German dyeing and finishing machinery builder Thies GmbH & Co KG has launched a new dyeing machine for both woven and knitted fabrics that offers ultra-low dye liquor levels. The new Thies iMaster H2O has been designed to ensure economic and environmentally friendly operation with advanced automation at low liquor levels and offers liquor ratios (textile dyed: water used in dye bath) as low as 1:3.7 for cottons.

Thies says the iMaster H2O is based on 40 years' experience with the technology and is specifically engineered to ensure that textile manufacturers are able to adhere to the most stringent of international and local environmental protection regulations. The machine has been developed to offer maximum flexibility in terms of materials usage and minimal use of dyes, with advanced automation to ensure the greatest efficiency and cost-effectiveness possible.

Available with chamber widths of 525mm, 1050mm and 1300mm, the iMaster H2O has nominal loading capacities of 100kg, 200kg and 250kg and configurations of up to six chambers are available. There is an adjustable J-box, making the machine suitable for light to heavy fabrics as well as full and reduced loads. Minimal rope lifting is said to result in better shrinkage control and less rope curling for elastic fabrics such as cotton and Lycra.

Running properties cover the range of 90 to 500 m/min and dyeing, bleaching and rinsing is carried out with extremely low nozzle pressure, thus giving excellent fabric surface. According to Thies, an innovative system of kier pressure regulation reduces compressed air consumption and there is no waiting time for venting the machine, which can be drained at temperatures starting from 92°C.

Fabric speeds, nozzle pressure and plaiter are all automatically synchronised, and a new ‘smart dose’ system has been developed for significant improvements on levelness and dosing time. A liquor turbulence protector is said to allow further reduction of dye liquor.

In addition the iMaster H2O’s ‘rinse tronic’ system automates the rinsing procedure and there is also an automated filter system. For operator comfort and to meet noise pollution requirements, the sound level of the machine is also claimed to be extremely low.