Staubli, the Swiss giant exhibited its full range of textile machinery from its three divisions shed formation machines, weaving preparation systems, and carpet weaving systems.

UNIVAL 200 - an innovative leap for narrow-fabric weavers

The first world premier Stäubli unveiled at ITMA in Munich is the UNIVAL 200 - the first complete jacquard weaving machine for narrow fabrics and ribbons (up to 47 mm wide) using the Unival principle. This concept - the use of servo motors instead of mechanical drives - gives absolute freedom in shedding. The unrestrained creativity and design options open new application for narrow-fabric weavers. This opens a new world in fabric design, including the variety of patterns and the variable density of warp and weft, that will be appreciated in daily use.

Aside from the virtually unlimited possibilities, the fast changing of weaving parameters and patterns as well as their easy reproducibility allows weavers to act quickly and flexibly whenever a new style is to be manufactured. The UNIVAL 200 is fitted with patented new "Jactuators". Synchronisation between weaving machine and shedding is electronic instead of mechanical, which reduces the number of moving parts and thereby also reduces mechanical wear and the need for maintenance. The electronics also allow gentler control of yarn tension, minimizing the chance of thread break even at high speeds. And at the same time this gives the user unlimited design freedom for the finished products.

UNIVAL 500 - broadening the applications of electronic shedding

The UNIVAL 500 transfers the individual single drive to the dobby, where as many motors as harness frames are used. Stäubli presented a prototype of this machine at ITMA 2003; since then the drive system has been further developed for particular applications. The machine offers great flexibility in shedding and shaft weaving. It gently handles warp threads even when various yarn strengths are used.

Phase shift and grid is fast and easy to adjust, which reduces mechanical stress on the whole shed system. With improved mechanics, operation is quieter, standstills are fewer, and fabric quality is better - resulting in higher margins. Weaving parameters such as adjustment of fabric width and warp density and optimisation of the shedding angle can be stored, and reproducible settings minimize setup time. Another time-saver is that the UNIVAL 500 requires very little maintenance. At ITMA a possible application of the UNIVAL 500 in its configuration 500T can be seen on the carpet weaving machine ALPHA 400.

ALPHA 400 - more and more flexibility in carpet weaving The single or face-to-face, double-gripper, carpet weaving machine ALPHA - manufactured by Schönherr, a member of the Stäubli Group - is well known for its flexibility. The legacy lives on with the ALPHA 400 - a new model being unveiled at ITMA 2007. ALPHA is no longer one-machine type but a family of models each with its own application range. The high-end model is the ALPHA 400 INNOVATION, whose outstanding feature is the use of the UNIVAL 500T servo-controlled dobby. Together with the Stäubli LX 2492 jacquard machine, it can produce over 650 weave-structure combinations of pile and ground weave. This shed system frees creativity from the limits of technology and opens new horizons in patterning - making new carpet qualities possible. The series of ALPHA 400 machines is completed by the ALPHA 400 EASYSYSTEM for the production of low- and middle-density carpets, the ALPHA 400 UNIVERSAL for high-quality and high-density carpets, the ALPHA 400 SINGLELOOP for single-side production of loop and sisal carpets, and the ALPHA 400 LEANTEC for weaving a wide range of technical fabrics - a new application area for ALPHA.

SAFIR - The new automatic drawing-in machine for demanding requirements

The Weaving Preparation Systems division of Stäubli will present another world premier at ITMA 2007: The new automatic drawing-in machine SAFIR. The design builds on the proven concept of predecessor machines - the various DELTA drawing-in machines - and incorporates new technologies for safer and more convenient drawing in. The new machine allows the drawing in of harness elements from multiple warp sheets and checks the size and the colour of each thread before drawing in. This detection function prevents double threads in the harness and eliminates faults in the repeat of drawn-in patterns, thus rationalising and optimising the preparation process and increasing quality.

MAGMA - a new warp-tying machine completes the Stäubli product range

Another novelty that can be seen at the Stäubli booth is the new warp-tying machine for course and medium yarn count ranges. The machine ideally complements the proven TOPMATIC models and incorporates several noteworthy features. The yarn separation system, which separates the yarns from the lease, works without a yarn-specific separation needle. This makes adjusting the machine before tying a thing of the past. The optical system checks the separation process thread by thread, making sure no double ends will be tied.

The following machines and systems were also presented on the Stäubli booth at ITMA 2007 (by sector):

In the past two years Stäubli has completed it's offering of an extended and advanced range of jacquard machines for every kind of requirement in jacquard weaving. A wide selection of machines for various applications was on display. Some of the machines will be demonstrated in stand-alone operation; others will be installed on weaving machines.

UNIVAL 100 single-end-control electronic jacquard machine

The UNIVAL 100 controls each thread individually, thus opening new application areas and niches. Its independent drive system has no link to the weaving machine, minimising mechanical restrictions. The great advantage is the possibility for users to explore an unlimited range of shed profiles. UNIVAL 100 is available in various formats for 6144 to 15,360 threads or up to 24576 if two units are coupled together. Density and weaving width are variable, and speed is independent from format and number of warp yarns.

A small version of the UNIVAL 100 single-end-control jacquard machine can be seen with a demonstration harness of 384 ends. A second UNIVAL 100 is mounted over a rapier weaving machine producing silk fabric with a harness of 6084 ends.

LX 1602 and LX 3202 electronic jacquard machines

These models are designed for weaving flat and terry fabrics at high speeds and production rates. They were developed from the predecessor machines LX 1600/3201. They retain the proven concepts and incorporate numerous improvements, such as up to 30% greater load capacity and about 50 rpm or 10% greater maximum speed, depending on the format chosen. The LX 1602 is available in the format range of 1408 to 5120 hooks, and its big brother, the LX 3202, in the range of 6144 to 14,336 hooks.

At the core of the new models is the M6 module for driving the hooks, which is the key to higher load capacity. To handle the higher loads, the new LX machines are built on a reinforced chassis and incorporate several mechanical improvements that also enhance reliability and minimise maintenance. Since its introduction, the new LX generation has been proven in highly demanding installations worldwide.

Like other Stäubli jacquard machines, the LX types are controlled by the jacquard controller JC6. This controller has become the standard for Stäubli jacquard machines. Its operation is very user friendly, partially because of the colour touch-screen. Full networkability (including USB ports) is a standard feature that allows access to pattern files wherever they may be located in a network.