The Autoconer – From sensation to bestseller
by Heike Scheibe, Expert
Communications Winding, Oerlikon Schlafhorst.
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Machines for
weaving preparation formed the product range of Oerlikon
Schlafhorst from the beginning. There were/are numerous
patents for dobbies, warping machines, warping creels, weft
winders, sectional warpers or winding machines. Its focus on
weaving preparation machines and winding machines turned
Schlafhorst into the global market leader in this field in
the decades up to the middle of last century, and this
know-how is an important basis for its sustained success as
a technology leader, even with its current product lines. |
The birth of Autoconer
A dream becomes reality: Dr Walter Reiners (proprietor of
Schlafhorst) and Stefan Fürst (technical director of Schlafhorst)
unveil the first Autoconer at ITMA 1959 in Milan. The “fathers”
of Schlafhorst’s automatic package winder sparked huge
excitement among textile manufacturers from all over the world
with their product. They were in the right place at the right
time with the right concept, and the Autoconer embarked on an
unrivaled triumphant advance into textile mills throughout the
world.
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Fig. 1: Sketches and notes by Dr. W.
Reiners (small photo) and S. Fürst (large photo) show the
level of detail in the concept development. |
Armed with the decades of experience accumulated by
Schlafhorst in the production of manual winding machines,
coupled with their unique inventive talents, the two men worked
with their staff on developing a wide variety of automatic
package winder concepts in meticulous detail. Finally they took
the decision to construct the Autoconer as a single-sided
longitudinal machine, a design which has endured up to the
present day. The Autoconer became a synonym worldwide for
successful automatic package winding. The number of winding
units sold, which is in excess of 2 million, offers proof of
this. Each Autoconer generation has won customers over with its
new, groundbreaking engineering and innovative winding
technology. It was and still is the benchmark for peak
performance, unique package quality and future-oriented machine
concepts.
In the 1950s
A number of ideas, preliminary tests and conceptual designs
already existed; the Second World War and its consequences
prevented their immediate realization. However, in 1957 Dr.
Walter Reiners officially commissioned the construction of a
winder. Concepts for machines of single spindle type and groups,
in longitudinal or circular construction, but also a number of
features, such as the Fisherman’s knotter, suction nozzle, the
first shaft magazine, bobbin creels, and ideas for further
automation were submitted for patent applications already at
that time. In addition to work on the drawing board, numerous
answers were provided by calculations of procedural efficiency
as well as concept tests with prototypes and functional models.
Thus it was possible to reach a decision on the construction of
the first Autoconer.
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Fig. 2: Autoconer 107. |
1959 – Autoconer 107
It all began with the Autoconer 107 as a small assembly
machine, with shaft magazine and travelling knotter. At that
time the decision was based on profitability and cost aspects;
the travelling knotter featured a sufficiently robust design for
reliable operation at maximum efficiency.
After just a short time the shaft magazine was replaced by
the circular magazine to realize additional savings in manual
labour. The introduction of the waxing device added sales to
spinning mills to the clientele, providing them also with
automatic winding of knitting yarns and hosiery yarns. An
important factor for quality assurance was the introduction of
the electronic knot tester. This created the basis for
monitoring the knotting process and thus yarn quality even in
case of large winding stations. The electronic yarn clearer and
monitoring system, package doffer and the automated bobbin
supply helped to convert the Autoconer 107 from a manually fed
automatic package winder to a fully automated machine.
1977 – Autoconer 138
The increasing integration of electronic parts, as well as
new production methods, required a fundamental revision of the
Autoconer, resulting in a model change to Autconer 138.
Pneumatic and electronic control functions became a feature of
the 3-chamber system in the winding mechanism. The development
of the splicing technology and thus of knot-free yarn joining
was revolutionary.
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Fig. 3: Autoconer 138. |
Initially, they were applied in the processing of carpet
yarn. Due to optimization and further development, the splicer
was soon used for a variety of other applications. New degrees
of automation, such as the DX system or the B and C stages, were
a requirement for material flow optimization, as well as certain
automation for small lots.
1987 – Autoconer 238
The single-spindle design was realized for the first time,
i.e. a drive unit, control unit and splicer/automatic knotter
for each winding unit.
A new tension system was integrated. Advanced electronics
permitted more and more detailed settings of winding parameters.
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Fig. 4: Autoconer 238. |
The AUTO-spin-CONER as link to the ring spinning machine
completed the automation concept. The bobbin transfer from
spinning to winding machine takes place via a magazine plate
with rotating mandrels; the transport of the bobbins and empty
tubes within the winding machine is performed by conveyor belt.
1991 – Autoconer System 238
The system design and new material flow inside the machine by
means of the caddy transport system are typical. The elevator
was replaced by the caddy station for transfer of bobbins and
empty tubes; the central bobbin preparation was divided into
decentralized readying stations. Due to the integration of data
carriers in the caddies, the processing of several lots for type
D and the spindle identification for type V provided new
possibilities of process engineering.
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Fig. 5: Autoconer System 238. |
1997 – Autoconer 338
Electronics, the latest sensor systems, touch screen
technology and clearer integration in the Informator formed the
basis for individual process optimization and resource-saving
process cycles.
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Fig. 6: Autoconer 338. |
The revolutionary systems Autotense FX, Propack FX, Variopack
FX and Ecopack FX underlined Oerlikon Schlafhorst's
technological supremacy, resulting in top package quality. The
Autoconer 338 also met the requirements of new yarn
constructions, such as compact yarns or elastic core yarns by
means of the elastosplicer or compact splicer, as well as
individually adjusted process sequences.
2007 – Autoconer 5
This machine continues the tradition of future-oriented
machine concepts. The modularity of the machine is increased by
a completely new open design, integration of a new CAN bus and
electronics concept and utilization of single drive technology.
The “Plug & Wind” feature makes integration of new components
extremely simple. With PreciFX, Oerlikon Schlafhorst opens
bobbin processing up to the world of drumless yarn traversing,
thus continuing the tradition of its revolutionary innovations.
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Fig. 7: Autoconer 5. |
Summary
The global textile industry puts its trust in Oerlikon
Schlafhorst winding technology, and thus in Autoconer. A company
often is home to several Autoconer generations. This is positive
proof of a long-lasting, reliable partnership.
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