Dimona WLM1: Voith and Trützschler make the efficient manufacture of eco-friendly nonwovens a possibility
Trützschler’s AquaJet for web bonding
Egelsbach, June 12th, 2018 – With WLM1, its new nonwovens production line, Albaad, one of the world’s largest producers of cosmetic wipes, is banking on Trützschler Nonwovens and Voith, two well-established technology leaders in the field of wet-laid nonwovens.
With their innovative WLS (wet-laid/spunlace) technology, Voith and Trützschler ensure flexible and efficient production of wet-laid and hydro-entangled nonwovens from 100 percent cellulose at Albaad’s new WLM1 production line. The client for the project in Dimona, Israel, is Albaad, one of the three largest manufacturers of wet wipes and feminine hygiene products in the world.
Already in the first phase after start-up, the WLM1 completely met Albaad’s expectations: the nonwovens manufactured at a speed of over 200 meters per minute exhibited an extremely high product quality. Accordingly, Gadi Choresh, plant manager of Albaad in Dimona, is satisfied with the work by Voith and Trützschler: “The installation and start-up of the machine went very well. With their professionalism and high level of commitment, the team has ensured the success of the project. Albaad appreciates the long term commitment and support to achieve the line properties even when things were not as expected.”
Voith WLM 1 Albaad, Dimona, Israel
Voith and Trützschler machines for optimum quality
For the wet-in-wet production of its nonwovens, Albaad uses exclusively fibers from cellulose. In the first step, web formation, a suspension highly diluted with water is produced and fed into the Voith HydroFormer. A homogeneous fiber mat forms on the inclined wire of the machine. In many respects, this process is similar to the manufacturing process of paper. Voith has carried its extensive competence in paper machines over into the HydroFormer concept and thus makes it possible to produce high-quality nonwovens in this segment too.
Voith and Trützschler Nonwovens collaborated once again to implement the project. Trützschler was largely responsible for the machines for web bonding and drying. The AquaJet technology is leading the world in the bonding of nonwovens. Directed high-pressure water jets interweave the individual fibers together solely through the momentum of the water. The material thus obtains a high tensile strength and the desired textile feel without the use of any binding agents or bi-component fibers.
Gadi Choresh, Albaad Plant Manager in Dimona, Israel
In Albaad’s WLS plant, Trützschler’s innovative high-performance Streamliner dryer carries out the bulk of the drying of the nonwoven material. The spiral dryer section significantly increases the air speed and thereby achieves optimal drying performance. With the second drying step comes another component of the system by Voith, the contactless MCB drying system. Its uniform and stable web run ensures the efficient residual drying of the nonwoven material.
Moreover, Voith has equipped the WLM1 with a comprehensive process and quality control system. It monitors all the relevant parameters of production and thus reliably ensures a high product quality.
Simple manufacturing of 100% biodegradable, flushable wipes
The renewable raw material cellulose is very cost-effective and allows the manufacture of high-quality nonwovens with different characteristics. One special product segment is flushable wipes, which disintegrate very quickly in moving water but at the same time have a high strength when wet. Furthermore, these products are completely biodegradable. The hygiene products produced on the WLM1 are therefore perfect as moist toilet paper and can simply be flushed down the toilet. They thus make an important contribution to reducing blockages and faults in our waste water systems. Cellulose-based hygiene products are considerably more environmentally-friendly than those made from oil-based raw materials and ensure that our seas become less polluted with plastic waste.
Voith HydroFormer WLM 1 Albaad, Dimona, Israel
The second raw material needed for production, water, is also used in an environmentally-compatible manner through the wet-in-wet technology. In a circuit, a filter system treats the white water from the HydroFormer and AquaJet and returns it to the manufacturing process.
About Trützschler:
With a workforce of around 3,000, Trützschler is one of the leading manufacturers of textile machines in the world. It specializes in machines, equipment and accessories for the slubbing (spinning preparation), nonwoven and man-made fiber industries. The more than 125-year-old company has its headquarters in Mönchengladbach, Germany, as well as other facilities in Germany, India, China, Brazil, the USA and Switzerland.
Trützschler Nonwovens is a division of Trützschler Nonwovens & Man-Made Fibers and resulted from the acquisition and amalgamation of the long-established companies Fleissner, Erko/Hergeth and Bastian. It offers solutions for the entire nonwoven process chain, from fiber preparation, web formation, bonding and finishing to reeling up. The man-made fibers (filament) division provides solutions for the extrusion and spinning of carpet and industrial yarns.
About Voith Paper and Voith:
Voith Paper is a Group Division of Voith and the leading partner and pioneer in the paper industry. Through constant innovations, the technology group is continually optimizing the paper manufacturing process and paving the way for resource-saving production. Thanks to Papermaking 4.0, paper manufacturers can interconnect their equipment in an optimum way and increase their competitiveness through the effective and secure use of generated data. With Servolution, Voith Paper offers its customers tailored service solutions for all sections of the production process.
Voith is a global technology group. With its wide range of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 19,000 employees and earns 4.2 billion euros in sales. It has locations in over 60 countries and is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.
