Barmag automates maintenance in spinning plants

Maintenance and service operations in chemical fibre spinning plants affect product quality, equipment availability and workplace safety. Barmag has developed three retrofit solutions intended to make manual procedures more efficient, safer and reproducible. The portfolio comprises an automatic knife sharpening machine, a wiping robot for automated spinneret cleaning in filament spinning and staple fibre production, and an electric Spinpack changer for motor-assisted replacement of spinning packages. According to the company, the systems are designed to standardise maintenance procedures and improve the performance of existing production facilities without requiring extensive changes to production lines.

Automated spinneret cleaning

The automatic knife sharpening machine is intended to maintain consistent spinneret cleaning quality. Standardised grinding results reduce process fluctuations, improve cleaning efficiency and extend the service life of key components. The resulting reduction in maintenance requirements can increase equipment availability and productivity.

Based on customer experience reported by Barmag, the system can increase the full-bobbin rate by up to 12%, improve take-up efficiency by up to 28% and extend spinneret service life by up to 51%. Cleaning cycles can also be reduced by up to 53%.

The wiping robot performs fully automated spinneret cleaning in both filament spinning and the staple fibre process. Its integrated rotating scraper blades are resharpened automatically in the parking station, which is intended to maintain cleaning quality over extended operating periods.

In addition to improving process stability, automated cleaning affects working conditions in the production area. It reduces silicone oil consumption and workers' exposure to oil-containing aerosols.

Safer replacement of spinning packages

The electric Spinpack changer addresses workplace safety and ergonomics during maintenance. The mobile, electrically powered system assists with the replacement of heavy and hot spinnerets, reducing physical strain on operators. It also enables precise installation using a defined torque, which can reduce safety risks and shorten downtime.

Retrofit automation for existing equipment

All three systems have been designed for nearly universal retrofitting. This allows operators to automate selected maintenance and service operations without significant modifications to existing lines. The solutions therefore provide a route to targeted plant modernisation, with measurable effects on 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," said Stefan Heesen, Senior Manager of Customer Services at Barmag.