Textile manufacturing, including spinning, weaving, finishing, and dyeing processes, requires advanced technology to help the industry meet production and quality standards.
Italy’s Tintoria Stamperia Gorlese (TSG) upgraded existing machinery with sophisticated web tension load cells, increasing efficiency and reducing installation and tuning time by up to 50%.
The textile industry is swiftly evolving due to technological innovations, sustainability efforts, and the demand for reliable quality. Textile manufacturers worldwide seek to substitute outdated approaches and tools with advanced solutions and technology.
Providing High-Quality Fabrics for Over 35 Years
Situated 30 km northwest of Milan, TSG dyes, finishes, and prints synthetic fabrics for clothing, furniture, and other trades.
Established in 1987, TSG manages a 10,000 m2 production facility that dyes environmentally friendly and energy-efficient fabrics. Committed to sustainability, TSG recently installed a photovoltaic system that powers the facility with around 200 kWp.
Modern pigment printing technologies at TSG. Image Credit: ABB
Modernizing Web Tension Measurement
TSG employs five atmospheric jigger machines for pre-treating, bleaching, and wide-width dyeing conventional fabrics and two under-pressure jiggers for high-temperature dyeing.
Jiggers, the standard and oldest method for dyeing fabrics, involve rotating drum machines that contain the fabric. Atmospheric jigs function at atmospheric temperatures and pressures, whereas jiggers operating under pressure are used for dyeing at high temperatures.
Web tension measurement is critical in this process, as precise tension control guarantees higher fabric quality, fewer web breaks, and higher productivity.
Measuring tension in textile manufacturing previously involved dancer rolls. Dancer systems today, however, are substituted with high-performance web tension load cells.
A more advanced solution was required when TSG faced maintenance issues with its web tension measurement solution.
TSG updated its equipment to achieve valuable process insights, boost production efficiency, guarantee consistent quality, and lower maintenance costs.
While most conventional approaches are inaccurate, web tension load cell technology is precise, facilitating continual, real-time tension monitoring. Web tension load cells are developed to measure the actual web tension rather than a moving roll’s position.
ABB’s Pressductor® Radial Tensiometer Load Cells Ensure Accurate Web Tension Measurement
TSG discovered ABB’s load cell technology. Based on the proven Pressductor® technology, it stably and consistently measures web tension under harsh environmental settings like those found in dyeing.
ABB’s Pressductor® Radial Tensiometer Load Cells (PRT load cells) offer precise web tension measurement in jiggers and various other machines across the textile industry and beyond.
Image Credit: ABB
Image Credit: ABB
Image Credit: ABB
Despite the wrap angle or location of the measurement roll, the PRT load cell is rotated to determine the optimum measurement force component.
When subjected to mechanical force, ABB’s Pressductor® transducer creates measurement signals in response to variations in the magnetic fields. As these signals do not rely on physical movement or deformation, the load cells offer high sensitivity, exceptional overload tolerance, and an unlimited capacity for load cycles.
Other systems depend on physical movement—twisting or expanding the measurement elements—to produce an electrical signal. Relying on movement makes these systems more exposed in difficult operating environments.
Innovative Technology for Reliable Web Tension Measurement
Introducing ABB’s Pressductor® Radial Tensiometer Load Cells to the TSG jiggers led to reduced line operator intervention, minimizing, streamlining, and accelerating adjustment and maintenance actions. The innovative technology also boosted the textile line’s safety and productivity.
The ABB solution has increased efficiency and reduced installation and tuning time by up to 50 %.
ABB’s Pressductor® Radial Tensiometer Load Cells at TSG. Image Credit: ABB
Mr. Martino Turconi, TSG General Manager, stated: “With ABB’s load cells, we have seen much better results in terms of both production quality and production efficiency. The system is easy to program and easy to operate.”
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by ABB.
For more information on this source, please visit ABB.