More and more sophisticated materials are
being used as the choice of patterns for textiles, varying in density or
elasticity. This presents an increasing challenge for textile manufacturers to
produce straight weft and straightened patterns.
The alignment according to the design often
plays a greater role than the weft insertion. The German company Mahlo GmbH +
Co KG solves this problem with its improved Patcontrol PCS-20 system for
pattern recognition and warp control.
To ensure that customers receive the
quality they want in patterned goods, textile manufacturers must adhere to the
tightest tolerances in terms of parameters such as pattern repeat or pattern
distortion.
The Patcontrol PCS straightens bow and skew
distortions in technical textiles just as reliably as in terry cloth, e.g.
towels, printed clothing fabrics or flocked articles. Even goods that cannot be
detected with conventional scanning systems, such as lace and rustle curtains
or mesh fabrics used for example in sports shoes, do not pose a problem for
pattern recognition.
Camera
and lighting technology further developed
The system uses camera technology to detect
the position of the pattern and automatically and continuously determines the
pattern repeat, measures the product width, and – together with a straightener
– straightens the product distortion based on the print pattern.
New longlife LED lighting generates the
maximum brightness on the market, thereby extending the scanning range for
darker goods. Improved cameras allow brightness control by gain and exposure
time.
With the Generation 20 system, more than
two cameras can also be connected per measuring point. This allows a higher
resolution and an even more accurate result to be achieved. A Gigabit
connection allows the transmission of large amounts of data.
Using a mounting aid, the exact camera
adjustment can be done easily and quickly. A compact interface box at the
measuring point integrates the Patcontrol PCS-20 even more easily into the
existing plant.
As with all current Mahlo systems, pattern
recognition is also integrated into the mSmart digitisation concept. Users,
machines and processes are networked with each other and meet the requirements
of Industry 4.0.