Newsletter of Picanol focusing on weaving machines

1. Picanol NEWS
PICANOL NEWS
OCTOBER 2010
www.pic anol.be
High productivity weaving in
the 21st century, p. 2
Airjet weaving without filling
catch cord, p. 5
Terry weaving with the
TERRYplus 800, p. 8
Melotte – Pioneering in
production technology, p. 16
Customer focus: Berto
Industria Tessile (Italy), p. 6,
and Wagdy Moamen Weaving
Mill (Egypt), p. 13

2. High productivity weaving in the 21st century
Conditions for a highly efficient weaving process and
perfect fabric quality
Weaving is still the most important Spinning and weaving preparation
technology in the textile chain. Although The well known Uster® Statistics show that
the use of knitting has expanded in recent the spinning industry has been successful in
years, weaving is still more important, improving yarn quality. The irregularity of spun
accounting for just over 50% of textile yarns, a very important criterion for the quality
production. This is due in part to the large of spun yarns, has decreased by nearly 100%
efforts that the weaving industry has put since the beginning of testing.
into rationalization in the past 10 or Proceeding on the assumption that the suppliers
15 years, together with developments of the material have done their homework
in weaving technology on the part of well, let’s have a look at weaving preparation,
weaving machine constructors. In this in which the warp yarns are prepared for the
article we consider which factors make an weaving process. Here quality is an absolute
important contribution to the weaving must. All the subsequent production steps
process. benefit from the quality of the preparation
work.
Manpower, materials and machines
First of all there is the manpower, the people. Performance and automation are usually decisive
Their qualifications and skills are a big part of for productivity and for the manpower needed.
the result. Motivating the people is also very But the basic rule in weaving preparation is:
important for reaching the goal. Organization warp quality comes before productivity. It
of the processes, correct machine settings and is here that the basis is created for optimum
preventive maintenance are important items running conditions on high speed looms. But
which are influenced by the people. external suppliers too have an influence on
quality and productivity, in terms of:
The second important factor is the material, - Yarn make-up
namely the warp and weft yarns. And, last but - Packaging
not least, there is the equipment, namely the - Kind of bobbin
weaving machine. These three factors have the - Kind of winding
most influence on the productivity and quality - etc.
of the weaving process.
All these factors must be analyzed and adapted
Looking at the development of insertion speeds to the needs of the product. Today, where
on weaving machines, we see that these have flexibility is key, these needs can only be
tripled over the last 20 years. This speed satisfied through partnership and cooperation
increase has not only placed heavy demands with suppliers and within the weaver’s own
on the skills of personnel, but has plant.
also prompted the yarn providers and the
constructors of weaving preparation
machinery to react accordingly.

3. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
The weaving process requires parallel ends Most of the direct and sectional warpers meet
with the same length in the warp direction. the requirements for performance, precision and
Nowadays there are three possibilities for quality, with:
production of warp beams: - Perfect cylindrical build up
- Direct warping - No lost ends
- Sectional warping - No crossed ends
- Single end sample warping - Precise length
2
In most cases sizing is also required afterwards. - Automation
- Precise tensioning 3
These processes are all inflexible, demand a
lot of manpower, have low productivity and Modern electronics and user-friendliness help to
take up a lot of energy and space. But here too assure safety and profitability. Newly developed
the machine builders have made significant dust cleaning units collect the dust and fluff
advances. and keep the production area clean. Bobbin
creels with monitored tensioners keep the yarn
The requirements for modern preparation tension stable at the correct level, and together
equipment include: with automation tools lead to high production
- High efficiency efficiency.
- Low consumption of chemicals
- Reproducible quality The latest automation techniques, such as
- Low emissions of fluff sample warpers for warp lengths up to more
than 1000 meters, make it possible to weave
fancy products with top level efficiency. This
also permits yarn dyed stocks to be reduced, as
such units require only a few bobbins per color.

4. Sizing solution can be provided only by a good mix
Spun yarns do not have a smooth surface, as of starch/synthetic products or 100% synthetic
fibers tend to stick out here and there. These products. The higher sizing costs are offset by
projecting fibers lead to warp stops during the greater weaving efficiency: 1% higher efficiency
weaving process, by catching in drop wires, represents a payback of around € 2,500 per
heddles and the reed. To avoid this, spun yarns loom per year!
have to be protected by sizing.
During the sizing process the warp yarn is
This can be done with natural sizing products stressed by tension and elongation in wet
(starch), but nowadays synthetic products are conditions. The residual elongation after the
mainly used. These guarantee good sticking sizing process is significant for optimum
down of single fibers (core sizing), and build a weaving conditions. It is therefore absolutely
good film over the yarn (cover sizing). To reach necessary for tension and elongation to be kept
the best weaving efficiency there are two main at a low level and monitored during the sizing
demands on the sizing process: process.
- Best size add-on
- Best residual elongation Modern sizing machines with multi-drive
technology and microprocessor monitoring
The size add-on is the percentage of dry size guarantee constant, reproducible sizing
material added to the warp yarn in terms of conditions. Recently developed sizing
weight. Too little add-on increases the number technologies such as pre-wetting and cold sizing
of warp stops. Too much add-on leads to offer new opportunities for quality and savings
sticking ends, increases the sizing costs and on sizing material.
creates a lot of dust.
Taking into account all the above factors
For fine cotton yarns, starch products do not concerning material and weaving preparation,
provide enough protection. Because of the high weaving efficiency with first class quality
low number of fibers in the yarn diameter, can be expected on Picanol weaving machines.
sufficient core sizing is impossible and higher
surface protection is necessary. A satisfactory

5. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
Airjet weaving without
filling catch cord
At ITMA Asia held in Shanghai in June Extensive tests in our customers’ mills have
this year, Picanol revealed its latest taught us that mechanical clamping of the
development in airjet weaving: the unique filling brings some other advantages as well,
“Cordless” feature which enables users to in addition to the main purpose of being able
weave without the filling catch cord. But to weave without a catch cord.
Cordless does much more than just
“weaving with less.” On airjet machines, stretching the filling yarn
4
and keeping it stretched at the end of the
In a conventional set-up on an airjet machine, insertion is one of the biggest challenges from 5
a catch cord is required except when working the machine setting point of view. Catching the
with tucking-in for selvedge formation. yarn with a clamp at an early stage of insertion
However, using a catch cord brings some simplifies the situation significantly:
disadvantages for the weaving department: - No longer necessary to blow on the yarn to
- Some 10% of warp stops on average arise in keep it stretched, so less air consumption.
the catch cord, which means extra work for - Shorter exposure of the filling yarn to the
the weavers. compressed air, so lower risk of color
- The yarn for the catch cord means additional variation in the fabric after dyeing.
logistic efforts and costs, as well as storage - For delicate yarns, higher speeds can be
space. achieved.
- Time is needed to change flange bobbins - Reduced waste length in case of elastic yarns.
or to change individual bobbins in case of a - More uniform and stable selvedge quality.
horizontal bobbin stand. - Possibility to recycle waste, as there is only
- The weaver needs to spend more time and one type of yarn.
attention on evacuation of the waste lint.
- Special provision for the waste selvedge But the challenge was also to design a feature
formation is required. that does not require any setting! We succeeded
- The waste lint is generally a mix of different thanks to Picanol’s integrated concept. On
kinds of material, so the possibilities for Picanol machines all data from sensors and
recycling are limited. detectors everywhere on the machine are
processed by the central microprocessor. Real-
Given these difficulties, a cordless system has time calculations and modifications to the valve
long been desired by weavers. In response timings of the Cordless system permit fully
Picanol set up a design project which after two automatic operation!
years of extensive R&D work resulted in the
Picanol Cordless system. Given the advantages that the Cordless system
offers and the attention that it attracted at the
Key in our design is that the filling yarn is last ITMA exhibition, we are convinced that
caught by a mechanical clamp at the right-hand this unique solution will make life easier for a
side of the fabric. As this clamping system lot of Picanol customers.
is mounted on the reed holder, the Cordless
system is compatible with all types of reed.
The clamp itself is controlled pneumatically.

6. Customer focus
Berto Industria Tessile – Italy
In 1889 Berto Industria Tessile began Berto continually invests so as to remain at
producing sailcloth for vessels on the the forefront of technology. After several years
nearby Venice lagoon. It progressed of positive experience with two Picanol
through workwear, home textiles and OptiMax 4 R 210 weaving machines running
shirting, ultimately finding its present at high speed and efficiency it decided to buy
vocation as a designer and producer of another 26 Picanol free-flight rapier machines.
fashion denim fabrics in the early 1980s. Picanol is particularly proud to supply Berto
Today Berto is vertically integrated from with its machines: we feel we are going in the
spinning to finishing and is one of the same direction, sharing the same views and
undisputed European leaders in the high- dreams.
quality denim industry.
On the next page we feature an article by
The Berto people like to think of themselves weaving manager Giovanni Fabris explaining
as “the fashion craftsmen of denim.” We’re why Berto decided to buy OptiMax. The article
not talking about millions of meters of appeared in the last edition of the internal Berto
standard, basic denim here: the young, skilled News in July this year.
team headed by the dynamic Flavio Berto is
constantly researching and designing new styles
to please highly demanding fashion designers
around the world. Attractive, innovative designs
have to reach production quickly, and here the
experienced production managers headed by
Paolo Zatta are fully committed.
The Berto family also owns EOS in Bangladesh,
specialized in dyed stretch fabrics. This
company has around 100 weaving machines and
also carries out dyeing and finishing. It is run
by Giuseppe Berto, who moved to Bangladesh
several years ago leaving his son Flavio in charge
of the Italian plant. But in both cases the focus
is on flexibility and innovation. In addition
to its care for the environment the group is
distinguished by its social commitment with its
many projects aimed at improving the lives of
children in Bangladesh and Africa.

7. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
The big switch
By Giovanni Fabris - Weaving manager
Berto Industria Tessile
6
7
Replacing the old machines with the new When the moment came to decide which
Picanol OptiMax machines was achieved in machines to buy, we had a complete set of data
record time. In 30 days we removed the old to help us select the best option for reaching
machines and installed the 26 new ones. There all our present and future targets. The winning
were several occasions when it looked as if features of the Picanol weaving machine
the tight schedule might not be met, but we included the following:
showed that targets can be achieved when - Strong, robust structure, suitable for denim
everyone works hard. - Keeping settings (constant weaving)
- Fewer moving parts, permitting higher speed
The switch to Picanol meant changing to a (640 ppm guaranteed) while at the same time
new generation of much faster machines with reducing the mechanical stress
higher performance and simplified set-up. The - Fewer bearings and no transmission belts,
decision to abandon our old weaving machine thus making filling transfer precise and
supplier and go to a non-Italian company efficient and requiring less maintenance
instead was very difficult for us, after the many - Water cooling helps to keep the air cooler
years of good relationship with our previous and less dusty
supplier. We came to the decision after running - Filling presentation needles driven by stepper
two OptiMax machines for a couple of years, motors to optimize the gripping angle
weaving many articles and comparing results - Elsy independent selvedge device for weaving
among the different machines. This period leno and false selvedges with independent
was useful to us in becoming familiar with settings
all the parameters, including the differences - Fast set-up, thanks to easy accessibility of the
in efficiency, fabric quality, setting up, setting points and electronically-controlled
maintenance costs and energy consumption. shed crossing angle
- Advanced electronics offering lots of
We also compared the Picanol OptiMax with adjustment possibilities
other rapier machines. Before deciding we ran - Lower spare parts consumption
some weaving tests on other machines and got - Lower energy consumption, thanks to the
positive results, but the latter machines still well-proved Sumo motor
performed less well in certain respects including
speed, user-friendliness of settings, maintenance It is now up to us to get the most out of
costs and energy consumption. The decision was the Picanol machines. We still need to
influenced by our experience with the weaving gain experience but I believe that we will
machines used until now, as problems with increasingly enjoy working with these machines.
mechanical and electronic parts on them led to After achieving the first goal of starting up in
poor quality and failure to meet performance 30 days, we now need to meet the targets set
targets. when we bought the new machines:
- Efficiency 85%
- Seconds <1.5%
- Maintenance costs <1500 euros/year/machine

8. Simply the best airjet terry
weaving machine ever!
If terry weaving is your objective, you can be sure of real plus value with the unique,
future oriented TERRYplus 800. Picanol has developed the TERRYplus 800-weaving
machine for the production of high-quality terry in a wide range of applications and at
very competitive prices. Based on the same high-performance weaving technology as the
OMNIplus 800, the TERRYplus 800 offers all the possibilities for weaving yourself to the
top in your market. Promising unprecedented market opportunities. Creating space to
unleash your utmost creativity. Guaranteeing optimum fabric quality. Saving more energy
costs than ever. And featuring options for reducing downtime to the very minimum. If
you really want to get the most out of your talent, market, material, energy and time,
the TERRYplus 800 provides the platform for you to stay ahead in your terrytory.
TERRYplus 800 enables
weavers to get the
most out of their
talent
With the TERRYplus 800, Picanol has movement is directly driven – without
created the space and the possibilities mechanical settings – simultaneously with
weavers need to deploy and realize their the backrest movement. The ultra-light
utmost creativity. Special attention has compensation rollers in combination with the
been paid to the cloth quality, by robust structure of the loom make sure the pile
implementing a direct driven cloth is formed smoothly, with a completely even pile
movement, without mechanical settings. height. The fabric quality is further ensured
through the minimal distance between cloth
Fabric design formation and take-up and through the care
The TERRYplus 800 offers full flexibility in for constant yarn tension, as the construction
design. The pre-beat-up is independently driven is designed to keep an equal yarn length
by the pile height motor and all settings can be during the whole pile formation process. The
electronically set on the microprocessor. With pile height measuring device gives continuous
the pile height changing device, it is possible feedback on the woven pile height. The
not only to change the group beat-up rate, possibility to automatically release tension at
but also to weave structured patterns such as stop, and automatically re-tension again to the
waves, thus permitting options in designing the required tension at start, ensures a correct pile
products without limitations. The pre-beat-up height even after a stop.
distance can be set pick by pick and up to
24 mm, so easily allowing pile heights of
12 mm. Fabrics with a weight of more than
1600 g/m² can be produced without any
problem.
Fabric quality
The fabric quality is guaranteed by the stability
of the cloth movement, which is driven from
both sides by a torsion-free shaft. The cloth

9. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
TERRYplus 800 enables
weavers to get the
most out of their
market
Never before has any weaving machine
been so modular in design. In the new
TERRYplus 800 concept, each machine
consists of an identical, standard platform
8
designed to accommodate future
extensions or conversions. This modularity 9
safeguards your investment: no other
weaving machine is so easy to adapt in
order to take advantage of new market
opportunities.
Insertion system
The TERRYplus 800 can be equipped for up
to eight different colors or filling yarns. The
filling insertion system is modular, with two
channels per module. This modular concept
with its unique configuration for the air supply
channels makes it possible for the machines to
be converted to more colors in next to no time.
Exchangeable shed formation
The TERRYplus 800 can be fitted with an
electronic positive dobby or electronically
driven jacquard. The basic machine structure
for the dobby and jacquard versions is identical,
making it possible to change the shed
formation system at any time in the future.
Style change with maximum control
Special attention has been paid to fast width
changes. All the components to be moved are
mounted on a single support whose position
can be easily varied.
Mechanical settings have, wherever possible,
been replaced with electronic ones. These have
several advantages: they are very accurate,
can be checked immediately and are easily
repeatable and transferable from one machine
to another. The ability to set the crossing time
of the harnesses fully digitally is unique.

10. TERRYplus 800 enables
weavers to get the
most out of their
material
The material waste has been reduced to At the entrance to the main nozzle a
the minimum by inventing, developing and pneumatically controlled mechanical clamp
providing the necessary technology to (patented) holds the yarn during the non-
achieve this. The mechanical components insertion period, enabling the continuous
and advanced electronics of the airflow to be kept at a very low level. This
TERRYplus 800 are designed for optimum improves the fabric quality and reduces the
fabric quality and minimum waste. number of stops with weaker yarns.
Optimizing quality made simple The unique design of the Argus filling detector
Thanks to the electronic controls, the machine (patented) ensures perfectly reliable detection
settings for improving the fabric quality are of the yarn. This high reliability is achieved
easy to adjust, even while the machine is thanks to the detector having a full view of the
running. In addition to the many diagnostics entire cross-section of the insertion channel, so
screens, the terminal screen gives the weaver that detection is independent of the position of
access to a whole series of pre-programmed the yarn in the channel.
values for shed formation, insertion, pick
density and warp tension. ELSY electronic selvedge system (patented)
The unique ELSY selvedge systems are driven
The very solid structure of the TERRYplus 800 by separate stepper motors that are controlled
ensures vibration-free operation. Starting marks electronically. The selvedge patterns and
are a thing of the past, thanks to the stiffness crossing times can be programmed on the
of the machine, the direct drive with the Sumo microprocessor independently of the shed
motor, the full pneumatic pickfinder and crossing. This can be done even while the
the microprocessor-controlled start and stop machine is running, so the weaver immediately
algorithms, pre-programmed procedures and sees the result of the new settings.
independent let-off and take-up.
Electronic let-off and take-up
Weaving a wide range of filling yarns The electronically controlled let-off (ELO) and
The CANplus prewinders – exclusive to Picanol take-up (ETU) are fitted as standard on the
– have a sensor for the reserve windings and TERRYplus 800 machine. The ETU also makes
may also carry a built-in optical yarn break it possible to weave fabrics with variable pick
detector. Thanks to the adjustable motion and densities, with highly accurate settings.
force of the magnet pin, the TERRYplus 800
is able to weave yarns ranging from extremely
light to coarse.
The Programmable Filling Tensioner (PFT)
reduces the peak tension in the yarn at the
end of insertion when the magnet pin on the
prewinder closes. This makes it possible to
weave weaker or more delicate yarns at higher
speeds.

11. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
TERRYplus 800 enables
weavers to get the
most out of their
energy
Energy saving technologies have been The unique Adaptive Relay Valve Drive
developed and implemented, taking into (ARVD) system is a further development that
account the rules and regulations automatically adapts the relay nozzle settings
concerning the environment. The to the behavior of the filling yarn throughout
10
TERRYplus 800 loom is equipped as the insertion, making use of the advanced
standard with the energy efficient Sumo integrated electronic controls. This results in an 11
motor and with highly effective main absolute minimization of the air consumption.
nozzles, relay nozzle and valves.
Consuming less energy
The combination of the highly energy efficient
Sumo motor with the direct drive (patented)
of the main shaft and shedding motion
results in power savings of more than 10% in
comparison with conventional clutch and brake
configurations. Moreover, the energy cost for air
conditioning is also reduced as the Sumo motor
dissipates less heat in the weaving mill.
Fixed and movable main nozzles
The air supply system and highly efficient main
nozzles permit higher performance. The air
pressure and timing can be adjusted separately
for fixed and movable main nozzles, giving
reduced air consumption.
The Electronically-controlled Low Continuous
Airflow (ELCA) system holds the filling yarn
at a lower pressure in the ideal position during
the non-insertion period and prevents the yarn
from unraveling.
Relay nozzles and valves
The TERRYplus 800 relay nozzles are
optimized for more efficient use of air.
The electro-magnetic valves on the relay
nozzles have been redesigned. The air tubes
between valve and relay nozzle have been made
as short as possible, thus further reducing air
consumption.

12. TERRYplus 800 enables
weavers to get the
most out of their time
The TERRYplus 800 weaving machine is Prewinder Switch-Off
based on the OMNIplus 800 – a future- With the Prewinder Switch-Off (PSO) system
oriented platform whose components are the machine carries on weaving even if a
designed for high operating speeds and filling break occurs on the bobbin creel or one
top productivity. The frame of the of the prewinders; the prewinder signals the
TERRYplus 800 and all the moving parts break and the system switches to one of the
are perfectly balanced and robustly built remaining channels.
to permit the very highest machine speeds.
The TERRYplus 800 weaving machine has Optimized harness frames and connections
many unique features that reduce The harness frames, connections and guides
downtime to the absolute minimum. (DRC-30) are designed for weaving at high
speeds.
Unique Sumo main motor fitted
as standard With the unique DRC-30 harness connection
The oil-cooled Sumo main motor drives the (patented) no manipulations have to be carried
weaving machine directly, without belt or out under the fabric line when connecting
clutch and brake. The very short drive train is the frames to the drive system in a single
simple and compact, and the machine is up to movement, and height adjustment is done
full speed right from the very first pick. entirely at the top of the frames.
The speed of the motor is controlled Easy fitting and removal of warp beams
electronically, without a frequency converter, and cloth roll
thus reducing power consumption and The warp beams are driven by an electronically
permitting greater flexibility. The shed crossing controlled let-off system via a separate gear
time is set entirely from the display. This wheel that remains on the machine. Fitting the
combination of the Sumo motor with electronic warp beam and changing the cloth roll are done
settings makes it easy to obtain the highest by means of quick connections. No specific
possible industrial speeds, taking into account tools are required.
the yarn quality, number of harnesses and
weaving pattern, and considerably reduces the
set-up times.
The machine has a fully automatic pickfinder
(patented) driven by the Sumo main motor.
Pickfinding is done using a sliding gear on the
Sumo motor, so that no slow motion motor and
clutch are required. In case of a broken pick the
machine stops and only the harness frames are
brought in motion – automatically – so as to
free the broken pick, without the reed touching
the beat-up line. This reduces the stop time in
case of filling break and avoids starting marks.

13. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
Customer focus
Wagdy Moamen Weaving Mill – Egypt
Shirting at its best!
Wagdy Moamen is one of the best To meet with the growing demand from
companies in Egypt to export shirting American and European markets for ready-
fabrics made from the finest Egyptian made shirts instead of the fabrics to make them,
cotton. This private company was founded Wagdy Moamen has recently started up a pilot
by the Moamen family in 1981. In the plant to produce completely finished shirts.
Shoubra Elkhema area near Cairo they built The plant produces 5,000 shirts every day and
two weaving mills, one of them equipped the demand is expected to grow. Obviously this
12
with Picanol machines. Over the years new plant will give Wagdy Moamen a great
Wagdy Moamen has steadily increased its competitive advantage. Picanol is proud to be 13
production capacity to nearly 2,000,000 part of this success story.
meters per year. With high fashion brands
in Europe as its main customers, Wagdy
Moamen proved to be very successful and
expanded year after year.
To cope with this growing demand the company
started a greenfield project in 2008, also in the Eng. Moustafa Abo El Yosr, Weaving General
Manager of Wagdy Moamen (left) and Adel
vicinity of Cairo, in Elobor Industrial City. This Helmy, Picanol representative for Egypt
project is due for completion in 2011, increasing
the weaving capacity to 6,000,000 meters
of shirting fabric per year. Based on earlier
experience and evaluation of the state-of-the-art
weaving technology, Wagdy Moamen Weaving
Mill has chosen Picanol rapier technology to
achieve this.
The company currently has 18 GamMax and
24 OptiMax weaving machines with 190 cm
reedwidth in operation. As it aims for very short
delivery times, Wagdy Moamen has successfully
implemented Picanol’s Quick Style Change
system, enabling it to achieve a complete style
change in less than 35 minutes.
The variety of shirting fabrics woven at Wagdy
Moamen is impressive. From Ne 40/1 to Ne
60/1, from Ne 100/2 to Ne 140/2, and from
poplin to seersucker. In fact it produces over
120 six-color designs per year. 75% of the
collection is exported, mainly to Europe and the
US. Famous brands such as Van Laack, Canali,
Inditex, Seidensticker, Westwood and Jack Pritt
use Wagdy Moamen fabrics in their collections.

14. ITMA-CITME
Shanghai
The textile industry met from 22 to 26 June
for the second-largest textile machine fair in
the world, the ITMA-CITME exhibition in
Shanghai. The event, being held for the second
time, emerged from the collaboration between
ITMA Far East and CITME China. At the
exhibition Picanol had four machines on its
own stand and another two on the stands of
jacquard builders Bonas and Stäubli. What
made the event very special was that our latest
airjet weaving machine, the OMNIplus-X, was
presented for the first time.
The revival in the worldwide economy was very
perceptible at the exhibition: after two years
of stagnation the textile world seems ready for
investment once more. Our salespeople were
certainly able to return home with well-filled
order books!

15. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
Picanol expands its weaving systems
for technical fabrics to the Asian market
Picanol’s range of dedicated weaving The upturn in orders and deliveries for
machines for technical fabrics is also machines for apparel and household fabrics was
expanding in Asian markets, as was clearly also noticeable in the field of technical fabrics,
shown at the ITMA-ASIA 2010 and for a variety of segments. The automotive
CINTE 2010 fairs. industry has clearly recovered in a big way, with
orders for tirecord and upholstery machines.
Although Picanol enjoys good business for Coating fabrics and conveyor belts are doing
14
technical fabrics in the European and American well, especially with glass-fiber and PVC-coated
market, Asian weavers of technical fabrics also PES yarns. Medical fabrics (wound dressing 15
showed a lot interest in the Picanol solutions material) and sporting fabrics (parachute
presented at the recent ITMA-Asia held in material) also showed a high level of activity.
Shanghai.
Picanol’s main products for technical fabrics are
On the Picanol stand, an OptiMax rapier the OptiMax free flight rapier machine and the
machine weaving PVC-coated polyester yarns OMNIplus 800 airjet, with the OMNIplus 800-TC
drew a lot of attention. It clearly showed the for tirecord being a special version of the latter.
progress Picanol has made in this field.
All these products have been launched in the
Apart from the technical capabilities of the last five years and are all equipped with the
products, customers attach great importance Sumo direct drive, adding a lot of robustness
to the manufacturer's company, its products and making the machines more “stable.”
and services. Their key criterion is “stable”,
which can be translated into “robust” or “few More information on Picanol products for technical
problems.” This is where Picanol stands out fabrics can be found at www.picanol.be.
from its competitors. The recent economic
downturn did disrupt Picanol’s business to a
certain extent, but now the company is back up
to speed in its plant in Ieper, Belgium, as well
as in its plant in Suzhou, China.

16. elotte
Direct Digital Manufacturing
Pioneering in production
technology
Picanol Group subsidiary Melotte has
been in the news a lot recently with the
development and introduction of various
revolutionary production technologies. Its
Direct Digital Manufacturing and Near-to- Market
Net-Shape Manufacturing technologies As a “digital production plant” Melotte can be
are in fact so innovative that they may reached at any time from anywhere. Customers
well pose a radical challenge to industrial in Texas, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and even
traditions in the coming years. China send their digital files to Melotte in
Belgium. A 3D scanner translates the electrical
How it works data into a computer model that is used to
Getting slightly ahead of the story, we can control the laser machine. A component
say that Near-to-Net-Shape Manufacturing ordered yesterday is produced and delivered
(NNSM) is a technique that uses metal powders tomorrow by courier to the customer. In the
and laser beams to make parts. These may be future Melotte will get even closer to its
precision-engineered machine components, or customers by setting up a network of digital
they may just as well be heart valves or other manufacturing centers in various countries.
medical implants. The parts are built up layer
upon layer by a robot laser that fuses the metal Energy
powders together. The process is fully digitally The laser technology used by NNSM
controlled. Apart from the great precision with considerably reduces the ecological footprint
which the parts are made, this technology offers of producing precision parts. Compared with
numerous other advantages. conventional milling methods, the process uses
much less energy to achieve the same result.
Material, Market, Energy, Time and Talent There is no over-production and no production
Just as with the Picanol weaving machines, the waste.
same slogan applies: “Get the most out of your
… Material, Market, Energy, Time and Talent.” Time
Thanks to digitization the lead time for the
Material process is reduced enormously. In conventional
To start with, NNSM requires far less raw processes, hours of programming are required
material. With conventional technology 4 kg before the milling work even begins. Now
of titanium is needed to produce a finished it only takes a few minutes. To give another
part weighing just 1 kg, while 330 grams of example, making a heart valve by the
titanium powder are sufficient to produce a conventional method takes anything from 9
similar part weighing 300 grams using NNSM. to 16 weeks, compared with just one day for
Moreover, this can be done to a tolerance of NNSM.
three microns, i.e. three thousandths of a
millimeter. Talent
Melotte’s digital plant offers huge flexibility
for its employees. They can see at home on
their BlackBerry whether they need to come to
the plant to clear a fault on a laser or assembly
robot, or whether they can reset the machine
remotely on their laptop.
It is no exaggeration to say that Melotte is
already using the technology that will be
commonplace in 15 or 20 years.

17. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
Picanol reaches milestone with production
of 300,000th weaving machine in Ieper
The end of May saw the 300,000th 140 picks per minute. Today, the OptiMax
weaving machine emerge from the Picanol rapier weaving machines are able to reach
production line in Ieper, Belgium. This industrial speeds of more than 700 ppm (the
represents yet another milestone in the fastest rapier machine in the world), while the
long history of Picanol, founded on OMNIplus 800 airjet machines achieve more
22 September 1936. The 300,000th than 1250 ppm. Today, an estimated one out of
weaving machine, an OMNIplus 800 airjet, three pairs of denim jeans worldwide is made
was shipped to a customer in China. on Picanol weaving machines.
16
The very first Picanol weaving machine – “In the past decades we have always pushed 17
the Omnium – was produced in 1936 in the the limits of weaving machines, both for
Polenlaan plant in Ieper. It was based on a and with our customers. As a result, we are
design by the Spanish engineer Jaimé Picañol. one of the world’s top weaving machine
In the early years the company achieved an producers. We have always stuck to our core
annual production of 120 machines. However, mission: developing, assembling and servicing
by the outbreak of World War II output innovative and reliable high-tech weaving
had risen to one machine per day. In the machines. The accumulated experience we
1950s Picanol laid the foundation for future have gained from production of these 300,000
international expansion with the President machines is the best guarantee for our
weaving machine (which was also exhibited at customers all over the world that they get the
Expo ’58). In the early 1960s, Picanol moved best weaving machine when choosing Picanol,”
to a new industrial area on the outskirts of states Geert Ostyn, Vice-President Weaving
Ieper as a result of increasing demand for Machines.
weaving machines. It continues to assemble
its high-tech weaving machines in the
K. Steverlyncklaan plant to this very day.
Staying ahead with innovative technology
Through its policy of innovation and its
constant focus on product quality, processes
and people, Picanol has managed to surprise
the market time and again with new, high-tech
weaving machines. Since the first Omnium
weaving machine in 1936, more than 15 new
models have been launched on the market. In
June 2010 Picanol introduced its latest airjet
model, the OMNIplus-X at the ITMA-Asia +
CITME fair in Shanghai.
Picanol is currently the technological market
leader in both airjet and rapier weaving
machines. The machines are made in Belgium,
and since 1995 also in China. Driven by the
continuous efforts of the Picanol engineers,
the speed of weaving machines has evolved
phenomenally: the first (shuttle) weaving
machine was able to achieve a speed of about
Picanol Managing Director Luc Tack with the
300,000th Picanol weaving machine

18. All Picanol activities brought
together in one place
In its nearly 75 years of existence Picanol has However, the administrative departments
occupied various sites in the Ieper area. It all remained behind in the Polenlaan. The R&D
began in the Polenlaan, almost in the centre department was on the Zandberg road, and
of the city, where the first weaving machines later the Zonnebeke road, so for a long time
were built in the Vansteenkiste workshops. But Picanol was spread over three locations in Ieper.
the initial premises were soon bursting at their A first consolidation came in 2002 when the
seams and a new location had to be found for administration and R&D were combined in a
production. A new site to the South of Ieper single location: the imposing premises of the
was chosen, and the first buildings of what former Lernout & Hauspie company in the Ter
is still known today as the “New Plant” were Waarde industrial estate. With Luc Tack at the
erected in 1961. The road leading to it was helm it was decided to bring all the activities
appropriately named after the founder of the of the Picanol Group in Ieper together at one
company, Karel Steverlynck. single location. The obvious choice was the
production site, and at the end of August the
company headquarters officially moved to its
present address: Karel Steverlyncklaan 15,
8900 Ieper.
A view of the new open-plan Weaving
Machine Sales offices

19. OCTOBER 2010 Picanol NEWS
Strong turnover growth gets
Picanol Group back into profit
During the first half of 2010, the turnover of
the Picanol Group increased by 65% compared
with the weak first half of 2009. The increase
in turnover was achieved both in the Weaving
Machines division and in the Industries
division. In line with expectations, demand
for Picanol weaving machines remained at a
18
high level in first half of 2010, mainly driven
by strong demand from Asia. In other regions 19
the demand for Picanol weaving machines also
recovered. In addition, the Industries division
saw an increase in the level of activity across
various industries. Thanks to the savings made
and the increased turnover, the Picanol Group
was able to get back into profit. Following
the improved market outlook, the Picanol
Group launched a recruitment campaign in
July to hire an additional 150 workers for its
production plant in Ieper.
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20. Picanol News is the newsletter
of
Picanol nv
Karel Steverlyncklaan 15
BE-8900 Ieper
Belgium
Tel. + 32 57 222 111
Fax + 32 57 222 001
www.picanol.be
www.picanolgroup.com
info@picanol.be
Chief editor: Erwin Devloo
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