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Snippets Around Texprocess & Techtextil 2022: Highlights for the RMG Industry
by Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
“Mobilizing expertise, innovation, technology, and resources can only be achieved through strong partnerships,” a clear declaration on the part of Lucie Brigham during a panel discussion in front of the international trade press at the opening of the Frankfurt trade fair trio at the end of June.
A prime example of collaborative concepts in the merging of technologies: Assyst GmbH based in Aschheim-Dornach, Germany), a solution provider for the digitalization of the apparel industry, along with their Model Suite module of 3D Vidya launched in Frankfurt, introduce a new generation of avatars, created together with Verce GmbH from Wuppertal, Germany: Shoulder to shoulder with the IT specialist and developer of virtual fitting models a new standard in photorealistic clothing display clothing arose.
In this regard, the representative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships says a close, trusting cooperation between market partners is the key to accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But there is also a necessity to foster transformative sector engagement altogether. Here comes the good news… true implementation of collaborative concepts is now advancing with energy.
Lucie Brigham heads the UN Partnership Office. She is also co-founder of the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network, connecting relevant partners with the United Nations and fostering collaboration to develop innovative business models.
The current Frankfurt trade fair platforms for technical textiles and processing technologies underscored the trend — an immense range of new processes, innovative approaches to making processes more efficient and sustainable, and at the same time becoming more cost-effective — is based on partnerships between specialist suppliers, between commercial enterprises and universities, between established players and start-ups, along with scale-ups or even spin-offs from basic research. “The magic is in the details,” emphasizes Kerstin Zöll in a post-show review with the Needle's Eye editorial team. There is no mistaking the fact that ultrasonic welding continues to gain in importance as an alternative joining technology for numerous applications, especially in sportswear and outdoor. Here, processes without separate joining components are pointing the way toward recyclability.
Kerstin Zöll is a professor of clothing technology in the Department of Textiles and Clothing Technology at German Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences and heads the clothing technology laboratory there. The mechanical engineer also launches R&D projects and application projects together with the students and with the involvement of the industry.
The expert also has praise for the thread manufacturers: sewing and embroidery threads (Madeira) made from recycled polyester, albeit mostly from PET bottles, or textile waste, partly with compostable dyeing (with a certificate at Amann) that supplements the product ranges. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Zöll, the Professor of Confection Technology at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, assisted us in identifying new and further developments, especially in the sewing process and in alternative joining technologies. Integrated into this Needle’s Eye feature, Zöll documents, and comments on a series of details and innovations in sewing and joining with high utility value along the demand in the ready-to-wear clothing industry with live shots from the exhibition booths. In the CAM segment, further approaches to process integration and optimization are dominating development activities. Much has been done in cutting room management for end-to-end planning of material placement, order-related processing of cutting orders, and monitoring of material consumption, quality, and productivity of the cuts. Data generation and provision in real time are the keywords here, implemented using software developed in-house or by partners. Data that is thus also available for predictive and remote maintenance of equipment. CAM/CAD: On-demand sets standards The increasing interest in single-ply cutting systems also proved once again in Frankfurt - the development of business models for personalized apparel is gaining momentum in the apparel industry - internationally. Not new, but now widely offered, the additional equipment with high-performance scanners (e.g. at Hasler, Morgan, and Gerber/Lectra, which however did not exhibit). Printed fabrics and other textiles with clearly contrasting surface segments are scanned with high-resolution systems on the table of a conveyorized single-ply cutter and then cut to size using automatically generated cutting patterns that are correct for repeat and placement. In this way, customer-specific orders can be processed in a matter of seconds without the need for operator intervention. Bullmer in that respect showed a configuration for the upholstered furniture industry with a single-ply cutter from the PremiumCut series including robot-assisted cut part removal, where the 1-point gripper tool probably still requires improvement though. In the area of design software, virtual prototyping was one of the dominant themes in Halls 8 and 9 at Messe Frankfurt. In 3D software, merchandising through product simulation seems to remain the main focus. Further display improvements and more variety in avatars reflect user demand. Outstanding: the photo-realistic avatar family at Assyst. In combination with the further development in rendering, the new VRay-tool, the German supplier is setting standards for model representation. Interesting in this concept context: The option for photo shooting of the simulated style directly from the Tukatech 3D software. Although not present at Texprocess, the US-American-Indian developer now integrates options for camera and light settings, image backgrounds, and animations. The images prepared and rendered in this way for presentation purposes are ready to be made available in the TUKAcloud or the customer's online store.
The Düsseldorf-based high-tech machine builder Nucleus, also a specialist in ultrasonic welding, has equipped its DX1 generation with new components. Extended programming now allows easy, because of intuitive, creation of joining sequences.
Finally, the expert takes us to Fidlock and shows us these "super-interesting", mechanical-magnetic closure solutions - indeed "sophisticated and unique" - stylish on top.
“Sophisticated special solutions" is also shown to us by Kerstin Zöll at the Juki booth - here a post bed sewing machine with an oscillating post in combination with adapted adjustment possibility for the operator (forward/backward) for sewing three-dimensional products.
Application of cold bonding at Vetron Typical; The company received the Texprocess Innovation Award 2022 in the New Technology category for its system for applying cold bonding tape by robot in an automated process including automatic cutting by means of a tape cutter.
Prime example partnership: The Veit trouser topper is equipped with a digital unit from Thullex for measuring the seat, waist, and crotch length of the part to be processed during the finishing process - as illustrated by the application video.
"Based on the Dürkopp Adler M-Type Delta, the two-needle sewing machine presents itself with a rotating needle bar, modified by the Dutch industrial equipment developer Habraken," explains Professor Zöll, who also provides her expertise as a jury member for the Innovation Award at Texprocess (see the full report on Texprocess and Techtextil Innovation Award with The Needles Eye issue 13).
Sewing unit of the Dürkopp Adler automatic piping pocket machine with adjustable needle bar and hook to realize different distances between the two seams. Photo: Kerstin Zöll
Pfaff ultrasonic welding machine 8311 with very interesting features, such as double wheel solution, both wheels are individually adjustable in their parameters, laser marker, cooling, puller, optional power, or amplitude welding. And in addition: Pfaff Connect software, which records and visualizes welding parameters online and makes them available to the user.
CAD software for generating individual two-needle lockstitch decorative stitch variants, especially for leather and upholstery applications at Strobel.
Icon of sewing technology" - the Strobel lockstitch blindstitch sewing machine for high-quality tailor-made HAKA applications. Photo: Kerstin Zöll