KARL MAYER Technische Textilien has
developed a new warp knitting machine with weft-insertion and thus further
differentiated its range offer in this field. The new model, WEFTTRONIC II
G, is specifically designed to produce light to medium-heavy grid structures.
The stable grid textiles are used as
plaster grids and geogrids, as well as carriers for grinding discs – and are
produced efficiently on the WEFTTRONIC II G. Geogrid fabrication is
now 60 % more productive compared to the previous version.
In addition, less expensive yarns can be
processed into high-quality textiles: the textile glass fibre material can cost
up to 30 % less than leno fabric production. The first WEFTTRONIC II G was
ordered by the Polish manufacturer HALICO in early 2019, followed by orders
from China in December.
"During our most recent trip to China just
before Christmas, we were able to win over two new customers for our company," said Jan Stahr, Sales Manager of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien.
Both
companies, Shandong Qiyad and Zibo Glasstex (Shandong Fiberglass), are major
players in the industry. After purchasing one machine each, they hinted that
they may invest in further WEFTTRONIC II G models.
Shandong Qiyad is a company privately owned
by the Ma family. Mr Ma Xingwang Senior holds shares in two other companies,
led by his son and nephew respectively. The companies use around 750 rapier
looms in total for their production and thus offer efficiency potential.
Depending on product quality, between 13 and 22 rapier looms can be replaced by
just one WEFTTRONIC II G. KARL MAYER Technische Textilien offers intensive
service support to ensure a seamless changeover to new technology and to a
state-of- the-art machine.
The state-run Zibo Glasstex is better known
as Shandong Fiberglass. The company has made a name for itself internationally
as a manufacturer of glass fibres, rovings and textiles. It is among the top 5
manufacturers of glass fibres in China. The company’s customers in this sector
include manufacturers in Eastern Europe who are already operating machines by
KARL MAYER Technische Textilien.
Following the successful introduction of
the technology with the first WEFTTRONIC II G, Zibo Glasstex plans to invest in
further machines. According to the company, it intends to
work a market with an annual volume of 2 billion m² of textile glass fibre
material and to achieve a significant market share. Zibo Glasstex therefore
intends to invest in further machines in the mid-term.
In order to gain a better understanding of
the possibilities relating to glass grid structure production, the new
WEFTTRONIC II G machine will be available for customer trials at KARL MAYER
(CHINA) in Changzhou from June 2020. A wide range of equipment options and patterning
possibilities will be available to suit a diverse manufacturing process. The
different offers can be tested as part of these processing trials.
While working on the machine, customers can
get a feel for how the design of the fabric influences its properties and
product output, and how this correlation can be used to achieve greater
efficiency.