Interview with Lorenzo Marsiglio

Lorenzo Marsiglio
Executive Sales Director
Tecnorama

Low liquid ratio focus of all dyeing machine suppliers

Italy-based Tecnorama designs and manufactures machinery for automatic dispensing of liquid and solid dyestuffs and chemicals for laboratory and bulk production, dissolving systems with automatic delivery for different users, and automation systems for laboratories and small batches. The dispensing machines with special robotised dyeing machines dye all textile materials like yarn, flock, fabrics, knitwear, and more. Executive sales director, Lorenzo Marsiglio chats about the latest in dyeing processes and his company's USP.

What is the global market size for dyeing machines? At what rate is it growing?

The global market size for dyeing machines cannot be easily detected. Regarding Tecnorama's production, it is notably an interesting and constant rate of growth in the last few years.

What are the latest developments in the dyeing machines industry and in dye management systems?

All the dyeing machine suppliers are directed to the further development of machines working with a low liquid ratio, which ensures an excellent dyeing result. We must be aware how it is necessary to safeguard and conserve a fundamental necessity like water. Tecnorama continuously develops new technologies and designs laboratory machines that respect low water consumption ensuring the reproducibility of the recipes with large bulk dyeing machines.

Which are your major markets for Dos&Dye machines? Where do you see the potential growing?

The main markets for Tecnorama remain the Middle and the Far East. The positive response of countries such as China, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan has allowed Tecnorama to increasingly be present on the market with new references for several years.

How quick and efficient is the dyeing process using conventional machines versus a robotic dyeing machine?

In addition to the advantages obtained by adopting a Tecnorama fully-automatic system like a reduction in the labour dedicated to sampling and the possibility of working during night or weekends, the definitive efficiency is offered by eliminating errors in dispensing and by a considerable reduction in the number of dyeing steps to get the exact recipe.

This is because the patented Tecnorama multi-pipette dispensing system guarantees an accuracy of ± 0,01cc and the dyeing machines follow all the phases of bulk dyeing cycles starting from the preparation up to the final operations, such as neutralisation and the various washing processes. All this increases laboratory productivity and raises the percentage of right-first-time between the recipes developed in laboratory and the same repeated in bulk. Consequently, the re-dyeing and bulk corrections are reduced resulting in both economic and energy savings.

What is your USP?

The complete reliability and the excellent quality of Tecnorama systems are internationally recognised by the best companies in the sector. Our machines use customised software developed by our company research and development centre, and it is precisely the internal skills that allow the company to obtain tailor-made solutions. Customers also really appreciate post-sales technical training that takes place both in their laboratories and at our company centres, where it is possible to carry out dyeing tests directly in the internal laboratory.

What are the current capacities you offer in Dosorama and Dyrama?

Dosorama dispensing machines are available in different models depending on the number of dyestuffs used. The number of bottles for solutions ranges from 72 to 436. All Dosorama models use the Tecnorama multi-pipette patented system, thereby completely eliminating a possible contamination that can happen using other systems. The absence of washing operations between one dispensing and the other ensures high productivity in the recipes dispensing.

Dosorama WS prepares the solutions automatically, starting from powder dyestuffs and handling the bottles, without any operator's manual intervention. With dyeing machines Tecnorama offers a wide range of capacities. Turbodye and Shakerama are used for samples from 10 to 20 grams.

Dyrama is available in three models: from 50 to 100 grams, from 100 to 200 and from 250 to 500 grams. The customer choice depends on the type of material, the loading capacity and the liquid ratio required.

Do your technologies require special inks and dyes?

Tecnorama systems are built to work with all the dyestuffs and chemicals used in the textile dyeing industry. The machines are made of steel and aluminium. All the parts in contact with dyestuffs, chemicals and dyeing batches are made of stainless steel 316.

Which are your bestselling machines and in which geographies?

Shakerama still remains the most requested machine by customers who produce knitwear because it can replicate the dyeing processes of Jet-Flow and Over-Flow bulk machines. Instead, our customers who produce yarns still really appreciate Turbodye to develop dyeing recipes (for samples up to 20 grams) and Dosorama (for small bobbins of 100, 200 and 500 grams).

The geographies remain the Middle and Far East although recently, several orders have been received from Italian, European and US customers show a growing interest from these regions.

Since Tecnorama's machines use high level of automation, what is the scope of error in dye recipes and in controlling volumes? How can issues be rectified?

Thanks to the high dispensing accuracy and the possibility to develop recipes respecting the same operations of the dyeing bulk process, it allows reaching a very high percentage of right-first-time, which cannot be absolutely achieved with traditional manual systems.

What is the kind of technical assistance required to operate such automated Dos&Dye machines? What kind of after-sales services do you offer?

The machine use and maintenance manuals are also supplied with Dos&Dye system.

Following the simple instructions given and the scheduled maintenance, the customer can easily keep the system up to date and efficient. Regular maintenance is easily programmable within one working year and can be carried out by the customer's maintenance department.

From experience, our system rarely need direct intervention but if this occurs, prompt assistance is assured from our end.

Remote intervention is provided on request, thanks to the software developed by our IT team which allows our technicians to monitor the operation of the machine during each stage to provide online assistance in real time. Moreover, in particular cases, Tecnorama guarantees on-site assistance thanks to the presence of technicians worldwide.

How sustainable are your technologies?

The main benefit of Dos&Dye system, as I mentioned, is the high value of the right-first-time: the reductions of re-dyeing and the corrections in bulk machines bring both water and energy savings.

In addition to Dos&Dye, Tecnorama has other systems that help customer save energy:

Multi-Fastest, this is a device to control the wet fastness (like washing). The tests are carried out before the dyeing machine is unloaded and the quick result (a test lasts three or four minutes) allows understanding if the fastness is good or if it needs another washing operation immediately. Energy saving consists in avoiding to repeat again the operation of washing and drying.

Ecodyerama, is a simple device that tests the clarity of the water used for washing after the dyeing.

Once the required level has been reached the batch is downloaded without having to do additional scheduled washings.

What is the annual budget allocated towards research and development (R&D)?

Our R&D budget changes a lot from year to year. Certainly, in the year before every ITMA expo, which is held every four years and is widely recognised as the Olympics of the textile and garment technology industry, textile machine manufacturers invest a great deal in human, financial and time resources, just to bring news to the most important exhibition in the sector.

Tecnorama introduces a new machine only after careful trials in its own laboratories. Sometimes we make use of practical tests by customers to evaluate the effective performance. The final set-up often takes longer than expected and also modification of the original project to improve it.

What innovations is the R&D team at Tecnorama involved in currently? Tell us about your latest solutions for laboratory automation.

The latest technical innovation for laboratory has been the Shakerama dyeing machine, which is particularly suitable for dyeing knitwear and fabric made of all fibres. The creation of Shakerama marks the final element, introducing a new type of dyeing system with the 'shaking' of the liquor and the textile material at the same time, similar to the working concept of the jet and jet-flow dyeing machines used in bulk. As for the other Tecnorama automatic dyeing machines, dispensing of dyestuffs and chemicals and part of dyeing recipes are done directly and automatically in the dyeing units by the multi-pipette dispensing system. Other chemical products can also be dispensed automatically during the dyeing processes.

How did Tecnorama fare in the last two years and what are your expectation from the next two?

The last two years have been very successful and the best result has been achieved, thanks to the launch of Shakerama at the ITMA in Milan. Shakerama has immediately got the approval from customers who use it and this success has continued in the following two years. The market trend is still very good and currently, Shakerama is the most requested Tecnorama laboratory machine.

What are your future plans?

Tecnorama is close to customers' dyeing needs and therefore constantly develops new machines based on their feedback.

We are currently designing a new dosing machine and planning an expansion of the wide range of dyeing machines for sample and small production. At the ITMA Barcelona, to be held in June 2019, Tecnorama will certainly be present with innovations. (HO)

Published on: 02/05/2018

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