GRAZ - International technology group Andritz will be presenting its latest nonwovens production and textile solutions at INDEX 23 in Geneva, Switzerland, from April 18 to21 (booth 2114).

The broad Andritz product portfolio covers state-of-the-art nonwovens and textile production technologies such as air-through bonding, needlepunch, spunlace, spunbond, wetlaid/Wetlace, converting, textile finishing, airlay, textile recycling, and natural fiber processing.

Sustainability

Andritz’s We Care sustainability program combines all ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) initiatives, goals and achievements under one roof. It takes a multi-dimensional, comprehensive, and practically oriented approach towards sustainability. At INDEX, Andritz will highlight its sustainable products and solutions to produce nonwovens and will present them at the EDANA Sustainability panel on April 19, 2023.

For many years now, Andritz has offered different nonwoven processes for biodegradable wipes, like spunlace, Wetlace and Wetlace CP, with one goal in mind: reduction and elimination of plastic components, while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties.

The latest development in this field is the Andritz neXline wetlace CP line. This is a fully engineered production line combining the benefits of drylaid and of wetlaid technologies to produce a new generation of biodegradable wipes. To reduce the energy consumption of these lines, Andritz has developed the neXecodry drying technology. It is a combination of dewatering and drying processes that significantly reduces energy consumption and achieves better fabric quality with higher bulk and no pattern degradation.

Customers can conduct trials and test all options together with the Andritz experts at the technical centre in Montbonnot, France. It is the first nonwovens test center for wipes worldwide with integrated pulp formation and neXecodry system with Andritz organizing a shuttle bus from Palexpo exhibition centre to its spunlace and Wetlace CP pilot lines in France to conduct trials.

Recycling

Another strong focus will lie on the Andritz product range of complete textile recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial textile waste to produce fibres for re-spinning and/or nonwoven end-uses. Customer awareness and regulations are pushing clothing brands to recycle their textile waste in their own products. Recycled fibres can also be used in the nonwovens industry for various applications, such as automotive, insulation, mattresses, filtration, and furniture felts.

All these kinds of materials can be produced by the Andritz airlay technology, which can perfectly process recycled fibres. It is offered as a complete line with thermobonding, needlelooms, or other bonding methods.

The current movement for sustainability and the use of recycled fibres, in blends or even 100%, is also reflected in needlepunch products and processes. Andritz says it fully supports this market demand and has developed comprehensive solutions to control and collect the additional dust generated during the manufacturing process of recycled fibres. With the right dust collection equipment, the process is also sustainable.

Durable

For resource savings in durable nonwovens production, Andritz will present its ProWin technology for profile web weight correction, which is used to optimize fabric evenness and provide a faster return on investment in the needlepunch segment.

By combining the ProWid and ProDyn technologies, ProWin allows customers to achieve the lowest CV-ratio ever, reaching more demanding markets and saving up to 2% additional fibres compared to ProDyn.

In addition, ProWin is designed to drastically smooth the level of instantaneous acceleration in the crosslapper. As a consequence, the same equipment can run faster with less mechanical stress, improving the crosslapper’s lifetime and potentially minimizing maintenance operation costs.

Hygiene

Andritz provides complete lines and individual machines to produce hygiene nonwovens and applications, such as air-through bonding, spunlace lines, nonwovens calenders, Spunjet equipment, and complete converting lines for baby, adult, and fem care products.

A highlight at INDEX will be the latest technology development in the spunlaid sector: the patented nonwovens process called Spunjet. It is the in-line hydroentanglement of continuous filaments, creating a new generation of spunlaid nonwovens with, says Andritz, unrivalled bulkiness and softness compared to standard spunbond fabrics. "Spunjet offers customers the best properties ever achieved in existing and new nonwovens applications," the company says.

Moreover, Andritz will put the spotlight on its eXcelle adult pant converting line, which offers high quality components and an innovative technology process. "The growing market for adult incontinence products has resulted in a state-of-the-art process with highest quality standards, such as the development of ultrasonic side seam solutions with excellent results in terms of bond strength and system reliability," says Andritz. "The machine speed no longer limits quality bonds. As a result, operations and size changes are faster and easier. The modern forming system for higher SAP (superabsorbent polymers) concentration and the turning and placing system guarantee maximum process stability and put customers’ adult pants at the top of the adult hygiene market."

Digital

At the show, Andritz will also offer visitors information on its full-service portfolio, which can ensure improved uptime, productivity, and product quality. This includes on-site support, specific training, line audits and troubleshooting, upgrades and modernization, original spare parts, remote service and digital solutions, and roll repair centers in Europe, North America, and China.

A further highlight for INDEX will be digitalization. Andritz offers a broad and constantly growing range of innovative products and services in the industrial digitalization sector under the brand name Metris. One focus area is the Metris all-in-one digitalization platform, which provides full support for industrial plants throughout their entire life cycle. It combines a complete set of functionalities for professional production management, simulation and optimization using the latest artificial intelligence methods, plus cyber security, and condition monitoring with smart sensors in an integrated approach. Andritz will offer a live demonstration at its booth during the show.