link 3/2006

The customer magazine of Rieter Spun Yarn Systems

Vol. 18 / No. 49 . October 2006 / EN

03 SYSTEMS SUPPLIER Topkapi Iplik – Success through innovation and quality 09 TECHNOLOGY Cotton Incorporated – 25-year partnership with Rieter 11 SERVICES Electronic Service – Market-based customer service 18 PRODUCT NEWS R 40 – Competitive edge in productivity and flexibility

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SYSTEMS SUPPLIER 03 Topkapi Iplik – Success through innovation and

quality An invitation to visit one of Turkey‘s most

innovative spinning mill operators during ITM 06.

05 India – A rapidly expanding textile market Two modern companies – Nahar Group and

Abhishek Industries Ltd. – opened their doors during a customer convention in India.

TECHNOLOGY 09 Customer-focused partnership

SERVICES 11 Specialist service facilities provide local support

– worldwide A global service organization with a comprehen-

sive off ering enables Rieter customers to achieve lasting improvements in the profi tability of their spinning installations.

13 Technological further training for mill managers

15 Electronic Service – Market-based customer service

PRODUCT NEWS18 R 40 – Competitive edge in productivity and

fl exibility Better yarn from a longer machine that‘s easier to

operate – the advantages of the new machine.

20 Leader in foreign matter detection and removal

22 Drawframe upgrades

23 Rieter support universities

INFO24 Rieter – close to customers worldwide in 2006

CONTENTS

Publisher: Marketing Spun Yarn Systems,

Heiner Eberli

Editor-in-chief: Marketing Rieter Textile Systems,

Edda Walraf

Copyright: © 2006 by Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG,

Klosterstrasse 20, CH-8406 Winterthur,

www.rieter.com, rieter-link@rieter.com

Reprints permitted, subject to prior approval;

specimen copies requested

Design and production: Marketing Rieter CZ a.s., Pavel Bielik

Printing Ringier Print s.r.o., Czech Republic

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TURKEY HAS AN IMPORTANT TEXTILE INDUSTRY. Turkey is the world‘s seventh-largest cotton producer and one of its major textile manufacturers. The tex-tile industry is Turkey‘s largest industrial sector and employs 2,5 million people. Textiles with a value of 18,5 million USD were exported in 2005. Rieter wish to thank Topkapi for off ering its inter-national customers an opportunity to visit its newest spinning mill in Istanbul during ITM 06. The exhibi-tion also took place in Istanbul.

Topkapi Iplik, an innovative and successful Turkish spinning mill operator, opened its doors to Rieter customers during ITM 06.

SYSTEMS SUPPLIER

TOPKAPI IPLIK – SUCCESS THROUGH INNOVATION AND QUALITY

THE HISTORY OF TOPKAPI IPLIK. Incorporated in 1972, Topkapi Iplik is now one of Turkey‘s most in-novative spinning mill operators. Its initial 5 500 spindles have increased to almost 80 000, 25 000 of which are the latest COM4® spindles. The fami ly-owned company has been managed successfully for almost thirty years by Mahmut Akinci. In addition to its headquarters in Istanbul, Topkapi owns 4 spin-ning mills, a knitting mill with 32 circular knitting machines, and a trading company. A total workforce of 560 is employed in 4 shifts, and daily raw material consumption by all the spinning mills is 40 tonnes.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS. Topkapi‘s product range is as diverse as its customers‘ requirements. In addi-tion to standard yarns, such as carded and combed ring-spun yarns, technological specialties such as COM4®, COM4® twin, vortex-spun yarns, ply yarns (also with elastane core), slub and fancy yarns are produced. Topkapi processes cotton and cotton/pol-yester blends, increasingly also organic cotton and innovative fi bers, such as dri-release® cotton, dri-release® wool, SeaCell Pure / Active, Tencel® and Lyocell® LF. Topkapi sells 70% of the yarn it produc-es, and more than half of this is exported.

Mahmut Akinci, President of Topkapi.

25 000 K 44 spindles produce quality yarn at Topkapi.

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STRATEGIES FOR ONGOING MARKET SUCCESS. Innovative products conforming to market require-ments, quality and quality consistency as well as close partnerships with suppliers and customers are Topkapi‘s competitive advantages. Topkapi are able to hold their own against growing competition, espe-cially from China and eastern Turkey, through con-tinuous investment in the latest technology, despite high wage levels in the Istanbul region.

ONE MILLION UNITS SOLD – BASIS FOR YARN IN-NOVATIONS. On May 16, 2006, the 1 000 000th COM4® spindle was ceremonially handed over to Mahmut Akinci, President of Topkapi. The 4th Topka-pi spinning mill has been equipped throughout with 16 800 COM4® spindles. A further expansion of this spinning installation is planned for 2007. In addition to COM4® yarn as a higher-perfor- mance ring-spun yarn, Topkapi are also placing their confi dence in Rieter‘s latest developments, such as COM4® twin, COM4® vario and COM4® core, thus enabling it to respond to customer and market re-quirements and set new trends in future. In the case of COM4® twin, two incoming rovings are compacted separately before being twisted to-gether. This results in a spin-twisted yarn. COM4® vario compact yarns off er a wide range of styling eff ects. Changes in mass and twist factor are combined by varying the rotation speeds of the draft-ing system cylinders. COM4® core yarns feature covered elastic and non-elastic core yarns. Topkapi off ers elastic core-spun yarns. For further information, a detailed reference bro-chure on Topkapi can be ordered or downloaded at www.rieter.com.

FLEXIBLE WITH RIETER MACHINES. By virtue of its proximity to Europe in terms of geography and men-tality, Topkapi off ers its customers a unique degree of fl exibility: everything is produced to customer specifi cation, whether in lots of 50 kg or 50 tonnes, in counts of Ne 10-100, if necessary with delivery lead times of two days. According to Mahmut Akinci, Topkapi‘s high quality standards and its enormous fl exibility are based on Rieter‘s all-round machinery, which can be utilized fl exibly, and its leadership in technological know-how. Based on positive experience gained during their partnership over the years, Mahmut Akinci made a deliberate decision in favor of Rieter and its agent Erbel for equipping the company‘s completely new 4th spinning installation. Mahmut Akinci comments: “Rieter off er total solutions from a single source, from spinning schedule calculations through tech-nology consulting to service and spare parts sup-plies. Rieter is an expert partner throughout the de-cision-making process and the production phase, since Rieter‘s paramount concern is permanent cus-tomer satisfaction during the entire life cycle of the machines.”

Celebrating the hando-ver of the 1 000 000th COM4® spindle.

Urs FlachHead Sales Turkey

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THE TEXTILE MARKET IN INDIA. In recent years tex-tile production in India has expanded at double-digit growth rates. The Indian textile industry is the sec-ond-largest sector of the country‘s economy after ag-riculture. It employs 35 million people. Accounting for 35% of Indian exports, it is the country‘s larg-est foreign currency earner. India is the third-largest cotton producer and the fourth-largest manufacturer of manmade fi bers. India‘s textile industry has a long tradition and a complete textile value chain with large, modern spin-ning and weaving mills, fi nishing plants and garment manufacturing facilities. The abolition of quotas lim-iting textile imports to the US and Europe has gener-ated an enormous surge in investment in the Indian textile industry. This boom has resulted in heavy de-mand for spinning machinery.

CUSTOMER CONVENTION IN CHANDIGARH. Rieter wish to thank the Nahar and Abhishek compa-nies for enabling other Indian customers to experi-ence Rieter‘s latest innovations in mill operation. Reference brochures have been produced on both companies and can be downloaded or ordered via the Internet at www.rieter.com.

THE NAHAR GROUP – SUCCESSFUL SINCE 1949. The Nahar Group, operating about 400 000 spindles and 5 000 rotors in 11 spinning mills, is one of the larg-est textile companies in India. As a leading company, the group supplies not only the local textile market with its own fashion lines and sales outlets, but also major export markets worldwide with superior qual-ity products from its own production lines.

A smoothly running mill is the best sales argument for Rieter installations. That is why Rieter organized a customer convention in India to show off two modern mills – Nahar and Abhishek.

SYSTEMS SUPPLIER

INDIA – A RAPIDLY EXPANDING TEXTILE MARKET

The group is managed very capably and with a high level of commitment by the Oswal family. The com-pany has experienced steady and signifi cant growth since it was founded in 1949 by the late Shri Vidya Sagar Oswal by pursuing a policy of very far-sight-ed investment in the equipment used. Today this in-cludes systems for spinning, weaving, dyeing, mer-cerizing and ready-to-wear garments. Jawahar Lal Oswal (Chairman), Kamal Oswal (Vice Chairman and Managing Director) and Dinesh Oswal (Managing Director) run the group together with a management team. The company has received wide recognition, including the presentation of the gov-ernment‘s National Export Award for exceptional ex-port achievements and the Textile Export Promotion Council‘s Texprocil Trophy for outstanding export performance in the yarn sector.

LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR RING AND ROTOR SPINNING. As a systems supplier able to off er both ring and rotor spinning systems, Rieter could be re-lied on to provide independent advice on the ideal spinning technology needed by Nahar to produce the required yarns. Since the entire spinning mill is sup-plied by Rieter, marketing specialists are able to con-duct economic feasibility studies on yarn production costs which the customer can rely on when it comes to deciding on the best type of installation. Based on the technological advantages of Rieter spinning systems, Nahar decided in 2005 to equip its spinning mill No. 2 exclusively with Rieter ma-chines. Rieter provided comprehensive mill manage-ment services during the planning phase for this new mill. Support during the decision-making phase in-cluded spinning schedule calculations and detailed payback calculations. CAD layout and foundation plans for the entire mill facilitated the design and planning of the new building. The whole of mill No. 2 has been operating to Nahar‘s complete satisfaction since the beginning of 2006.

Jawahar L. Oswal, Chairman; Kamal Oswal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director; Dinesh Oswal, Managing Director.

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THE 1 000TH E 65 COMBER. The inauguration of the world‘s 1 000th C•A•P•D+ E 65 comber and its hando-ver to the management of the Nahar Group took place on May 6, 2006, during the customer convention in Lalru. Over the past few years the Nahar Group has installed almost 200 Rieter high-performance comb-ers. Nahar operates the E 65 at up to 450 nips/min and MTBA (Mean Time Between Assists) of up to 240 minutes to produce 1 500 kg of combed sliver/day/E 65 for its top-quality yarn.

NAHAR‘S SPINNING MILL NO. 2 IN SUMMARY. Na-har has a production capacity of more than 13 tonnes/day, manufacturing combed ring-spun yarn and COM4® compact yarn for weaving and knitting. Carded ComfoRo® rotor-spun yarns are used main-ly for knitting. The blowroom installation comprises 1 UNIfl oc A 11 bale opener, 1 UNIclean B 11 pre-cleaner, 3 UNImix B 70 blenders and 3 UNIfl ex B 60 fi ne cleaners. 10 C 60 cards with single licker-in are used for ring-spun and COM4® yarn production and 2 C 60 cards with triple licker-in for rotor-spun yarn production. 2 UNIlap E 32 units prepare laps for 8 E 65 combers. 7 RSB-D 35 autoleveler drawframes ensure superior sliver quality. 8 K 44 machines with 1 200 spindles are used to produce COM4® yarns. 2 fully automated R 40 ro-tor spinning machines, each with 360 spinning po-sitions and Uster Quantum yarn clearers, produce high-quality ComfoRo® yarns with invisible piec-ings.

The world‘s 1 000th E 65 comber at Nahar.

Time-saving operation at Nahar with opera-ting personnel on skates.

Interested customers during the customer convention at Nahar.

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ABHISHEK INDUSTRIES LIMITED – PART OF THE TRI-DENT GROUP. Abhishek Industries Limited started business in 1990 as a manufacturer of agricultural products in Punjab, India. Driven by the vision and entrepreneurial fl air of Rajinder Gupta, CEO and MD of the Trident Group, the company has developed rapidly into a diversifi ed range of activities with a sig-nifi cant presence in both domestic and international markets today. The business portfolio encompasses products ranging from terry towels, terry products, yarn, writing and printing papers to chemicals. When Abhishek started up its fi rst spinning mill in 1993 with 17 280 spindles, new avenues of busi-ness were being explored. Today the group is one of the world‘s largest manufacturers of terry towels, one of the largest producers of agro-based paper and one of India‘s top ten cotton textile companies. Ab-hishek has been awarded the prestigious “Interna-tional Supplier Award” by Wal-Mart, USA. Abhishek management seeks to achieve leader-ship by investing in the latest technology in each of its businesses. Close customer focus with matching quality, quantity and cost results in sound and last-ing relationships. The outcome of this management policy is a growth rate well above the average for the industries in which it operates. With its latest invest-ment in a rotor spinning mill equipped through-out with Rieter machines, Abhishek now operates 78 864 ring spindles and 1 920 rotors. Rieter off er all machines from fi ber to yarn from a single source, which was a decisive advantage for Abhishek.

TEXTILE PRODUCTS FROM ABHISHEK. Abhishek manufactures a wide variety of textile products for the domestic and international markets. The Yarn Di-vision manufactures both combed and carded cotton yarn as well as polyester/cotton and PVA yarn. Be-sides catering for local consumption through the Ter-ry Towel Division, the Yarn Division has developed a signifi cant presence in the export market with its quality products, which include:

ring-spun yarn for weaving and knitting ComfoRo® rotor-spun yarn for weaving and knitting carded, combed and semi-combed yarns in a count range of Ne 14-20 polyester spun yarns in a count range of Ne 30-40 100% cotton yarn (gray, dyed, mercerized) polyester/cotton blends slub yarns

Abhishek produce a wide variety of terry towels and materials for household fabrics, bath towels, bath mats, bath robes and towels of all kinds.

FAULTLESS FIBER PREPARATION. The Rieter blow-room line consists of proven system components and is adapted to the customer‘s specifi c needs. Ab-hishek operate 2 feeding lines for 2 diff erent blends in order to respond fl exibly to market needs. A UNI-fl oc A 11 automatic bale opener is followed by a UNIclean B 11 pre-cleaner, 2 UNImix B 70 blend-ers, 3 UNIfl ex B 60 fi ne cleaners, 1 B 25 waste open-er and 9 C 60 high-performance cards. The sliver is prepared on an SB 2 drawframe and 6 RSB-D 35 au-toleveler draw frames.

•••

••••

Rajinder Gupta, CEO and MD of the Trident Group.

Headquarters of the Trident Group.

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COMFORO® – THE NEW BRAND NAME FOR ROTOR YARN. Sliver breaks, yarn breaks or quality cuts by the yarn clearer result in piecing joins in the rotor-spun yarn. The automated R 40 rotor spinning ma-chine installed at Abhishek already features high-quality piecing, but the new, patented AEROpiecing device in the R 40 robot guarantees precise feeding and yarn handling accurate to 1/1 000th of a sec-ond. With the latest generation of R 40 robots piec-ings are invisible, and the tenacity of the piecing is comparable to that of the yarn. ComfoRo® is the brand name for this high-quality yarn with invisible piecings, which guarantees improved running prop-erties in weaving and knitting.

FULLY AUTOMATED R 40 ROTOR SPINNING MACHINE. Abhishek is one of the world‘s leading terry tow-el producers. The rotor-spun yarn produced has to fulfi ll the highest international standards. Abhishek produce up to 24 000 kg of yarn daily on 6 R 40 ro-tor spinning machines with 320 rotors each. The raw material used for the rotor-spun yarn is mainly Indi-an cotton with a staple length of up to 28 mm. The fully automated R 40 rotor spinning machine deliv-ers superior yarn quality due to the SC-R spinning box and perfect automation via the robot. The high degree of fl exibility of Abhishek‘s output is apparent in the wide count range of Ne 7-30. The R 40 ma-chine can be set up very fl exibly with diff erent spin-ning elements that infl uence yarn quality and proper-ties, such as rotors, take-off nozzles and TWISTstop. The R 40 machines at Abhishek operate at up to 120 000 rpm and with a yarn take-off speed of up to 200 m/min. Rotor diameters of 33 mm are used for the Ne 10-16 terry towel qualities and rotor di-ameters of 31 mm for fi ner yarn counts for knitted fabrics. The SC-R spinning box incorporating an ad-justable bypass, which regulates the air fl ow close to the opening roller, permits additional trash removal during rotor spinning and further improves the pro-ductivity of the spinning process.

Jörg BüchlerArea Sales Manager India

Stylish terry towel products by Abhishek.

The fully automated R 40 rotor spinning installation at Abhishek.

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Cotton Incorporated, the internationally renowned cotton research and marketing organization, and Rieter Textile Systems, the leading supplier of inte-grated spinning installations from bale opening to yarn, celebrated their 25-year-old business associa-tion on January 10 with the inauguration of the latest complete Rieter production line in the research labo-ratory of Cotton Incorporated at its headquarters in Cary, NC. Cotton Incorporated and Rieter have been working together since 1979 on joint research projects with the goal of optimizing fi ber selection and process-es for manufacturing high-quality yarns made from 100% cotton or with a predominant cotton content.

Cotton Incorporated, the world‘s largest cotton research and marketing organization, has opted for Rieter spinning technology.

TECHNOLOGY

CUSTOMER-FOCUSED PARTNERSHIP

During the past three years Fiber Processing Re-search, a division of Textile Research and Implemen-tation, has undertaken an extensive modernization of its laboratory. A highlight of this upgrade was the installation of the K 44 COM4® compact spinning machine and the R 40 rotor spinning machine. Other Rieter machines installed included:

B 3/4 bale openerC 60 cardRSB-D 35 drawframeUNIlap E 32 combing preparation unitE 72 comberF 11 roving frame

“It was an exciting opportunity for Cotton Incorpo-rated to cooperate with Rieter, the only machinery manufacturer with a ’genuine systems off ering‘. We are proud to be able to demonstrate in this way the importance of the two companies in the global tex-tile business. We hope in this way to further intensi-fy our relationship with Rieter and also attract other major technology partners”, explained J. Berrye Wor-sham, Chairman and CEO of Cotton Incorporated. “The partnership between Cotton Incorporated and Rieter aims to approach customers‘ problems as a whole. This is a win-win situation. Customers in par-ticular will benefi t in future from the higher perfor-mance of cotton fi bers on Rieter machines. There is no doubt that the joint eff orts of both organiza-tions will make a major contribution to the operating effi ciency of spinning mills worldwide”, comment-ed Dr. Martin Folini, Head of the Rieter Spun Yarn Systems Business Group. He also stressed that:

AN IDEAL PARTNERSHIP. “Rieter is extremely proud to have been chosen to participate in the realization of this trend-setting research center. We are con-vinced that the cooperation between Cotton Incor-porated and Rieter will lead to further improvements and innovations in cotton processing. This research laboratory will therefore be of great benefi t to both partners and thus also to all cotton-processing cus-tomers.”

••••••

J. Berrye Worsham, Chairman and CEO of Cotton Incorporated, hands a gift to Dr. Martin Folini, CEO Rieter Spun Yarn Systems, Switzerland, and Heiner Eberli, Head of Marketing, Rieter Spun Yarn Systems, Switzerland.

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Here the decision was in favor of the C 60 high-performance card, the ambitious new design featur-ing a working width of 1,5 meters. Rieter is looking forward to researching and expanding the potential of this new concept together with Cotton Incorporat-ed. This cooperative venture enables joint trials to be carried out, in which technology components from Rieter are tested for optimum fulfi llment of the needs of Cotton Incorporated in the fi nal spinning of cotton fi bers. The trials will give Cotton Incorporated an oppor-tunity to study the running properties of US cotton on high-performance spinning machines in order to achieve enhanced running performance of Rieter machines. The installation of an additional Rieter processing line at the Cotton Incorporated facility in Cary rep-resents a major step for Rieter to fulfi ll the needs of joint customers worldwide. Identical trials can now be performed in Cary and in Switzerland. This will mainly be of benefi t to custom-ers, since new cotton fi bers will be ideally adapted to the requirements of the various spinning processes, whether rotor spinning, conventional ring spinning or compact spinning, combed and carded. Similarly, fi ne tuning of the spinning process with regard to se-lection of technology components, machine settings and specifying spinning schedules will be more se-lective from now on.

www.cottoninc.com

In modernizing its research center Cotton Incor-porated placed the emphasis on new spinning proc-esses, especially compact spinning. A decision was made in favor of the K 44 COM4® compact spinning machine, since this embodies the leading technology on the market. More than one million Rieter COM4® spindles worldwide are producing high-quality com-pact yarns. Following an extensive evaluation of rotor spinning machines, Cotton Incorporated was convinced of the qualities of Rieter‘s R 40 rotor spinning machine. In addition to upgrading the fi nal spinning ma-chines, Cotton Incorporated also made signifi cant investments in spinning preparation facilities.

Heiner EberliHead Marketing

Left to right: Raouf Tarabouski, Bobby Rodriguez, Mike Rodriguez (Rieter), William Gunter, Samuel Dabbs, David Clapp, Dr. Martin Folini (Rieter), Don Bailey, Heiner Eberli (Rieter), Hans Rothen (Rieter), William Kimbrell.

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Specialist service support enables Rieter customers to achieve lasting improvements in the profitability of their spinning installations.

SERVICES

SPECIALIST SERVICE FACILITIES PROVIDE LOCAL SUPPORT – WORLDWIDE

RAPID SUPPORT WORLDWIDE. The Rieter service organization follows the markets. Regional serv-ice centers with operations management for fi tters and local customer service facilities ensure rapid re-sponse. Rieter attaches great importance to direct communication with customers and has therefore stationed trained local service technicians in many markets. In large countries such as Turkey, India or China, the service center is complemented by decen-tralized service stations in order to cover larger dis-tances more quickly.

PROMPT COMMISSIONING WITH THE CUSTOMER. Special attention is called for when commissioning new installations. Rieter specialists assist the cus-tomer in thorough planning for the installations. The basis for success is systematically provided by opti-mum preparation of the spinning mill infrastructure including buildings, air conditioning, power supplies and laboratory facilities. The assembly work as such can then start prompt-ly, after a brief period of preparation. Assembly time can be reduced considerably by good preparation. More time is left for customers‘ personnel to famil-iarize themselves with the machinery while being in-volved in assembly work.

COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE OFFERING. Rieter has a service organization that is on call worldwide. Its specialists have at their disposal the necessary tools to have a lasting impact on the success of spinning installations. The fi rst task is to bring new lines rap-idly up to the required output levels with the neces-sary yarn quality. The necessary support is then pro-vided during the life cycle of the installation in order to respond to changes in market requirements. Final-ly, a review of the installation‘s condition by Rieter‘s service personnel enables possible improvements to be proposed and timely action to be taken that can prevent loss of quality and output.

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EXPERT INSTRUCTION. When assembly is complete, Rieter‘s service specialists instruct the customer‘s personnel. The specialists responsible for operating, setting, servicing and maintaining the machines are trained accordingly.

Juerg BischofbergerHead Service

Customer training in the mill or in one of our train-ing centers provides more in-depth know-how. After being prepared in this way, customers can soon op-erate the new installations independently. They are able to produce the required yarn quality reliably.

COMPREHENSIVE CUSTOMER CARE. Spinning mills have to respond rapidly to changes in the market and if necessary adjust the installations immediately to meet new requirements. Processing new fi bers may call for adjustments to the system as a whole. As-sistance can be called for in such cases via the local service organization. Rieter‘s local customer service organization takes up and deals with problems arising with systems, material or downstream processing requirements. If the problem is too complex or cannot be dealt with locally, the service unit passes it on to specialists at Rieter to deal with. It also monitors execution and implementation on the spot.

By means of a modern service information system Rieter ensures that accepted solutions to problems can rapidly be utilized for all customers worldwide. Rieter‘s service inspectors regularly visit the mar-kets. They not only off er customers ongoing as-sistance, they also provide Rieter technicians with valuable pointers for the further development of products.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE. Besides vocational training in mechanical, electrical and textile know-how, service personnel are continuously kept up-to-date, trained and tested in the latest state of the art in spinning machinery. Lively exchange of experi-ence is encouraged in this process. This regular exchange among service specialists speeds up the practical implementation of the latest fi ndings. A service organization of this kind can as-sist customers in maintaining their lead.

EASY TO CONTACT. Countries and regions have cus-tomer service centers with direct contact personnel. Rieter assist customers in analyzing their problems. Clear fi ndings enable assistance to be speeded up considerably.

FEEDBACK IS WELCOME. Rieter appreciate receiv-ing direct feedback regarding their service facilities. The service organization therefore ask customers for their impressions after commissioning work has been completed and has its performance assessed. Conclusions are drawn from this for further improve-ments in performance and for more extensive serv-ice off erings.

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DO MILL MANAGERS NEED SPECIAL FURTHER TRAIN-ING COURSES? A mill manager‘s day-to-day concerns with operating fi gures, output, quality, procurement, distribution, personnel issues, etc., leave little time to spare for acquiring information about rapid tech-nical advances. This is why it is necessary to bring the relevant know-how up to the latest state of the art by means of targeted further training. Knowledge is power (Francis Bacon), and new fi ndings can mean having a lead over competitors. As a systems sup-plier from bale to yarn, Rieter can ideally meet these information needs.

Special Rieter training courses in modern spinning technology combine experience with new findings – specifically for mill managers.

SERVICES

TECHNOLOGICAL FURTHER TRAINING FOR MILL MANAGERS

FURTHER TRAINING FOR SPINNING MILL MANAGERS AND QUALITY MANAGERS. The course is intended for mill managers or quality managers. These people work across disciplinary boundaries and will apply what they have learned appropriately in order to op-timize spinning mill operations from their manage-ment level.

MILL-ORIENTED SYLLABUS. The mill managers‘ courses last a week and are conducted in English. All the relevant machines used in the diff erent processes are explained in detail to groups of about 8 people.

FIRST-HAND INFORMATION. Rieter is continuously optimizing machines and technology components in order to process raw materials even more eff ec-tively and gently. The mill managers‘ courses provide an opportunity to acquire information fi rst-hand and discuss personal experience with the specialists. The latest machines are installed in Rieter‘s train-ing premises and issues can, if necessary, be settled with direct reference to them.

TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS ARE THE KEYS TO SUC-CESS. Fiber guiding elements are among the ma-chines‘ key components. It is therefore important to be familiar with these components and their infl u-ence on the quality of the end product. This is the starting point for course leaders and speakers. They address the diff erent possible applications and em-phasize the technology components that become worn due to the action of the material being proc-essed. These components aff ect the yarn character-istics and thus the quality of the product and can at worst result in complaints. In addition to the idal creeling, a robust draw frame, rugged spindles and an optimised process, a fur-ther decisive factor is the ring/traveller system. The yarn is crucially aff ected by the wrong choice of ring traveler. Expert explanations by a specialist from the Bräcker company regarding the ideal combination of ring and traveler make it clear why this is so.

Practical explanation of important techno-logy components.

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At Uster Technologies the advantage of online mon-itoring is explained. Everyone knows that one yarn package with greater hairiness is suffi cient to spoil many meters of fabric due to quality defects. All testing instruments are explained in the Uster Technologies‘ laboratory. All test results on fi ber sliv-ers and yarns for the globally recognized Uster Sta-tistics originate from this laboratory.

INFORMATION ON COURSES. These further training courses for spinning mill managers are integrated in Rieter‘s program of courses which is mailed and pub-lished annually on the website. The positive com-ments of those attending confi rm that modern spin-ning mill management is very appreciative of this opportunity for further training and refreshing spin-ning technology know-how.

AIR CONDITIONING AND QUALITY CONTROL. In or-der to manufacture top-quality yarns at marketable prices, the appropriate operating environment is necessary as well as good machinery. This certain-ly includes air conditioning as well as quality con-trol. A specialist conducts a guided tour of the air conditioning system at our SpinCenter and deals with important details. The course includes visits to the LUWA and Uster Technologies companies, where specialist speakers from both companies deal in de-tail with all aspects of air conditioning, such as the relationship between climate and yarn breakages, elongation, tensile strength, laps, etc., and quality control.

Urs RüfenachtHead Customer Training

Participants in a course held in May 2006 on the subject of SPIDERweb.

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USA

SWITZERLAND

GERMANY

ARGENTINA

MEXICO

VENEZUELA

EQUADOR

BRAZIL

SPAIN

MOROCCO

EGYPT

GREECE

TURKEY

SOUTH AFRICA

INDIA

PAKISTANIRAN

SOUTH KOREA

CHINA

BANGLADESH

MALAYSIA

TAIWAN

INDONESIA

THAILAND

Reliability, quality and long-term stability as the basis for the financial success of spinning installati-ons require good, nearby service facilities for electro-nic equipment.

SERVICES

ELECTRONIC SERVICE – MARKET-BASED CUSTOMER SERVICE

Rieter customers operate their production lines 24 hours a day, in many cases seven days a week and 365 days a year. Electronics are playing an ever in-creasing role in advanced machinery, and the inter-action of individual machines within a spinning in-stallation is no longer conceivable without electronic modules and communications networks.

Fig. 1 Local Electronic Service bases for maintenance and repair benefi t the customer.

QUALITY, PRODUCTIVITY AND HIGH EFFICIENCY – ASSURED BY ELECTRONICS. The yarn manufacturing process is electronically controlled and monitored at the crucial process stages so that consistent yarn quality can be produced in the spinning mill. Electronic and electrical equipment can account for up to 25% of the machine‘s value. Bearing in mind that each of these devices can consist of up to 3 000 miniature components (Fig. 2), malfunctions occur relatively rarely. However, even the smallest defects in devices of this kind can have a serious impact. Key machines in the blowroom supply an entire spin-ning mill with raw material. If only one of these key machines comes to a stop due to a fault, the entire subsequent process and thus also the ring and rotor spinning machines soon have to be shut down.

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However, spare parts stocks held by customers are still extremely important in order to prevent produc-tion stoppages. They enable customers, in the event of a malfunction, to locate the fault, replace an elec-tronic module themselves and immediately bring the machine back into operation. If the electronic mod-ule that is replaced is not the source of the fault, this has to be sought in many cases in the sensor sys-tem, in settings or the wiring in the switchgear cabi-net. The customer‘s personnel can perform this work themselves under instruction by telephone from the service unit, thereby helping to reduce downtimes and thus costs.

RAPID RESPONSE IS CRUCIAL. The increasing de-gree of automation, rapid product changes, techni-cal progress and thus the complexity of the machines require customers to make continuous adjustments to their resources on the spot. Communication prob-lems, diff erent cultures and time zones, import per-mits, customs formalities and other barriers often make it diffi cult to supply electronic components quickly from main spare parts stocks. In order to be able to off er customers rapid, straight-forward service on the spot, Rieter has established a global presence since 1986, especially also in the newly industrialized countries. The fact that this glob-al network of electronic service stations is close to the markets (Fig. 1) fulfi lls customers‘ requirements for local know-how and rapid response at a reasona-ble price with competent problem-solving facilities.

Fig. 3 The electronic service unit at Rieter India in Coimbatore.

Fig. 4 Training of local technicians at the service unit in Pakistan by Harald Oster.

Fig. 2 Electronic module with SMT (Sur-face Mounted Techno-logy) components.

LOCAL ASSISTANCE – A CUSTOMER BENEFIT. Elec-tronic units arriving at a service station for repair or maintenance (Fig. 3) have to be subjected to thor-ough analysis, even if no fault can be identifi ed at fi rst glance. Descriptions of the fault provided by the customer are helpful and can often reduce testing ef-fort considerably. By means of its electronic service units Rieter have established their own infrastructure enabling it to of-fer an ongoing local service for the diff erent types of machine. Customers not only benefi t in the near term, they also receive support in dealing with ma-chine generations that have already been in opera-tion for many years.

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PERSONNEL AND TRAINING ARE THE BASIS FOR COMPETENT SERVICE. Local technicians are chosen in a selective, exacting recruitment process so that Rieter can provide this service. Important skills in-clude communication and technical appreciation. Af-ter thorough basic training at headquarters, training courses lasting several weeks are held continuous-ly (Fig. 4) in order to meet market needs. Special-ly developed and assembled testing and inspection instruments are provided together with appropriate documentary material to enable electronic equip-ment to be repaired as far as possible down to com-ponent level. The local electronics technicians are in constant contact with headquarters for mutual ex-change of information, a know-how network that is of great benefi t to Rieter customers. Defective modules are analyzed by the electron-ic service unit, faulty components are replaced and the entire functional group is subjected to careful in-spection, returned to the customer and invoiced in local currency. The customer therefore does not have to bother with export permits, customs formalities or purchases of foreign currency.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROLONGS THE LIFE CYCLE. As is the case with mechanical units, elec-tronic devices also have a limited life cycle and have to be serviced. Their life cycle depends very much on ambient temperature, moisture, dirt, power sup-plies, vibration and other environmental infl uences, and therefore diff ers from mill to mill. If only one small electronic component fails due to age, the entire device is faulty and the machine func-tion is no longer assured, which in a key machine can have repercussions for the installation as a whole. If, for example, a TV set were to be operated in a spin-ning machine‘s environment, it would in most cases not survive for a year. Age-related eff ects on elec-tronic components can also have an impact on the yarn quality being produced.

Peter OswaldHead Electronic Service Textile Division

Over-aged electronic components can cause chain reactions in the event of failure and make entire de-vices unusable. In such cases repairs can only be performed at considerable cost and material expend-iture, even if this is fi nancially still worth doing. Preventive maintenance enables components to be replaced before age-related faults occur. This pro-longs the operating life of the module as a whole. Local electronic service can enable spinning instal-lations to attain a high degree of reliability. This con-tributes to customer satisfaction, ecology and the ef-fi ciency of a spinning mill.

Fig. 5 Electronics technicians at the service unit in India, trained on the latest infrastructure with access to Rieter know-how, seek to provide perfect service to the customer‘s satisfac-tion.

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The further development of the R 40 rotor spinning machine makes greater machine lengths possible and simplifies operation. A new option for fancy yarns is also available.

PRODUCT NEWS

R 40 – COMPETITIVE EDGE IN PRODUCTIVITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Customers can benefi t from even larger compact production units: up to 4 high-speed robots monitor up to 400 rotors on the new R 40.

ACHIEVING HIGH PIECING QUALITY EASILY AND RELIABLY. The introduction of AEROpiecing technol-ogy reinforces the advantages of rotor-spun yarns. Piecing quality that is virtually identical to the yarn brings advantages in downstream processing right through to the end product. This has already at-tracted considerable attention in the marketplace. This new yarn quality have been given the name ComfoRo®. R 40 users can now achieve this high piecing qual-ity even more easily. Basically, they now need only information on the raw material for input into the latest R 40 robots with the XPS (eXpert Piecing Sys-tem) software. The XPS system then automatically proposes the other setting parameters. These can be accepted by merely pressing a button on the robot control unit. The software is based on extensive se-ries of tests and on experience gained in AEROpiec-ing applications to date. In this way users immediately achieve outstanding piecing quality, even if they have no previous expe-rience to date with a given yarn. Experienced users can make further optimizations, of course.

INNOVATIVE DRIVE ENGINEERING FOR SUBSTAN-TIAL ENERGY SAVINGS AND GREATER FLEXIBILITY. The latest version of the R 40 has inverter-control-led drives throughout, also for the opening rollers and yarn displacement. Operating personnel can set all parameters on the machine display panel, such as the winding angle in steps of 1°. The electronic anti-pattern device is even more effi cient. Rieter has simplifi ed menu guidance on the machine display panel and the control unit in response to experience gained by customers. Customer mills can thus rapid-ly re-set the R 40 for batch changes.

Fig. 1 High effi ciency of the R 40 with 400 rotors and 4 high-speed robots.

LATEST VERSION WITH HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY PO-TENTIAL. The R 40 is now even more productive: de-livery speeds of up to 350 m/min and rotor speeds of up to 160 000 rpm are possible. Higher spinning stability already enables our customers to achieve delivery speeds of 230-250 m/min, in certain cases even 300 m/min, with the R 40 in certain applica-tions such as with cotton and some types of viscose fi bers. Rieter have exhibited relevant examples with the R 40 at recent trade fair appearances.

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With the new R 40 and its new drive engineering features, customers can save a further 7+% in en-ergy compared with earlier versions. In addition to even more effi cient motors, further optimizations in bearing engineering at the spinning positions have contributed to this.

OPTIMUM, STATE-OF-THE-ART EFFECTS. Rieter have utilized the experience of specialists for fancy yarn devices on the R 40. The new drive engineering fea-tures enable their fancy yarn devices to be integrat-ed even more eff ectively in the rotor spinning ma-chine. An interface on the R 40 enables the best of the currently available fancy yarn devices to be fi tted including their full functional range. The central drive means that all spinning positions reliably produce the same eff ects. Up to 4 special drive motors provide suffi cient dynamic perfor mance to produce the eff ects that are technologically possi-ble in the rotor spinning process. The central feeding drives are reinforced in this case. The drives for machine feed and delivery and the robots can operate synchronously when fancy yarn devices are used. Customers produce fancy yarns with low ends down frequencies and high piecing ef-fi ciency on the R 40. Piecings in fancy yarns are also of yarn-like quality.

EXTENSIVE YARN EFFECTS INCLUDING MULTICOUNT AND MULTITWIST. Rieter off ers the VARIOspin sys-tem together with specialist manufacturer Caipo. This includes the control of feed and delivery and thus enables very extensive yarn eff ects to be pro-duced, including multicount and multitwist, and the combination of eff ects in twist and yarn count. VARIOspin also includes user-friendly software for designing these eff ects. Extensions are also avail-able for reading-in eff ects from yarn samples and simulating fabrics made from fancy yarns, includ-ing the infl uence of specifi c fi nishing methods (e.g. stonewash).

ADVANTAGES OF THE R 40. More than 400 R 40 rotor spinning machines have been installed in customers‘ mills to date. Some spinning mills have even con-ducted direct comparisons between their R 40 ma-chines and competing products. The R 40 has regu-larly come out on top in these comparisons. These customers have rated the fl exibility and operability of the R 40 highly alongside excellent technology results. Customers now have additional benefi ts at their disposal with AEROpiecing and XPS.

Dr. Stephan Weidner-BohnenbergerHead Product Management Rotor

Fig. 2 VARIOspin: interesting yarn eff ects with the R 40 by varying infeed and twist.

Fig. 3 Higher fl exi-bility and economy due to easier setting and reduced energy consumption.

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The world‘s leading spinning mills demonstrate their confidence in THE VISION SHIELD with repeat invest-ments. THE VISION SHIELD DIRECT MPIX is already the 3rd generation, offering improved efficiency and accuracy.

PRODUCT NEWS

LEADER IN FOREIGN MATTER DETECTION AND REMOVAL

Fig. 1 THE VISION SHIELD in a new Rieter A 78 blowroom line – TVS Direct MPIX.

DETECTING WHITE POLYPROPYLENE WITH POLY-TECT. Detection of white polypropylene (PP) is con-siderably enhanced by using high-frequency modu-lated UV light (Fig. 2 & 3). However, narrow strips of PP or individual fi bers cannot be eliminated due to the high separation rate this entails. This task is as-signed to a suitable yarn clearer on the winder or ro-tor spinning machine.

Fig. 2 Daylight is not ideal for identifying refl ecting particles.

Fig. 3 Detection diff e-rentiation is considerab-ly better in UV light.

1 000 INSTALLATIONS WORLDWIDE EQUIPPED WITH THE VISION SHIELD. Jossi already exhibited the fi rst detection system featuring real-time image process-ing for eliminating extraneous material in spinning mills at the ITMA in Milan in 1995. Since then THE VISION SHIELD has been the highest selling detec-tion and elimination system for foreign material and is regarded as guaranteeing the best possible extra-neous matter elimination in the blowroom line. Due to its very compact design, THE VISION SHIELD can be used without any diffi culty in all familiar blow-room lines (Fig. 1).

QUALITY ON A GLOBAL LEVEL. Foreign material has always been one of the most frequent sources of faults in the spinning process. ITMF has conducted studies on cotton impurities worldwide since 1989. Despite various eff orts to counteract this, the level of impurities has increased steadily in recent years. At the same time quality requirements for yarn free of foreign fi bers on the world market have also risen rapidly. Tolerance of foreign fi bers in the end prod-uct is tending toward zero! THE VISION SHIELD pro-vides yarn manufacturers with an outstanding sys-tem for meeting these requirements.

THE VISION SHIELD IN THE NEW RIETER BLOWROOM LINE. Trial installations have demonstrated that THE VISION SHIELD DIRECT MPIX can be used after the A 78 without any diffi culty. A high level of foreign matter removal can be achieved even at the maxi-mum production rate of 1 200 kg/h.

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It is not the THE VISION SHIELD‘s task to elimi-nate seed trash and stalk particles, since these are removed in the subsequent carding process. Selective, reliable detection and removal of purely foreign substances has a positive impact on effi cien-cy. A high degree of elimination of foreign fi bers is thus achieved with minimal removal of good raw ma-terial.

REMOTE MONITORING AND DIAGNOSIS. The JOSSI DATAMANAGER RC interconnection kit permits worldwide communication with THE VISION SHIELD. For data collection, remote monitoring, optimizing machine settings or program updates – this is the most effi cient solution for reliable mill operations. Comprehensive security functions provide protec-tion against unauthorized outside access.

SERVICE AND SUPPORT. Service centers throughout the world ensure regular upgrades to newer tech-nologies and thus guarantee long investment life cy-cles.

Yücel YildirimProduct Manager Spinning Jossi Systems AG

Fig. 4 True-color camera image showing vegetable particles (green) and extra-neous material (red).

VIRTUAL INTELLIGENCE ENHANCES DETECTION EF-FICIENCY. Virtual intelligence enables POLYTECT VI to distinguish most eff ectively between vegetable par-ticles (trash) and foreign substances. This unique process enables hitherto unequaled detection effi ciency to be achieved. The enhanced detection process distinguishes between vegetable particles and foreign substances (Fig. 4).

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MAINTENANCE-FRIENDLINESS WITH PROSCAN. With PROscan the z51 / z22 spiral bevel gear assembly in the scanning gear of the RSB 51 / RSB 851 / RSB 951 drawframes is eliminated and replaced by a mainte-nance-friendly fl at belt drive (Fig. 1). Spiral gearwheels become worn during continuous operation. This is only noticed when characteristic stacks become apparent in the spectrogram. Replac-ing the gears is not easy, and it takes several hours to dismantle the entire gear. After conversion to PRO-scan only the belt needs to be replaced – and the drawframe is running again within a few minutes.

PROscan facilitates drawframe maintenance, TOP-clean improves sliver quality and supports quality consistency. Retrofits offering substantial benefits for existing installations.

PRODUCT NEWS

DRAWFRAME UPDATES

Fig. 2 TOPclean – extraction hood with intermittently raised cleaning lips.

Spectrogram errors are prevented by PROscan. The scanning system thus precisely records fl uctuations in feed sliver mass and provides the basis for ideally leveled drawframe slivers. PROscan also provides cost benefi ts in spare parts procurement, since the replacement of a fl at belt is considerably less expensive than that of an entire spiral bevel gear assembly.

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT WITH TOPCLEAN. The TOP-clean extraction system (Fig. 2) is incorporated as standard equipment in the new RSB-D 40 and SB-D 40 drawframes and is proving its worth out-standingly. This innovation is now available as a ret-rofi t for the SB-D 10 / SB-D 15 / RSB-D 30(c) / RSB-D 35(c) drawframes. The optimized air guidance of TOPclean has an im-mediate impact on the cleanliness of the drafting system and the slivers produced. Cleaning lips rest-ing on the top rollers remove substances accompa-nying the fi bers and direct them into the extraction system. An adjustable automatic device raises the cleaning lips from the top rollers at intervals, and accumulated dirt and short fi bers are systematically forwarded to the extraction system. The new cleaning lips considerably reduce coat-ing formation on the top rollers. The cleaning lips re-duce lap formation especially during the processing of cotton containing honeydew. Besides reduced cleaning eff ort and improved run-ning properties on the drawframe, TOPclean is also refl ected in yarn quality. Customers report in some cases signifi cantly fewer imperfections, disturbing faults and clearer cuts.

Jörg FeiglParts Marketing

Fig. 1 PROscan – scan-ning gear with fl at belt drive

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Students trained on the latest machinery can subsequently manage a spinning mill efficiently. Rieter support them with lectures, documentary material and machinery – most recently with two RSB drawframes in India and China.

PRODUCT NEWS

RIETER SUPPORTUNIVERSITIES

XI‘AN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, CHINA. An RSB autoleveler drawframe was handed over in China to Xi‘an Polytechnic University in Xi‘an, Shaanxi Prov-ince, in May of this year. The presentation to the Dean, Prof. Dr. Xing Jian Wie, was made by Peter Schulz, member of the management board of Rieter Ingolstadt Spinnereimaschinenbau AG. Peter Schulz emphasized to the audience of some 150 students that Rieter were happy to be able to contribute to the training of future textile engineers in China. The occasion was also attended by Michael Kristoff ersen and Dr. He Fang Song, both of Rieter‘s sales organi-zation in China, and Dr. Klaus-Uwe Moll, Head - Engi-neering Drawframe. Xi‘an Polytechnic University is currently attended by 16 000 students, some 4 000 of whom are stud-ying textile engineering. Both masters degrees and doctorates can be earned at this expanding universi-ty. The university maintains a long-standing partner-ship with Reutlingen University in Germany. Rieter will also continue in future to support uni-versities worldwide and thus contribute to the edu-cation of outstanding engineers.

D.K.T.E. SOCIETY‘S TEXTILE AND ENGINEERING IN-STITUTE, INDIA. An RSB autoleveler drawframe was handed over to the D.K.T.E. Society‘s Textile and En-gineering Institute in Ichalkaranji, India, in April 2006. The formal presentation to the President and Chairman of D.K.T.E., Shri K.B. Awade, was made by Jörg Büchler, Sales Manager for India, and Jürgen Müller, Head of Product Management Drawframe. The formal ceremony was also attended by the Di-rector of the Textile Faculty, Professor Dr. C.D. Kane, other representatives of D.K.T.E. and Rieter, as well as some 650 students. D.K.T.E. was founded in 1982 and is one of India‘s leading textile institutions. Rieter have presented the Rieter Award for outstand-ing academic achievements to D.K.T.E. graduates in the past.

Jürgen MüllerHead – Product Management Drawframe

Fig. 2 Formal RSB presentation ceremony at Xi‘an Polytechnic University, China: (left to right) Dr. He Fang Song (Rieter), Prof. Dr. Xing Jian Wei, (Dean of the Department of Textile Science and Materials), Peter Schulz and Michael Kristoff ersen (both Rieter), Prof. Huang Xiang (Deputy President of Xi‘an Polytech-nic University), Dr. Klaus-Uwe Moll (Rieter), Professor Sun Wei Guo (Deputy Director of the Science & Research Department).

Fig. 1 Formal hand-over of the RSB to D.K.T.E. in India: (left to right) P. K. Awade, Shri K. B. Awade, Jürgen Müller, Jörg Büchler.

www.rieter.com

Rudolf HehlMarketing SYS

INFO

RIETER – CLOSE TO CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE IN 2006

sual, unprecedented and unique move by a spinning machinery manufacturer. Rieter took advantage of the proximity to customers for an intensive exchange of technological know-how regarding yarns such as COM4®, ComfoRo® and Rotona, as well presenting the diverse possibilities off ered by auxiliary devices for core-spun yarns, TWINspin, VARIOspin and melange yarns. Machines are usually in the spotlight at trade fairs. The numerous symposia pro-

vide a stimulating platform for the direct exchange of ideas and learning from each other. Symposia have already been held this year in Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Austria, India, Iran, Switzerland, Thailand, the US, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Roadshows, such as a tour of China in spring 2006 featuring spare parts and technology components, are a combina-tion of exhibition and symposium and reach even distant customers as well as re-sponsible mill mechanics. Just recently Rieter had another opportu-nity to inform large numbers of customers and potential customers about its latest in-novations at CITME 2006.

Rieter have attended numerous symposia and trade fairs in 2006. These are intend-ed to off er customers “on the doorstep” service regarding innovations as well as in-depth know-how.

BANDUNGTEX, Dhaka Textile, DOMO-TEX, EXINTEX, FLORRTECH, TECHTEXTIL North America, IGAtex, Inlegmash, ITM, SAIGONTEX, Textile Asia, Texworld Paris. Our appearance at Texworld 2006 in Paris, a trend fair for woven fabrics, knit-wear, embroidery and yarns, was an unu-