Barmag Introduces Automated Maintenance Solutions for Spinning Plants
Three retrofit solutions target spinneret cleaning, knife sharpening and spinpack replacement to improve maintenance consistency, safety and equipment availability.
Barmag has introduced three retrofittable solutions for maintenance and service operations in chemical fiber spinning plants. The portfolio includes an automatic knife sharpening machine, a wiping robot for spinneret cleaning, and an electric Spinpack changer designed to assist with the replacement of spinning packages.
Three Solutions for Automated Maintenance
Maintenance and service activities in chemical fiber spinning plants can affect product quality, equipment availability and workplace safety. Barmag’s three new solutions are designed to make manual maintenance processes more efficient, safer and more reproducible.
The portfolio comprises an automatic knife sharpening machine, a wiping robot for automated spinneret cleaning in both filament spinning and the staple fiber process, and an electric Spinpack changer for motor-assisted replacement of spinning packages.
Together, the solutions are intended to standardize maintenance activities and improve the performance of existing production facilities.
Automatic Knife Sharpening for Consistent Cleaning
The automatic knife sharpening machine is designed to provide consistent cleaning quality for spinnerets and support the performance of spinning systems.
Standardized grinding results are intended to reduce process fluctuations, improve cleaning efficiency and extend the service life of key components. According to customer experience cited by Barmag, the system can deliver increases in the full-bobbin rate of up to 12 percent and take-up efficiency of up to 28 percent, while extending spinneret service life by up to 51 percent.
Cleaning cycles can also be reduced by up to 53 percent.
Automated Spinneret Cleaning
Barmag’s wiping robot automates spinneret cleaning in both filament spinning and the staple fiber process.
The system uses integrated rotating scraper blades that are automatically resharpened in a parking station. This is intended to maintain consistent cleaning results over extended operation.
Automated cleaning can also reduce silicon oil consumption and exposure to oil-containing aerosols in the production area, according to Barmag.
Electric Spinpack Changer Targets Maintenance Safety
The electric Spinpack changer focuses on workplace safety and ergonomics during maintenance operations.
The mobile, electrically powered system assists with replacing heavy and hot spinnerets, reducing physical strain during the task. It also enables precise installation using a defined torque.
Barmag states that the system can help minimize safety risks and shorten downtime during replacement operations.
Retrofit Automation for Existing Production Lines
All three solutions are designed with retrofit capability, allowing operators to modernize existing production facilities without significant modifications to production lines.
The approach provides an entry point for automating maintenance and service processes in existing systems, with the stated objectives of improving quality, efficiency and workplace safety.
“There is significant potential for optimization not only in the production process itself, but also in the supporting maintenance and service tasks. Automating these tasks helps make existing plants more productive, safer, and more cost-effective to operate,” explains Stefan Heesen, Senior Manager of Customer Services at Barmag.