Following its installation at several major yarn manufacturers in China, Oerlikon’s first wiping robot is now operating in India since end of 2019. The robot demonstrates high-quality wiping process providing considerably reduced yarn break rates and higher full package rates. Regular wiping of spin packs is important for process stability and yarn quality.
The performance data at the Indian yarn manufacturer was collated and evaluated over a period of three months. The results revealed that the yarn break rate has regardless of the product, fallen by almost 30 per cent. The former running time breaks have decreased by 10 per cent and string-up breaks by 40 per cent.
Consequently, full package rates have risen by 3 per cent, while waste rates have fallen by 0.2 per cent. “Yarn breaks are always an issue; they have a direct impact on the production figures. This is where the wiping robot reveals its added value,” said Stephan Faulstich, technology manager POY. The system automatically and autonomously controls the individual positions in accordance with the scheduled wiping cycles. In addition to the scheduled wiping processes, there are also events that cannot be planned or that are not immediately visible. Here, the wiping robot – as a result of its management functionalities – is able to identify issues such as yarn breaks or parallel wiping processes and to independently offer solutions. The same also applies to manual requests: if another action is simultaneously required here, the system identifies this and offers solutions.
The wiping robot operates in a crossline manner. In contrast to manual wiping, the cleaning quality remains constant around the clock, considerably reducing the impact of the wiping on both the spinning plant process stability and on the yarn data of the spun yarn. And production times can be increased between two cleaning cycles as well: whereas repeated wiping is required after 48 hours in the case of manual wiping, utilising the robot extends the interval between two wiping processes to up to 60 hours. The considerable increase in the spinning process efficiency achieved by the wiping robot also has a positive impact on margins.
All wiping positions, cycles and times can be saved in the wiping robot’s management system. The robot accesses the saved wiping intervals in an automated and safety-relevant manner.
Oerlikon engineers materials, equipment and surfaces and provides expert services to enable customers to have high-performance products and systems with extended lifespans. Drawing on its key technological competencies and strong financial foundation, the Group is sustaining midterm growth by addressing attractive growth markets, securing structural growth and expanding through targeted mergers and acquisitions. A leading global technology and engineering Group, Oerlikon operates its business in two segments – surface solutions and manmade fibres.
With its Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven brands, the Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment is the world market leader for manmade fibre filament spinning systems, texturing machines, BCF systems, staple fibre systems and solutions for the production of nonwovens and – as a service provider – offers engineering solutions for the entire textile value added chain.
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