By Jutta Stehr, Head of Marketing, Trützschler Nonwovens
T-SUPREMA is a collaborative effort of Trützschler Nonwovens and the Italian textile machinery manufacturer Texnology, focusing on needle-punching technology. This partnership offers complete production lines for needle-punched nonwovens under the T-SUPREMA brand.
Trützschler Nonwovens brings extensive experience in fibre preparation and web forming to this collaboration. Texnology specialises in mechanical needling and has developed outstanding know-how in this field. The interaction of these state-of-the-art needle looms with the excellent web forming of the Trützschler roller card plays a key role in enabling the T-SUPREMA to serve an extensive range of nonwoven applications.
Needle-punching, a mature and yet very modern process
The technology is primarily used in the production of dry-laid, durable nonwovens, where fibre entangling for web bonding with steel needles is a key process. The largest applications of this technology are found in treating durable geotextiles, automotive textiles, and filter media. The range of end products for needle-punched nonwovens is vast. It includes acoustic insulation, carpets, coating substrates, insoles, tennis balls, and many more.
Needle-punched nonwovens have been experiencing significant, steady growth during the last decades. The versatility and performance characteristics of needle-punched nonwovens make them highly sought after in various industries for purposes such as insulation, filtration, reinforcement, and cushioning. The segment’s growth is closely linked to overall industrial growth with increasing infrastructure development, automotive production, and sustainability/healthcare expenditure as the main drivers.
T-SUPREMA – quality, flexibility, and ease of use
T-SUPREMA represents a significant advancement in the field of needle-punched nonwovens, combining the expertise of Trützschler Nonwovens and Texnology to offer a modern, efficient, and adaptable solution for various applications in the textile industry.
Flexibility
One of the strengths of T-SUPREMA is its adaptability, allowing it to work with a wide range of fibres, including man-made, natural, mineral, and high-performance fibres. It offers unique levels of flexibility – one line can produce lightweight as well as all heavyweight nonwovens, from 30 grams per square metre (gsm) up to more than 2,000 gsm.
Clean operation and ease of use
All T-SUPREMA machines feature a clean concept that minimises downtime. Components are designed to ensure high product quality. A patented, frictionless gear system within the needle looms crosshead realises the rapid up and down movement of the needle boards. Vibrations impacting the needling process as well as wear and tear of bearings are minimised so hardly any maintenance is needed during the needle loom’s lifetime. To reduce the cleaning effort when processing brittle fibres, a highly effective dust suction system is optionally available.
The Trützschler machines are noted for ease of maintenance and operation. Sealings, enclosures, directed air streams, and powerful aspirations prevent fibre migration to the machines’ inside. Moreover, cards and needle looms can easily move apart to simplify cleaning and maintenance.
T-ONE inside
Additionally, the T-SUPREMA line includes the T-ONE digital working environment, supporting routine tasks such as quality control and guiding toward better product quality and line performance.
T-SUPREMA in NCTC Egelsbach
Visitors to the Trützschler Nonwovens Customer and Technology Center in Egelsbach can now observe the super-flexible T-SUPREMA line in motion. The industrial-scale setup has a working width of 4 metres after the cross-lapper. It features Trützschler Nonwovens’ T-BLEND system for fibre preparation, a multi-purpose card and cross-lapper, the needling section with a Texnology pre-needle loom, a felt drafter (that can be bypassed), a finish needle loom and a winding section.
Tests and trials with this high-performance needle-punching line have already impressed companies from across the global nonwoven industry. The speed of production, user-friendly interface, wide range of applications, and the high quality of output have attracted the interest of Egelsbach visitors, leading to additional planned trials.
