TECHNOLOGY CORNER

ITEMA AIRJET A9500—MUCH MORE THAN JUST AN EXTRAORDINARY WEAVING MACHINE

When thinking of airjet weft insertion technology the first thing that comes to mind is the highest possible production speed achievable. However, airjet experts reading this sentence will immediately point out that main critical factors when choosing to weave with airjet technology are energy consumption—which is inevitably higher compared to other weft insertion technologies due to the air compressor installation—and the limited textile versatility.

Itema is traditionally renowned to put the best of expertise and textile know-how in its weaving machines, leveraging the strong and unparalleled heritage of historic brands that today make up the Italian Company: Somet, Sulzer Textil (Sultex) and Vamatex.
In this regard, it’s worth to remember that not only Itema holds the record of the first rapier weaving machine introduced in the market (by Somet in the 1967), but even on the airjet side the Company has the honor of the modern airjet loom development as we know it, designed and implemented in 1971 by Sulzer in cooperation with leading producers of this weaving technology.

From this strong heritage results the unmatched attention paid by Itema to the textile performance of its weaving machines. At the end of the day, the main task of a weaving machine is to produce fabric, which has to be perfect to meet the demanding requirements of weavers’ final customers. Itema knows it very well and extensively works to provide to its Customers weaving machines able to weave superior quality fabrics, born to successfully overcome even the most stringent quality tests.
It is the case with the Itema airjet machines which combine the well-known and common airjet features with the less common and yet unparalleled capability to weave high quality and sophisticated fabrics.

Unique and innovative features make possible for the weaver to expand the yarns range, increasing the versatility of the machine. Talking about uniqueness, the Itema Shed Geometry widely recognized in the industry as the best-in-class, provides an optimized beating stroke which is ideal to weave the widest range of fabrics and leads to a perfect fabric quality.
On the innovation side, the Itema patented BLC—Brush Lycra Clamp provides utmost performances when weaving elastic weft yarns. Thanks to the BLC nozzle, the weft is held without movable parts to ensure superior fabric quality and reliability.

The device is simple and yet ingenious: the BLC is fixed into the main nozzle performing the valuable task of keeping the elastic weft yarn avoiding defects due to the continuous air flow. Eliminating the need of manual settings and adjustments required by clamps and valves, the BLC provides as well unparalleled user-friendliness. As elastic yarns are increasingly utilized when weaving stretch denim and apparel fabrics, the BLC can nowadays really make the difference.

Taking into account the delicate, yet fundamental topic of energy consumption, the Itema airjet weaving machines are by far the most innovative in the playground.
Main protagonist of the energy consumption reduction is the patented iREED®, a real benchmark for the industry, that significantly reduces the air consumption whilst guaranteeing a more efficient weft insertion. The new reed tunnel shape and new position of the relay nozzle optimize the air flow in the reed channel for a higher-efficiency filling insertion. The saving is also due to the reduced air pressure and to the single hole relay nozzle, which, at the same time, greatly reduces the need for maintenance of the machine.

Cost saving and superior fabric quality are the keywords of a brand-new innovation available on the Itema airjet machines: the double tandem nozzles.

The double tandem nozzles guarantee a perfect distribution of the pushing force on the weft using lower air pressure, thus leading to multiple benefits: reduced stress on the yarn allowing top fabric quality and the possibility to weave with lower pressure ensuring energy saving.

The Itema A9500 series, since market launch in 2011, represent the most innovative airjet weaving machines available today ensuring weavers the valuable opportunity to weave not only faster, but also with better fabric quality and in a smarter way with the best cost savings.