From aircraft to weaving machines, DORNIER started to produce textile machines since 1950 as a result of a search for new frontiers in engineering excellence.
DORNIER weaving machines have been around in India for quite a long time. After initial success of the Liaison Office started in December 2000, DORNIER established its own subsidiary in August 2005, in order to provide closer and better consultancy, support and maintenance services for the steadily growing Indian clientele. The present set of staff go about sales and service of electronic card, spare parts and clip chain for film stretching lines also.
Mr. R. Ramakrishnan, Director, DORNIER Machinery India Private Ltd., gives an insight into the group’s technical know-how and versatility offered to the weaving industry in detail, in an interview to The Textile Magazine.
From fine yarn to very coarse weaving capabilities DORNIER has weaving machines to deliver the precise requirement. The new generation DORNIER rapier weaving machine P2 can handle at ease high reed impact forces of 5 tons beat-up control for multi-beam weaving of filament fabrics as well as very heavy multilayer conveyor belt fabrics. DORNIER machines are built to handle fibers from 7 to 40000 denier, be it silk, viscose, polyester, aramid, carbon, or glass fibre. Its positive weft transfer technology makes it unique and versatile.
Leading technical, home textiles and worsted weavers in India are regular users of DORNIER weaving machines for a variety of applications.
In India the home textiles segment accounts for around 20 per cent of their sales turnover while technical textiles account for 80 per cent. From the lightest Pashmina shawls to decorative home furnishing for heavy and light curtains using a mixture of Chennile and finest polyester yarn or for that matter any fiber natural to manmade, DORNIER weaving machines deliver economical production of fashionable clothing, furnishing and upholstery fabrics as well as innovative technical textiles required for trend-setting and sustainable materials. For instance, the fiber-reinforced synthetic materials that reduce the weight in aircraft and vehicles.
DORNIER’s weave-by-wire replaces the existing mechanical connections (between weaving machine and shedding device) with electronic data transfers that allow optimum execution of complex processes.
The new patented drive concept DORNIER SyncroDrive with energy class EFF1 motors increases speeds by up to 10 per cent. By being very gentle on materials which is significant for the service life of shedding elements, it in turn extends machine service life, thereby reducing operating costs.
On the Airjet front, the quick-reacting, automatic pressure control DORNIER ServoControl-2, the option with two relay nozzles per valve, a pneumatic filling thread clamp that runs without any holding air at all, reduces air consumption, optimizing energy consumption for compressor plants, while ensuring a significant improvement in gentle yarn handling. This has a decisive positive effect on the raw material and therefore on resources and manufacturing costs. Saving raw material in turn leads to saving resources and energy.
The patented DORNIER EasyLeno system is a revolutionary new development in leno technology for the textile industry. Weaving machines equipped with the system DORNIER EasyLeno support up to 100 per cent higher performance potential compared to traditional methods. The system is available for both DORNIER air-jet and rapier weaving machines and is suitable for all leno weaves, from the lightest curtains to carpet backings and to the heaviest open mesh glass fabrics.
DORNIER EasyLeno-2T is unique with two warp systems and different warp tensions. The warp tensions for leno and ground threads can be set separately. This is a unique technology to weave not only latticed fabrics but also “drebfabrics” with closed surface and double-face structures.
DORNIER rapier weaving machines equipped with the EasyLeno can manufacture light to medium heavy textiles characterized by excellent seam resistance, high friction resistance and good draping qualities. Various coarse yarns can be used in the weft.
The DORNIER ServoTerry with FT control developed by DORNIER weaves hand and bath towels as well as fabrics for leisure time, sport and beachwear.
Manufacturing tire cord for automobile and airplane tires demands weaving machines that can process large quantities of yarn reliably and precisely in short periods. The DORNIER air-jet weaving machine for tire cord fulfills these demands perfectly through high flexibility and performance ability.
The Open Reed Weave (ORW) technology weaves and stitches in one process while ORW multiaxial weaving allows integrating new and additional functions in fabric. These can be additional reinforcing or also strip conductor for sensor technology, etc. Very different materials such as polyamide, polyester, carbon, metal, etc., can be used for threads in the basic fabric as well as for multiaxial threads. The system is based on the DORNIER rapier weaving machine and is modular in design.
When it comes to spares and service, DORNIER India is fully aware that there are a lot of second-hand machines, especially from Europe and the US that get installed in India for capital cost conscious weavers.
Mr. Ramakrishnan says with an air of confidence that his company can provide spares and services for their second-hand machinery that finds its way to India. The reason being it forges bottom line revenue while he proudly says that this only proves that even machines built in 1968 are not obsolete, and spares/service is readily available too.
He adds that the service set-up in India is fully trained and equipped to handle every single model of DORNIER machine ever sold. The staff has been specially trained for this purpose in Germany. A separate set of service engineers have specialized to service the heart of any weaving machine, that is, the gear box.
DORNIER machines are known for their longer lifespan and run for decades. Their spares and service set-up ensure this.
EPOS, the electronic spare parts ordering and information system for weaving machines, helps identify spareparts using explosion drawings or a search option. Order at ease all the required spare parts with a shopping basket option. Access user instructions and wiring diagrams as pdf-files for weaving machines for models made since 1998.
With around 7,000 weaving machines already installed and serviced in India as on date, DORNIER has proved itself a brand truly reliable and versatile.
DORNIER India’s main focus is on the technical fabric weaving sector. It offers comprehensive pre and post-sales services such as advice and support when purchasing machines, efficient assembly / start-up, maintenance and service work, remote diagnostics, local training and instruction, training at the center in Lindau, technical and electronic training, and consulting.
Mr. Ramakrishnan concludes by saying: “Searching and realigning unusual solutions forms a part of our daily work”.