Over the past few years the topic of specific energy consumption has become a prime issue with regard to manufacturing costs in textile production processes. Besides raw material and capital costs in many countries, the share of the energy supply ranks third place within the cost categories. Rieter Spun Yarn Systems has always put a special focus on this sensitive matter. Rieter will highlight some achievements in energy saving by showing specific solutions on stage in Shanghai.

Live at Rieter booth D01 - Hall W 4

The following machines and models can be seen on the Rieter booth:

The further developed C 60 card, a new high performance comber E 76, the new K 45 compact spinning machine equipped to spin 6 different yarns, s.a. VARIOspin, COM4®twin, COM4®core, COM4®light with ISM Individual Spindle Monitoring system and SERVOtrail roving bobbin transport system the enhanced R 40 rotor spinning machine with AEROpiecing®, a model of the BT 923 rotor spinning machine and the SPIDERweb mill monitoring system. Numerous attractive and novel end products made from Rieter yarns (COM4®,ComfoRo® and Rotona®) will be presented on the booth by technology specialists.

Innovations for short staple fiber spinning at a glance

The trendsetting concept of the C 60 card with the lowest required space and energy per kg of sliver enables optimum and economical yarn production. The outstanding characteristics of this card are the high production up to 240 kg/h and unrivalled flexibility in the range of application, s. a. all cotton types. man-made fibers, micro fibers or regenerated fibers.

The RSB-D 40 autoleveller drawframe features increases in output up to 1100 m/min with a simultaneous improvement in sliver and yarn quality plus well-conceived functions for simplifying the operation and adjustment of the machine. The new SB 20 drawframe runs up to 1000 m/min and represents the only double-head drawframe with can sizes of 1000 mm. The new single head drawframe SB-D 11 allows delivery speeds of up to 1100 m/min with excellent sliver quality.

The high - performance E35 OMEGAlap combing preparation unit is adapted to the output of the new generation of E 66 / E 76 combers. Rieter will be showing innovations in ring and compact spinning. Fancy yarns, spin twist yarns and ring-spun core yarns can be spun on the newly developed G 35 ring spinning and K 45 compact spinning machines which are available now in a length of up to 1632 spindles. Ring spinning can hardly get more flexible than this, since fancy yarn and core yarn manufacture can be combined.

The R 40 rotor spinning machine now offers increased productivity at reduced power consumption with 500 spinning boxes at delivery speeds of up to 270 m/min, with 240 spinning boxes even 350 m/min can be achieved. New AEROpiecing® technology, integrated in the R 40 robot, enables to produce ComfoRo® rotor-spun yarns with invisible piecings. The R 40 is now available with 2, 3 or 4 robots, always combined with an intelligent service concept. The efficiency of the semi-automatic BT 923 rotor spinning machine has been optimized further with now up to 360 spinning boxes. The BT 924 rotor spinning machine enables to spin Rotona® yarns with elastic core.

Flexibility in the Blowroom UNIfloc A11

The automatic bale opener UNIfloc A 11 creates small tufts at the start of the process. Thanks to these micro tufts, a large surface area is achieved and exposes dirt, dust and foreign matter. This is the ideal preparation for the blending and cleaning processes in the blowroom. Up to 1600 kg/h material is processed by the UNIfloc leading to an output of 1400 kg/h card sliver. Adding to the flexibility of the A 11 is the capability to work off cotton and man-made fibers in a gentle and efficient manner. On the UNIfloc A 11, up to 130 bales per machine side in four bale groups can be fed. Four assortments are automatically processed, at the pre-selected material take-off speeds and the required production quantity. The system control units UNIcontrol and UNIcommand ensure that on the subsequent blowroom machines, the optimal setting for the relevant assortment is automatically set.

The gentlest cleaning in the Blowroom - UNIclean B 12

The pre-cleaner UNIclean B 12 cleans the micro tufts directly after the UNIfloc A 11 in the first cleaning stage. A machine production of up to 1,600 kg/h is thereby achieved which corresponds to a production in the carding department of 1'400 kg/h. The cleaning is carried out without nipping, therefore being very gentle on the fibers and at the same time, very efficient. Larger trash particles are immediately separated.

Excellent blending with the UNImix blending process

The UNImix B 71/B 75 offers unique blending technology with a 3-point mixing process. After random distribution of the tufts to the 8 mixing chambers, the blending of the fiber material from the feed bale takes place at three different points within the UNImix.

The first stage is a controlled time offset of the tuft layers in the mixing chambers by 90° deflection of the tufts in the tuft storage. The second mixing point comprises a spiked feed lattice which picks small tufts at random out of the layers of the 8 mixing chambers and transports them to the next mixing point. The third and final blending level is achieved by mixing of the fine tufts in the active mixing chamber above the spiked feed lattice. The resulting constant homogeneity of the fiber blend is the basis for a homogenous constant yarn quality.

The two UNImix types - UNImix B 71 with a production capacity of up to 800 kg/h and the UNImix B 75 with a production capacity of up to 1200 kg/h  - can be flexibly adapted to various blowroom sizes.

Exact fiber blend - precision blending machine UNIblend A 81

Precision blending machine UNIblend A 81 sets the highest standard for multicomponent blending. Fiber shares with less than 1% deviation are metered with precision, this results in a color uniformity in the end product reached by no other process. The almost unlimited flexibility of the A 81 allows innovative yarn creations as well as simple and fast customization to market requirements.

Four application examples:

v     High-production blends, e.g. 50% cotton, 50% polyester.

v     Special yarns made of dyed fibers, e.g. 98% white with 2% black fibers.

v     Special precise waste blend for economic yarn designs.

v     Mixing of cotton from different origins to optimize yarn costs.

At least two and at most eight individual components can be specifically mixed in any desired ratio.

RSB-D 40 drawframe - milestone in drawframe engineering

More than 25000 Rieter drawframes  are installed in 100 countries. With the new RSB-D 40 autoleveller drawframe and the SB-D 40 drawframe without leveling, production rates of up to 1100 m/min are achieved in mill operations.

New SB 20 double-head drawframe

The SB 20 double-head drawframe has been released for worldwide sales. The mechanical delivery speed has been increased to 1000 m/min. Excellent sliver and yarn quality is reached by the proven 3 over 3 drafting system, efficient suction and patented coiling system. A new graphic display also improves ease of operation. Compared to conventional double-head drawframes, only the Rieter SB 20 double-head drawframe offers the possibility of using very large can sizes up to 600 mm diameter with can changer and up to 1,000 mm diameter without can changer.

New SB-D 11 single-head drawframe

Adding to the well proven (R)SB – drawframe generation, the new single head non-auto leveling version will make its entry to the market at the time of ITMA ASIA + CITME 08. This new version offers a maximum outlet speed of 1,100 m/min, an automatic can changer for can sizes up to 1000 mm diameter with, in case of 600 mm, 2 cans in a magazine. An especially attractive footprint allows the placement in spinning mills with limited space requirements. With regard to technology and productivity, the SB-D 11 has been designed to fit well into a draw frame line with the unrivalled RSB-D 40.

C 60 card productivity and flexibility further enhanced The C 60 card with the revolutionary working width of 1,500 mm is currently the most productive card on the world market with an output of up to 240 kg/h. It processes staple fibers up to 60 mm with consistently high sliver quality. Quality yarns in all spheres of application - rotor-spun, ring-spun and vortex-spun yarns, and yarns made from man-made fibers - can be produced reliably. Almost 4000 C 60 units sold worldwide since the market launch impressively demonstrate the technological and economic advantages of this unique card. Due to its modular design, the C 60 can quickly be converted from 3 licker-in units to 1 unit, thus achieving unparalleled flexibility and short maintenance times. The competitive position of spinning mills is strengthened by the ability to respond rapidly to changes in raw material, market demands or the spinning process. A radical adjustment, for example from processing cotton to processing regenerated fiber, or from ring spinning to rotor spinning, is possible without any difficulty. The new control panel on the card enables monitoring quality features such as thick places or sliver variation CV%. A new feature is also the displayed fault diagnosis with suggestions for trouble shooting. The C 60 has a new central flat setting. This simplifies setting and also allows precise, reproducible setting of flats. The VarioSet, proven in the blowroom, was also taken over for the card. With the push of a button, the waste quantity and cleaning intensity can now be determined on the licker-in. In addition to these innovations, many new detail improvements are contained in the new card. The Integrated Grinding System (IGS top and IGS classic), which significantly reduces maintenance times, guarantees consistently high carding quality and considerably prolongs the service life of the clothing. The card C 60 now commands a manually or electronically adjustable knife on the licker-in. With the adjustable licker-in distance, an optimal trash removal at the licker-in during the card production can be determined. Up to a production of 180 kg/h Rieter recommends the use of single licker-in, which fully exploits the higher possible speed range of the licker-in compared to a triple licker-in unit. An improved cleaning effect and a lower energy requirement are the results. With the C 60, 4 to 6 shifts without sliver breakage are usual and result in a high production volume and excellent sliver quality. This success mainly originates from the treatment of the card web by a dynamic, controlled draft in the doffer area. High production efficiency goes hand in hand with improved quality. The production costs of the yarns are directly influenced by the card productivity. For the same production, a smaller number of C 60 cards are required. Consequently a reduced payback period for the C 60 card results. From 1990 up to the present time, the energy consumption of the card per 100 kg card sliver has been reduced by approx. 50%.

Quantum leap with E 35 OMEGAlap

In case of the new OMEGA belt-winding technology - special flat belt enables sliver guidance and lap compression to be extended to almost the entire circumference of the lap. Gentle, uniform lap build-up permits winding speeds of 180 m/min without impairing lap quality. The new technology is less sensitive to staple length and also enables short and medium staple cotton to be processed at very high speeds - irrespective of short fiber content.

The production output of the E 35 is set to cover the output of 6 Rieter E 66 or E 76 combers. The Rieter high-performance combing set with 1 E 35 OMEGAlap and 6 E 76 combers thus produces more than 10.6 tons of combed sliver/day. For lower production requirements the proven E 32 UNIlap combing preparation produces laps for up to 4 combers.

E 66 / E 76 Comber - leader in combing

74 kg/h combed sliver – that’s the effective output of the new, fully automated comber E 76.

The high output of 74 kg/h is reached with 500 nips/min, 80 g/m batt weight and best running behaviour. Further reduced combing costs per kilogram of yarn are accomplished by 12.5% energy savings per kilogram combed sliver compared to its predecessor model, by up to 2% lower noil extraction due to excellent fiber selection and by high machine efficiency due to short machine down times and maximum output.

Rieter is unique in offering a fully automated lap change and batt piecing system – ROBOlap - integrated in the new E 76 comber.

Worldwide more than 1300 ROBOlap combers ensure higher efficiency, measurably improved batt piecing quality and reduced operator effort. Combined with SERVOtrolley E 17 the automatic E 76 comber can be integrated in an existing manual plant with all advantages of fully automatic lap change and batt piecing.

The E 76 comber combined with the automatic lap transport system SERVOlap E 25 is the only fully automatic combing system on the market.

K 45 and G 35 - maximum flexibility in ring spinning

The new K 45 and G 35 are available with up to 1632 spindles. This makes the K 45 the longest compact spinning machine on the market.

Rieter will display ring spinning at the highest flexibility level on a K 45 ComforSpin machine. 6 different types of COM4® yarn - with or without fancy yarn effects - will be spun from different raw materials on one and the same machine. This demonstrates that compacting by means of a solid, perforated metal cylinder also offers advantages in terms of flexibility.

The flexibility of the K 45 machine is manifested not only in the COM4® yarn count but also in processing various types of fibers and their blends, and in specialty yarns in counts of Ne 10 to Ne 160. Various engineering components, each of which has been precisely adapted for its designated function (suction inserts with various slot shapes, perforated cylinders with smooth or fluted surfaces and modified air guide elements), guarantee optimal compacting conditions. Total fiber control provided in the compacting zone of the K 45 is a precondition to the accurate introduction of an elastic or hard filament core for core yarns.

Rieter ring-spun core yarns – for the highest standards

The Rieter ring-spun core yarn system enables elastic yarns to be manufactured on ring spinning and ComforSpin machines. Precise and faultless integration of the filament is ensured by the additional roving guide in the break draft zone on the ring spinning machine, and by high-precision guidance in the compacting zone on the K 45 machine. Filament feeding can be adjusted accurately via the feed roller. In the event of a filament break, the roving stop motion ensures that roving feed is interrupted immediately.

Automation with SERVOtrail roving bobbin transport system

Rieter offers flexible modular transport systems for every area of use and automation levels. A particularly delicate task within the ring spinning process is the changeover from roving frame to spinning machine. Roving wound around the bobbin is completely unprotected and is therefore very exposed to damage.

Rieter has responded to this with a new development, the SERVOtrail continuous roving bobbin transport system. Two separate circuits in the area of roving frame and ring spinning machine guarantee a continuous supply of roving bobbins to the ring spinning machines. This continuous transport movement also enables random or block changes to be performed. To meet the differing requirements of customers, Rieter also offers the proven SERVOtrail flexible systems, ranging from the simple, manually operated "SERVOtrail flexible M" up to the "SERVOtrail flexible A" automatic solution.

BT 923 and BT 924 machines for semi-automatic rotor spinning

The productivity of the BT 923 rotor spinning machine is increased significantly with 360 spinning positions per machine and rotor speeds up to 110000 rpm. A special rotor bearing provides reliability at high speeds. The improved winding device supports delivery speeds of up to 200 m/min. Two package transport belts and the ergonomical low working height allow easy operation. The pitch of 230 mm allows 18" cans to be used. Superior yarn quality values are achieved with the new C 120 spin box and the easy to operate AMIspin® and Qtop® system for semi-automated piecing.

The digital IQplus® yarn clearer with optical sensor from Rieter offers enhanced functional features. Automatic lifting of the package after a yarn break results in perfect package quality. An integrated optional slub yarn device enables fancy rotor yarns to be produced cost-effectively.

With the BT 924 rotor spinning machine all advantages of the BT 923 are combined with the Rotona yarn process. Elastic filaments can be entered into the rotor. Rotona® elastic yarns and Rotona® yarns with slub effects can now be produced on BT 924.

The BT 924 offers high productivity thanks to rotor speeds up to 75000 rpm, 160 m/min delivery speed and 320 positions. In many installations worldwide Rieter demonstrated that spinning elastic Rotona® yarns on the rotor machine brings benefits both in spinning and in further processing. With the BT 924, packages of Rotona® yarns with elastic core up to 4 kg are produced that can be passed on to weaving or knitting operations without any special treatment.

Maximum productivity with the R 40 rotor spinning machine The R 40 rotor spinning machine will feature four highlights: Rotor-spun yarn produced on the R 40 has attained new quality standards. Unique AEROpiecing® technology produces piecings that are virtually identical to the yarn, in terms of both visibility and their properties for downstream processing. Virtually faultless yarn packages are therefore produced on the R 40. The brand name for this innovative yarn of outstanding quality is ComfoRo®. At the same time the productivity potential of the R 40 has again been significantly increased. An R 40 machine now has up to 500 rotors and even full-length machines can operate at delivery speeds of up to 270 m/min, with 240 rotors even up to 350 m/min. The R 40 is now available with 2, 3 or 4 robots, according to the requirements of the customers. The intelligent service concept with the unique service station in combination with 3 and 4 robots secures the high productivity. The power consumption of this newest R 40 is reduced by more than 7% compared to the previous versions through improved drive systems.

SPIDERweb mill monitoring system

The mill monitoring system SPIDERweb, specially developed for Rieter machines, enables productivity and quality in spinning mills to be monitored easily and subsequently optimized systematically. From management to machine operator, SPIDERweb promotes efficiency and transparency at all levels.

Raw material optimization based on detailed productivity data is a critical key factor. Monitoring over a fairly long period of time is of considerable importance in evaluating the behavior of various raw material blends.

Detailed error reports enable weak points in production to be identified, thus helping maintenance staff to undertake selective intervention in an optimal manner. The large WallBoard display brings the relevant information directly to the attention of the machine operators in the spinning mill, and enables them to take action immediately, e.g. in the event of declining efficiency or stoppages.

Original spare parts from Rieter Parts

Original Rieter technology components, retrofits and conversions are subject to the same value standards as our machines and systems. This ensures the ongoing value and operating reliability of your Rieter machines and installations. The yarn qualities achieved fulfill the highest economic and technological standards.

With every new machine generation, improvements in energy efficiency flow into the new machine constructions. Customers with machines that have been in service some years can also profit from the new developments in energy saving.