At the upcoming ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition in Shanghai from November 19-23, Switzerland’s Heberlein AG will provide details of its new WarpJet-KV air interlacing jet for high-speed weaving and warp knitting.

These processes demand yarns with smooth surfaces for efficient processing and special procedures to achieve the required yarn quality include air interlacing and sizing. Sizing is now less favoured, since the sizing agent has to be removed after weaving using water and creating high pollution loads.

Heberlein collaborated with Karl Mayer, the leading manufacturer of preparation systems for warp knitting and weaving, on the development of the new WarpJet-KV that provides considerable economic advantages in warp preparation and the subsequent fabric production sequences.

A process creating reliable intermingling points has several benefits, as the weaving machine no longer stops through shedding issues with filament openings or friction from broken filaments. As a result, the weaving process runs at higher speeds and size application can be reduced.

The WarpJet-KV can increase the intermingling points to 60 to 90 per metre – about triple the usual number, to suit individual requirements in the weaving process. Common speeds from 4,500 to 5,000 m/min in the spinning process usually allow 15/30 nips per metre, which might be sufficient for a smooth weaving process. However, many mills prefer to be on the safe side – especially when using yarns of 75 denier and above and DPF of 1 and above – and opt to install the Heberlein intermingling device.

Less air, more profit

The other key aspect is the air pressure needed to guarantee an increased number of intermingling points to assure filament cohesion, especially with fine yarns. During air interlacing, an air blast physically intermingles the individual filaments of a multi-filament yarn with one another.

Saving compressed air in the air interlacing process results in less energy costs. This is proven with the Heberlein WarpJet-KV. Tests with 1,536 threads – and using the same level of air pressure – show that compared with a standard jet, the WarpJet-KV allows savings of 307 and 491 m3/h. Comparing the air pressure needed for the same amount of intermingling points (FP/m) the savings add up to 38%. The diameter of the jet’s air orifice is also smaller and requires less air while producing the same number of knots.

In warp knitting, the demands are just as stringent and complex and uncompromised yarn quality with the highest production efficiency at the lowest cost is fundamental.

Karl Mayer machines can be retrofitted with the WarpJet-KV with a modification of the main air connection and the modular design of the jets allows up to 64 yarns to be interlaced in a single unit. Depending on the application, customers benefit from the easy exchange of the JetPack and easier maintenance, cleaning and replacement.

Interlacing performance is between 10-30% higher than competitor jets, based on the same air consumption and stability requirement of intermingling points. Air consumption can be 13-40% lower for the same number of intermingling points.

www.heberlein.com