing or capacitive and optical combined. Quantum has 100-percent digital electronics,
self-calibrating measuring heads, and on-board diagnostics.The unit is retrofittable to many
existing machines. In fact, Quantum has created its own retrofit clearer business, one that hardly
existed before its introduction. From Net To Network
Quantum has changed yarn clearer applications from that of a safety net (cutting out thick
and thin places) to that of an information source for process improvement. Mills can use Quantum
for both quality monitoring and trouble shooting. It can be used as an on-line quality barometer to
predict end-use quality. It can also be used to track down problems and measure a mills capability
to change.One of the most exciting aspects of this new technology is CAY® (computer aided yarn
clearing). CAY is an optional software package that provides users with a clear picture of their
process capability.It can be used with Uster Expert as a PC-based monitoring system. Users can also
sample individual open-end frames or winders using CAY on a laptop. Sampling a frame or winder for
as little as 10 minutes can give an indication of process capability, according to Zellweger
Uster. Custom Clearer CurvesThe Quantum clearer and CAY give mill managers powerful tools to
determine and optimize process capability. The system eliminates guesswork and allows the user to
balance productivity and quality in a clear quantitative way. With conventional analog clearers it
was necessary to shift an entire clearer curve to remove a few unacceptable faults. This meant that
many non-critical faults had to be removed in order to get those few critical ones.With Zellweger
Usters new digital technology, users can define their own clearer curves, cutting out exactly the
faults necessary to maintain quality standards. The user can even see the effects of removing these
faults in yarn and fabric instantaneously on the computer screen. The new curve can also be
instantaneously exported to clearers on the spinning frame or winder.What was the work of months to
determine and optimize process capability can now literally be done in minutes.The ability to
customize clearer curves in this way has proved invaluable to mills making slub or Amsler yarns.
The clearers can be set to ignore long thick places but still cut out other yarn faults. This wasnt
possible with analog technology. Foreign FiberQuantum has a powerful optical foreign-fiber
detection feature that can be used in conjunction with either capacitive or optical sensing.
Foreignclass®, a new standard in foreign matter classification, can detect foreign matter across
the full color spectrum.
November 1999
Electronic ArchivingOne of the most important decision points in implementing digital asset
management solutions (DAM) is also one of the most frequently overlooked: Who are your users and
how do they work Their technical level, their comfort with existing platforms and networks, as well
as their current workflow will all be major factors in the success, or failure, of a new system.
Champions and evangelists within the various departments of an enterprise are often critical to the
success of this kind of new technology.Once the personnel and technical issues are addressed,
workflow will define the process. In most cases, applications dictating workflow should be avoided.
Instead, efficiencies should come from the automation of proven workflow tasks. Of course,
emulating poor workflow will only let your staff be inefficient more quickly.Having already
identified the goals of your DAM system, step number two in the planning stage is to draw a
flowchart of your current imaging and storage processes. Identify what you like or dont like about
your current workflow, and map out the recommended changes. This step should include participation
from any and all employees involved in the process, as they will all be affected by any changes
that are made.The next step is to create the attributes and keywords that will be supported by the
database (See Table 1). Attributes include categories such as business unit, type of asset, design
family, ground effect, geometry, design elements, scale, layout, technique or style, etc. Within
each of these categories, your users can identify keywords they might use when looking for a
particular type of artwork, such as floral, plaid, stripe, directional, impressionist, etc.Dee Dee
Davis, a CAD designer for Springs Industries, Fort Mill, S.C., advises that all departments needing
to use the archived files be included in this developmental stage, as classifications used by the
design department are often different from classifications and descriptions needed by other
departments in the company.
System Design PlanningNow you are ready for your system design plan, which will
identify how equipment pieces will need to be connected to one another. Some things to consider
are:How will non-digital art work be digitized, what equipment does it require and who will do
itWho will administer the archiving and who will have access to the filesWhat file formats need to
be saved in order to support various departments andIf you need a variety of formats for the
re-purposing of the files, will this be done at the same time of archiving or at a later date as
neededA map of the the new workflow should identify who does what, when they do it and how they do
it. (See Table 2.)The final step is to identify and develop the system standards that will identify
workflow issues such as file names, versions, folders, directories and servers. Failure to do so
will simply undermine the system and make it difficult to locate the correct version of a file.
Digitizing Traditional FabricsWhile archiving digitally generated artwork is fairly
straightforward, archiving the fabric samples and hand-drawn artwork that has been collected for
many years provides for some unique challenges and opportunities. Not only will digitizing artwork
make it easier to find, use and re-purpose, but archiving your artwork can also prove to be
valuable for an insurance claim in the event of fire or theft.As it is with the implementation of a
DAM system, you must determine your objectives before digitizing any artwork. There are four
quality standards that need to be considered for the use of your digital files:Product development
and pre-publishing reference;Intra-company report enhancement;Business to business for sales and
marketing; andDirect to consumer e-commerce. Your goals will establish the quality standards,
resolution and file formats for the digital files.While there are several capture devices to
consider for use in digitizing artwork, including digital cameras, flat-bed scanners and drum
scanners, most experts agree that a high-end digital camera is the best solution for the broad
range of texture, repeat size and color challenges that the textile industry presents. Capturing
artwork on a conventional camera and converting the slides or negatives to digital data is not
recommended, as there are too many variables in the conversion process that can cause degradation
of the image in both quality and color. Also, digital photography is both less expensive and faster
than conventional photography, which requires a series of time consuming and costly steps to get to
the digital file format.Another advantage to using photography over scanning is the ability to
control the lighting with the use of a camera. Scanners use only one light source that scans the
entire image, often missing nuances of special textures, yarns, finishes and colors.The use of a
camera will allow you to use multiple lighting sources that can be modified to highlight the
features of a variety of fabrics. In controlling the light source, you can also minimize the effect
of the fabric construction while trying to capture just the print.While there are software
applications such as Pointcarrrom Monarch that will allow you to remove the fabric construction
from a print, this is a step that can be avoided by obtaining a proper capture to start.Digital
cameras range in price from $500 to $25,000. The less expensive cameras are not as color accurate,
capture less data and are prone to digital noise that will create unacceptable artifacts and
mottled solid colors.The best-of-breed for low-end digital cameras, according to Richard Lerner,
president of RSL Digital, New York, is the new Nikon Coolpix. This camera includes many attributes
of the high-end cameras, including a flash sync for setting off studio strobes, excellent color
contrast and balance controls, and it works well in a number of automatic modes. The Right
EquipmentYou should review your workflow and processing time when evaluating digital cameras for
your company.Using a low-end camera is like trying to pass a lot of data on a floppy disk, said
Randy Parker, president of Digital Images, Research Triangle Park, N.C. You are constantly
performing sneaker net, and are required to run back and forth between the camera, which has
limited storage capacity, and the computers hard drive. High-end digital cameras have a direct SCSI
connection to the computer that will eliminate the need for repetitive data transfers. If you are
capturing a lot of images, this capability alone will more than offset the cost of the more
expensive camera.The digital files will range in size from 2 MB to 25 MB or more depending on the
physical size and intended use of the artwork. Resolution requirements range from 72 dots per inch
(dpi) for images to be viewed only on a computer screen, 150-300 dpi for printing to fabrics
(contingent on the type of fabric and amount of color coverage) and 300 dpi for printing to press
for sales and marketing materials. The rule of thumb is to capture a minimum of the same number of
dots per inch as the line screen of the output device, up to a maximum of twice the line screen.DAM
is not just about having the proper equipment, software and workflow, but about having qualified
talent to produce and manage the archiving process. Digital photography is an art in the same way
that CAD is an art. Buying the requisite tools does not compensate for the skillset needed to
produce quality archives. Budget ConsiderationsBudget will play an important role in your
decision regarding appropriate hardware, storage, backup, and communications infrastructure. DAM
software solutions come in many different packages, from a per seat basis for client licenses, to
server solutions that allow unlimited access via Web browsers. If paying per seat, its important to
understand the user mix. Licenses that dedicate one installation per seat can be more costly
compared to those allowing a given number of clients to be on-line at once.More critical than the
price tag alone is a projection of cost savings, ROI and growth catalyst. While archiving, many
companies have discovered they were archiving duplicate artwork purchased by different divisions of
the company, a practice which could be avoided through proper asset management.The time savings, as
outlined in part one, is an obvious ROI. In many businesses, especially media-intensive ones, an
investment in the optimal digital asset management solution can even kick profitability into high
gear and be critical to sustaining a competitive advantage. Besides your employees, your library of
product samples and references are one of your companys most valuable assets. Evaluating DAM
solutions that best suit your specific needs requires that you keep your primary goals in mind. No
one provider offers a solution ideal for every company, and it is entirely possible that no single
vendors solution will solve all of your needs.
Editors Note: This is Part Two in a two-part series written after the CAD Expo plus Show, held
recently in New York. Part One, The Art of Achieving, appeared in the October issue of ATI.
November 1999
MindWorks Multimedia, Cary, N.C., has recently announced that its interactive training program,
Sewing Machines with Spoolio, Spanish Version, received The Golden Reel Award from the Blue Ribbon
Panel of the International Television Association (ITVA).The CD-ROM program , available in english
or spanish, is designed to educate and tutor industrial sewing machine operators. It uses detailed
graphics and animation, video segments and industrial design theories to create a user-friendly
training environment. It uses Spoolio, a bilingual character, to guide students through the basics
of needles, threads and stitching.
November 1999
Superba S.A., Mulhouse, France, receives ATIs Innovation Award for its KLP Automation Robot
that allows for the first time to close the automation loop in carpet yarn manufacturing.Introduced
at ITMA 99, the KLP was originally designed to be a winder-unloader and packer for Superba-specific
equipment only. However it has already created so much interest that customers are eager to use the
it. The KLP is one of the top representatives of the new generation of textile equipment, which is
high-tech, automated, and dramatically enhances product quality and production
consistency. Superba Once Again First
Superba has an impressive track record for being first in the industry with several of its
machines. The KLP continues the companys innovative tradition and is the result of Superbas
experience in the carpet yarn market. The KLP robot benefits from all advantages that automaton
brings with it. This includes the savings of manual handling at the exit of carpet yarn
heat-setting lines or dyeing lines.Until now, the removal of the bobbins from an automatic winder
had been performed via a conveyor belt. An operator had to remove the bobbins manually stage by
stage, knot the ends, stick a pre-printed label inside the tube, and place the bobbin in a
cardboard box, or on a pallet. Function DescriptionThe KLP robot is a reliable and safe
sliding overhead robot, with never touch the yarn handling for maximum quality achievements. The
KLP takes the packages from the exit position of the winding machines.Its first operation is to go
to one of the three positions per machine where a package can be located. The second operation is
to measure the diameter of the package, to determine the center of the tube to be picked up, and to
determine the matrix for palletizing. The robot then unloads one package, stops for a second over
the tail cutting device (just in case that there is a long tail), and takes the package to the AHD,
Superbas knotting and labeling machine for bobbins after the heat setting process.As soon as the
package has been taken from the BLA (automatic winder for carpet yarns) conveyor, the conveyor
restarts automatically to present a new package to be unloaded.After that, the robot travels to the
exit of the AHD and packs the package onto the pallet. When the layer is full the robot puts the
separator over the packages before restarting the palletizing operation again. When the pallet is
complete, the robot signals with an illuminated lamp for replacement of the pallet.If the AHD
communicates a rejection of the package, this package will be set aside and not packed.
Automation Is RealityThe automation of heat-setting and dyeing lines was, for a long time, on
the wish-list of mills in this manufacturing field. Now, with the KLP, the complete automation
process is offered by automatically knotting, labeling and packing the bobbin into cardboard boxes
or placing it onto pallets by means of a robot. Even the position of the knot can be easily found
later on.The labeling features real-time data for each individual bobbin, based on the on-line data
provided by the heatsetting or dyeing line PLC.For packing, the KLP offers a programmable matrix
and number of layers and separator insertion.The KLP offers the immediate connection to two winders
with automatic doffing.Superba emphasizes that the KLP allows a quick start-up of new machinery and
helps in maintenance savings later on. Success Around The CornerEven though the KLP is stll
considered to be a brand new machine, first installations are already going into Europe. In the
United States, the KLP will have its official debut at the beginning of 2000.
November 1999
Unique Carpets Ltd., Ontario, Calif., is offering two new patterns: Bellagio and Villa DEste.
Bellagio is created on a two-frame, petite-point Wilton loom and is made from 100-percent wool. It
has a design featuring vines in a six-color pattern. Villa DEste shares the same color palette with
Bellagio. It is a petite-point Wilton loop that features tiny pin-dot accents with a two-color
trellis design. Both patterns come with an optional seven-inch border with a floral pattern.
Circle 308.
November 1999
Tinnin Oriental, Jackson, Miss., has added Tabriz to is Beshir Collection. Tabriz, named after a
city in Persia, is woven with 100-percent New Zealand wool. It comes in backgrounds of cream and
navy and is available with Tinnin’s Heritage Wash , which creates a tea-stained look.
Circle 310.
November 1999
The Dornier LWV8/J air-jet was one of the most impressive weaving machines at ITMA99. The
eight-color jacquard machine was shown equipped with a model LX3200 Staubli head with 9,800 hooks.
It was running at 600 rpm in a 430-centimeter width, giving a filling insertion rate of 2,520
meters per minute.The filling supply for the LWV8/J used eight ROJ filling feeders, type Super
ELF-td. The warp was supplied from twin beams. Each was 1,000 millimeters in diameter using EURO II
beam supports. Style Changes On-The-Fly
The LWV8/J has the capability for automatic pattern change. At the show, Dornier demonstrated
an impressive on-the-fly change from napery to sheeting by changing the filling. This was executed
without stopping the machine.The warp was 150 tex, 100-percent polyester with 38.7 ends per
centimeter. The filling used for the napery style was Nm 34/1 ring-spun cotton yarn with 26 picks
per centimeter. The filling for the sheeting fabric was Nm 40/1 ring-spun yarn with 24 picks per
centimeter. The reeded width was 420 centimeters.Electronic let-off was used on both sides. The
machine had an electronic take-up motion using a Neuenhauser off-loom take-up unit.The machine was
outfitted with a Disc-O-Leno on the left-hand side and an EcoLeno on the right-hand side. Automatic
filling stop repair was also shown. Air-Jet AdvancesDornier showed several advances for
air-jet machines at ITMA. Permanent control on the timing of all nozzles with the ability to
indicate any malfunctioning valves was shown. A message on the control panel indicated faults and
their location.Tandem booster nozzles, which are moving with the lay for up to eight colors, were
displayed.A fully electronically controlled air-operated tucking mechanism was demonstrated.
Applications include flat, terry and tire cord fabrics with operating speeds up to 1,000 rpm.A new
disc leno operated by a motor was shown integrated with the disc. This feature is available for
both air-jet and rapier machines.A triple filling sensor with the stretch nozzle indicated the
arrival of filling yarn and detected yarn picks. The company also extended the range of filling
yarns that can be used on its air-jet machines. The range is from Ne 5 to Ne 71 for spun yarns. For
filament yarns, the range is 20 to 2,000 denier.An improved program for preventing start marks was
exhibited. An increased diameter warp beam of 1,500 millimeters can be placed above the machine.The
company als showed several refinements to its popular line of rapier weaving machines.
November 1999
Burlington Industries Williamsburg Plant, Caswell County, N.C., part of the Burlington House
Division, recently renovated its fabric inspection room by installing 15 custom-designed machines
built by McCOYandDUKE Inc., Greenville, S.C.The Williamsburg Plant was built in 1966 and was
originally setup to weave drapery fabrics. It now produces mattress ticking, both fancy Jacquard
and dobby upholstery; drapery styling and bedding.Over the years, Burlington has updated the
equipment at the Williamsburg plant. In this latest modernization, the decision was made to improve
the material handling portion of production. In order to improve cost and safety conditions, the
company decided to renovate the approximately 11,000-square-foot area that housed its fabric
inspection room.We wanted to get our inspection department onto the same level of world-class
manufacturing as our weaving operation, said Joe Hatzopoulos, plant manager of the Williamsburg
Plant.Burlingtons approach was to involve both management and associates in selecting and
developing the system for automating the plants cloth room.This project is an excellent example of
how textile companies and vendors can work together to streamline production and improve workplace
conditions.
Burlington’s recent cloth room renovation has drastically reduced the manual handling of its
fabric. The Williamsburg Plant, which employs approximately 600 people, produces 1 million
yards of fabric per week. The company wanted to improve its time in/time out and the overall
quality of its fabric. It determined the best way this could be done was by reducing the handling
of the fabric.We wanted to get away from the manual handling of our fabrics to eliminate several
processes. One in particular was batching and shearing. We wanted to reduce not just the manual
handling but reduce the overall handling of all our fabrics, said Hatzopoulos.Burlington has always
been a corporation willing to seek out state-of-the-art equipment, and this plant has been one of
the flag ships of the division as far as capital investments. Beginning The ChangeAfter
looking at several solutions and companies, Burlington chose to work with McCOY/HOUSTON (as the
company was called at the time) because of the companys ability to create custom-built inspection
equipment that fit Burlingtons needs.From the beginning, the two companies worked in tandem to
redesign the cloth room. Burlington wanted as many of its cloth room associates to be involved in
the design and layout of the area as possible. Burlington believed that its employees some of whom
had been with the company since the plant opened could provide valuable insight.I have been in the
textile sales business for probably 25 years and this is one of the first times that I have seen
this many people be involved in the decision, said Ron McCoy, McCOYandDUKE.Some members of the
production team were sent to McCOYandDUKE to get an in-person look at the design process.We sent a
second shift supervisor and two or three other employees to Greenville to find out more information
about the equipment, to serve as our experts, said Hatzopoulos. Benefits Of Installation
As expected, the new machines have dramatically reduced downtime while also reducing cost.
The new system allows for a flow of fabric rolls from the weave room to the inspection area. The
rolls are moved via conveyors from the weave room to the inspection floor. As the rolls come down
the conveyor they are directed to the next available inspection station. These dump stations are
fully automated.When the fabrics come from the weave room they are not even touched by an employee
in the inspection department until they are actually in the cradle of the inspection frame,
Hatzopoulos said. At that part of the frame, the inspector has to thread up the fabric.This new
system of delivering the fabric rolls eliminates a 25-year-old process known as the Eagle system.
The Eagle system used a claw-like mechanism to carry rolls of fabric to the sort location. Because
the system moved overhead, and had problems with misplaced sorting and mis-drops caused by
mechanical failure, it was the number one safety concern in the facility. The new system not only
eliminates the safety problems, but it also eliminates delays that occur from inaccurate fabric
roll placement.The biggest improvement occurred at the inspection stations. A full roll of fabric
can move down to the station from the conveyor system to await inspection. When the in-use roll is
out of fabric, the empty core automatically disengages from the work station and is sent to the
return conveyor system located directly below the main conveyor system. The cores are then returned
for use on the production floor.No longer is he or she having to lift a center mandrel, pull it
out, push the roll of cloth on the conveyor system, put a whole new tube on the air mandrel, put it
back, insert it, position it, Hatzopoulos said.Now it is just a simple procedure of laying a
three-inch paper tube onto two rollers to start-up.Eliminating the manual removal of these cores
not only reduces downtime, but also improves safety. The empty cores are heavy, some weighing up to
50 pounds. In the past, the inspectors, a large percentage of which are women, had to manually
remove and disengage the empty cores. The new system reduced the handling of these cores, allowing
for vastly improved workplace ergonomics.What we wanted to get away from was a lot of the lifting,
a lot of the pushing and pulling and handling of our fabrics,said Hatzopoulos. The number one
reason is for the safety of our employees, and number two is the reduced amount of handling of our
fabrics is going to ensure a more quality product.The core return system eliminated the need for
having associates walk around the area collecting, setting up and taking off cores. Avoiding
DelaysThroughout the entire renovation process, the Williamsburg Plant maintained full production
by using a satellite inspection area for several months. While this required an increase in manual
labor, there were no accidents during the transition stage, a point Burlington proudly points
out.For as big as this cloth room was, and for the work that had to be done, and what was brought
in it probably could not have been any better than the way it was handled, said McCoy. They lost
very little downtime compared to what it could have been. Steps To The FutureThese
improvements have allowed Burlington to continue to compete in this ever changing and high
competitive market. In todays market, there are more and more shorter runs and more and more style
changes, said Hatzopoulos. Our division is very fashion- and speed-oriented, and they are two of
the major factors within Burlington House. McCoyandDukeMcCOYandDUKE Inc., Greenville, S.C., began
operation in 1995 as McCOYandHOUSTON. The companys principals, Ronald J. McCoy and Charles E. Duke
along with project engineer John Malone together have 75 years combined experience in the textile
industry. The company can produce custom-built machinery for many areas of the textile industry.
These included greige mills, dye and print ranges, nonwovens, process lines to carpet, paper,
plastic and fiberglass machinery and material handling requirements.
November 1999
