The Lindauer DORNIER GmbH uses this year's ITMA to again emphasize its drive in technological progress. New developments cover the complete textile machines product line. The new performance generation of air-jet and rapier weaving machines, a new 540 cm wide air-jet weaving machine for technical fabrics and new machine models for leno and terry weaving complement decisive innovative advances in finishing machines for circular fabrics.


Ongoing development of the DORNIER weaving machine system family

The new performance generation of DORNIER type AS air-jet weaving machines has been successful in production since 2002. This performance level has now also been integrated in our PS rapier weaving machines within the scope of our system family. Shorter, strengthened power train, mechanical modifications in design and optimized material selection adapt both machine types to meet future market demands on reed beat-up force and speed together with a further significant improvement in the reduction of vibrations. Recent development on rapier and air-jet weaving machines concentrates primarily on quick, reliable style and warp changes. For example, two rapier weaving machines and one air-jet dobby weaving machine are fitted with the patented PSL pneumatic shaft lock. This allows engaging and disengaging shafts via the machine display. The company's main effort is directed in developing both weaving machine types into generally self adjusting systems. Three rapier and three air-jet weaving machines demonstrate their performance scope in the home furnishings, clothing and technical fabrics sectors.


Rapier weaving machines

All three rapier weaving machines shown are fitted with a new patented air guide system for the filling insertion elements, type AirGuide®. The linear movement of the rigid DORNIER rapier rod is ideal for this air cushion guide - the perfect technical solution for contact-free, aerostatic support. Further new constructional developments reduce the time needed for width changes and improve cloth guidance and temple efficiency, e.g. for Jacquard weaving with extreme up and down movements. DORNIER's open shed filling insertion proven in more than 45,000 units remains and ensures excellent final fabric quality especially for trendy piece-dyed Elastan fabrics.

Rapier weaving machine for universal use

This DORNIER machine demonstrates the almost unlimited use of filling yarns with speeds up to 600 ppm with 190 cm nominal width and shows that DORNIER's positive controlled central transfer is designed for highest speeds. Fillings inserted include sensitive, non-reinforced Lurex, 22 den fine monofilament, 5 mm PP narrow tapes and various fancy yarns.


Rapier weaving machine for technical fabrics

A 220 cm wide dobby weaving machine with 20 shafts is used to weave filter fabric from 0.15 mm diameter monofilament. This demonstrates the special advantage of a positive insertion system in meeting extreme demands made by cloth thickness and high number of shafts. This machine of technical weavers meets the specific requirements in shed setting options, sturdiness and high reed beat-up force. The machine also has an optical warp stop motion and integrated optical fabric inspection.


Rapier weaving machine for home furnishings

For over 30 years, DORNIER rapier weaving machines have been in use worldwide by the most important fashionable upholstery fabric weavers as reliable production equipment for their superior collections. A 180 cm wide rapier weaving machine with 12 colors combined with a Jacquard machine with 10,752 lifting hooks is also shown at the exhibition. It demonstrates the sturdiness of it's drive concept at 600 ppm, particularly on Jacquard machines with a high number of hooks and strong lifting movements. An on-the-fly pattern change with high quality upholstery and decorative fabrics impressively underlines the reliability of the positive controlled central transfer.

Air-jet weaving machines

All three air-jet weaving machines on the DORNIER stand are equipped with the new, patented pressure regulation system, ServoControl®. This minimizes thread load and allows automatic, reproducible pressure adjustment, for yarn lot changes as well, plus higher performance with better final fabric quality. Filling threading in main and tandem nozzles of the mobile tandem system is now semi-automatic with easy push-button control (see also link ).


Air-jet weaving machine for clothing

For the clothing sector, DORNIER shows an air-jet weaving machine with dobby machine in 200 cm nominal width that weaves finest wool fabric with wool/Elastan filling at 900 ppm. This machine also demonstrates our economical, automatic rear shed setting system AutoWarpII®, which can adjust the warp stop motion across three axes via the machine display even when the machine is running.

This machine is fitted with DORNIER's patented Fast Dobby Change (FDC®) system to demonstrate the economical advantages of later switches from dobby to cam machine and vice-versa.


Air-jet weaving machine for technical and leno fabrics

DORNIER shows as worldwide innovation for the first time at this Exhibition a 540 cm wide air-jet weaving machine designed to underline the success of DORNIER air-jet weaving machines in the technical textile sector (see also link).
The new positive weft clamp PWC (patent applied), retains the filling thread in the main nozzle tube so that it cannot be blown out and does not lose twist. Holding air pressure is then more or less obsolete. This device is advantageous when processing soft-twisted yarns, Lycra core yarns and cloth patterns with long repeats, for example in clothing and home furnishings.
The style produced is PP carpet backing in leno technology. A true innovation in leno technology, the patented DORNIER EasyLeno®-system is fitted on this machine. See link for more details. DORNIER's also patented PneumaTucker®, pneumatic tuck in motion, is used for selvedge formation.


Air-jet weaving machine for terry fabrics

DORNIER's new development for air-jet terry weaving machines, ServoTerry®, embraces the home furnishing sector (see link). The decisive advantage over existing systems is the direct drive for the terry movement using a servomotor whilst retaining precise but gentle reed beat-up. This allows efficient production of high pile terry fabrics in all weave variations under reliable conditions on air-jet weaving machines. The 260 cm wide machine is combined with a Jacquard machine with 6,000 lifting hooks and weaves bath towels in two widths at 700 ppm.

Further DORNIER weaving machines at the ITMA

The Stäubli stand includes a 360 cm wide DORNIER air-jet weaving machine combined with a Stäubli Jacquard machine with 10,400 lifting hooks producing 6-width panels with five center and two outer PneumaTucker® tuckers. This selvedge device does not restrict the machine speed and provides uniform tuck-in selvedges with hardly any thickening. The DORNIER full-width temple integrated in the machine can be used independently of the width and is patented in combination with the cloth table. It can be quickly changed to commercial cylinder temples.

Further DORNIER weaving machines are shown on the Bonas stand with decorative fabrics, Grosse with automotive fabrics, MEI International and Vaupel with labels.

Worldwide, comprehensive service concept for the DORNIER system family

The CAN-Bus introduced by DORNIER already in 1989 together with the VGA color display used on both air-jet as well as rapier machines supports reliable internal and external control, regulation and monitoring processes. DORNIER is also recognized as innovative leader in Teleservice because the necessary Ethernet connections have been standard for the complete system family since 1997. Teleservice rounds off the DORNIER service concept providing comprehensive, on-site service with competent advice from local experts. This reduces downtimes, increases production reliability and provides significant extra usage benefits for DORNIER weaving machines. The service concept combined with Teleservice will be demonstrated at the ITMA together with several well-known European weavers.


New development for finishing of tubular knitted goods

DORNIER presents at ITMA for the first time a patented, contact-free magnetic support for the DORNIER circular expander to ensure fabric transport almost free from pressure and distortion on finishing processes for tubular knitted goods (see also link).