Picanol to show weaving machine & PicCon app at ITMA

19 Jun '19

3 min read

Pic: Picanol

Picanol will display the OptiMax-I weaving machine for denim fabrics with almost fully digitised insertion at ITMA 2019 expo, in hall 4, booth B101. The company will also debut the mobile app called PicCon (Picanol Connect), based on Picanol’s ‘Live Machine Feedback Platform’ at the textile and garment technology expo from June 20-26, 2019, in Barcelona.

The denim machine with insertion has been almost completely digitised. Thanks to the integrated concept all settings are available and can be retrieved on the central microprocessor. It starts right from the prewinders equipped with a tension display (TED). Having a digital setting of the brake on the prewinder not only gives a tension which is reproducible in the future, but also allows to manage possible differences between prewinders in a much easier way. The filling tension during insertion can be electronically controlled with the programmable filling tensioner TEC to eliminate possible tension peaks. The signals from the filling detector – either standard or SmartEye – are continuously monitored and analysed by the machine’s microprocessor, according to Picanol.

With the QuickStep filling presenter, different timings for presentation, insertion, and rest position can be programmed. New on this machine is the Electronic Right Gripper Opener (ERGO). Developed as a gripper opener to tune the machine for minimum waste length when weaving different types of weft yarn, the ERGO is an additional step in the digitisation of the weaving machine, allowing fully electronic setting of the right-hand-side gripper opener even while the machine is running.

In addition to these ‘Driven by Data’ features, the company also demonstrates an impressive ‘Sustainability Inside’ capability, with the EcoFill in 4-colour version installed on this OptiMax-i. Picanol was the first machine manufacturer to eliminate the left-hand side waste ribbon on a rapier machine, introduced in 2011 in a 2-colour version aimed at technical fabrics. The Picanol system for a catchcord-free set-up on the left-hand side has been extended to a 4-color version, with no limitations for the designers in terms of colour pattern.

For some time now Picanol has been building in smart sensors to capture essential machine data that make it possible to digitise entire machine functions. Backed up by the BlueBox electronic platform, the company lets the machine tune itself based on the info captured by these smart sensors. One of the most innovative features is the self-tuning programme ARVD II plus to obtain the lowest possible air consumption at any given moment.

The next step was to bring these data out of the machine and to process them at a higher level. This allows the user to realise new and unseen possibilities when it comes to traceability and process optimisation. It also leads to tools that enable the user to set the machines and manage a complete installation in an easy way.

The final step to make all this possible is the introduction of the new generation of displays. This new PicCon platform incorporates all the latest means of communication as standard and will be key in all further developments.

The company’s sales and service team will demonstrate the PicCon App live at ITMA for the first time. Using this app, the user can get crucial machine data such as production info, fabric specs, and machine settings as well as information from sensors on the machine in a dashboard on a mobile device. Built to demonstrate all these new possibilities, the PicCon app will certainly also trigger ideas and feedback. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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