Egyptian denim manufacturer Lotustex Textile has ordered the first Karl Mayer Link-Matic system for automatic batch changes on the Prodye-S slasher indigo dye range.

The automation solution considerably simplifies the batch changes on indigo and sizing machines, increasing productivity – an output increase of up to 30% is possible, depending on the number of batch changes per day.

In addition, less yarn waste is produced – up to 600 metres of unusable yarn material can be saved with each batch – while at the same time less manpower is required. During batch changes, only one operator is required to prepare the warper beams for entry into the machine. A fully automatic knotting unit couples the warp yarns of the new batch to the yarns of the batch just finished.

Lotustex Textile, which was only founded in 2019, has recognised all of these advantages for itself and expects a significantly higher flexibility and cost reduction. The delivery date for the new machine is November 2022.

Link-Matic makes it possible to automate the batch changes on the Prodye-S system with two sub-systems, the first of which feeds the yarn sheets of the new batch from the warper beams to the infeed of the machine and guides it to its destination in the lower section of the warper beam frame. Previously, it had to be threaded by hand under the bottom cover, usually by two skilled workers. The lengthy, complicated process resulted in considerable waste and numerous sources of error.

With the new solution, only one operator fixes the warp yarns of a warper beam in homogeneous distribution by a clamp in beam length and then guides the clamp downward and hooks it into a transport chain on each side. The circulating chains take care of the transport to the machine. The time savings are are significant and the quality is guaranteed. The yarns are guided to the machine at uniform, constant tension and the second sub-system cuts the warp yarns of the finished batch at the infeed and knots on the warp yarns of the new batch with high precision and fully automatically. As a result, the full batch change can be reduced to 90 seconds.

 What appears to be simple is the result of the precise interaction of well thought-out components such as the clamping device for string formation before knotting and the pneumatic solution for sucking in the yarn ends.

The new Link-Matic system can realise its full potential in conjunction with a moveable creel.

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