August 29, 2024, Remscheid Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division’s sustainability initiative, e-save, has saved over 15 million tons of CO2 in 20 years, according to its financial sheet. Since 2004, the company, which is among the top providers of artificial fiber plant technologies worldwide, has developed, produced, and introduced its goods and services with sustainability in mind: “Environment” relief, “Energy” savings and “Efficiency” of systems, machines, and components The four e-save issues that have given fiber and yarn makers substantial additional value in terms of economy, safety, and process handling from the beginning are “ergonomics” for optimal machine performance. In terms of sustainability, the founders of the brands Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag, and Oerlikon Nonwoven were already real pioneers.
The e-save objective of Oerlikon is validated by factors such as escalating energy costs, limited resources, aging populations, insufficient trained labor, and reduced profit margins across several sectors. The industry leader in artificial fiber manufacturing technology has been winning awards for the past 20 years by using a lot less energy than its competitors, the market norm, or even its own previous models. Global producers of fiber and yarn are grateful for this, as new systems created with e-save standards pay for themselves considerably more quickly. According to Georg Stausberg, CEO of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division, “topics like energy efficiency and the careful use of resources have become increasingly important for all our customers in recent years, not least due to stricter legal framework conditions.” “We frequently have the decisive advantage in numerical investment decisions on the customer side and thus the edge over the competition thanks to our e-save sustainability program and the associated technology development over the last two decades.”
More than 15 million tons of CO2 have been avoided since e-save was implemented.
For several decades, the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division and its business divisions have been certified by DIN ISO. They have also obtained the CE marking and continuously adhere to stringent guidelines for machine safety, particularly with regard to safeguarding client staff. But this was insufficient at the start of the new millennium. With an eye on the future, the firm and its leadership wished to willingly do even more. As a result, the e-save program was launched in 2004.
Since its launch, Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag, and Oerlikon Nonwoven technology solutions have been installed in hundreds of spinning mills for man-made fibers across the world. Oer-likon technology underpin around half of the presently established production capacity for nylon, polyester, and polypropylene. This amounts to around 40 million tons of fibers and yarn yearly, according to an estimate made by the magazine “TheFiberYear 2024.” Impressive is the equivalent CO2 balance: almost the course of the previous 20 years, the installations of e-save certified customers have prevented almost 15 million tons of CO2 emissions. This is about the same as the emissions produced by 15 million domestic passenger flights per person, or the quantity that a forest the size of Munich, Germany, with a surface area of 300 km² can hold.
Energy savings are possible when heating and cooling systems are efficient.
What were the engineers first concentrating on? A key component of polymer spinning systems is heat. Between 280 and 290 degrees Celsius, polyester melt is transported from the polycondensation facility to the spinning system. Depending on the procedure, the hot filament emerging from the spinnerets is then cooled in the quenching unit before being dragged on hot godets.
“All of this might lead to an optimal use of energy: At ITMA 2007, WINGS POY (Winding Integrated Godet Solution) completely changed the man-made fiber market. The whole new winding concept has already demonstrated the ability to radically upend the sector. The Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division’s CTO, Jochen Adler, notes that “all market participants were enthusiastic from day one.” Particularly Chinese businesses were already aware of the technology that would position them as world leaders in the synthetic fiber sector. Five years later, with even more e-save benefits, WINGS FDY took over the market. particularly in regard to energy conservation. When compared to the industry norm at the time, the Oerlikon Barmag invention achieved an energy consumption reduction of almost 40%. The ROI (return on investment) was and is being attained rather rapidly. Thus, economically speaking, the greatest technology of the highest caliber is also valuable. Apart from the Oerlikon Bar-mag core technology WINGS, which is an essential component of a contemporary man-made fiber spinning mill, the firm has established benchmarks with other energy-saving components throughout the years.
Industry benchmarking market
For instance, the SP8x spinning head series has much enhanced insulation and a smaller heat-radiating surface than its preceding models, which results in a reduction of almost 40% in heat loss. In actual terms, this translates to an annual energy savings of almost 200,000 kWh for a system with 36 roles. As a result, the component continues to be the industry standard.
“The EvoQuench radial quenching system’s up to 80% reduced air conditioning need makes it a true money maker. Depending on the process, up to 46% energy and almost 50% trash may be avoided when using the WINGS take-up system in comparison to traditional technology, according to Adler. The latter is mostly attributable to the take-up unit’s novel ergonomic concept: In record time, the component is positioned at eye level; just one operator is needed.
At an exceptionally early stage, the sibling business Oerlikon Neumag also donated equivalent e-save components. For instance, the BCF tangling unit RoTac3’s tailored use of compressed air results in significant energy savings. Unlike continuous airflow, which is the case with typical tangle operations, pulsing airflow is used to form tangle knots. Thus, pressurized air is only ever needed in order to construct a tangle knot. Depending on the kind of yarn, this can cut the necessary volume flow or compressed air usage by as much as 50% as compared to traditional tangling units. The part is naturally put in the most advanced carpet yarn system in the world, Oerlikon Neumag’s BCF S8 system. It has a major impact on the energy-efficient carpet yarn production process. But the system’s basic concept—a 99% plant efficiency, 15% greater throughputs, and up to 5% energy savings per kilogram of yarn—also makes an excellent case with facts.
Increased productivity with less energy
The Oerlikon Barmag eAFK Evo provides 30% more productivity with 20% reduced energy usage per kilogram of textured yarn as compared to traditional DTY machines. In comparison to a typical machine, the machine’s speed has increased significantly, and its 50% shorter texturing zone ensures an exceptionally reliable texturing process that maximizes production while minimizing operational expenses. The EvoCooler, the machine’s central component, operates on the sustainable cooling concept of water evaporation. With direct contact to the yarn, this active cooling technique operates independently of the surrounding temperature and doesn’t require any extra energy. Furthermore, less heat radiation into the surrounding air means less hall air conditioning is needed. Because the collected coolant is circulated, it may be recycled.
The textile value chain’s precisely timed production stages have the potential to be more efficient. One such is the eAFK Big V high-titer idea and WINGS POY HD, which are intended for a carpet and home textile product line that combines very thick and soft polyester yarns with BCF-like qualities. Producing yarns with a maximum count of 1200den and more than 1000 filaments is the goal here. A DTY machine is used to spin together DTY yarns up to 1200den with up to 1152 filaments from four POY bob-bins 300den/288f, according to Jochen Adler. A basic drawback of the procedure is that half of a texturing machine’s possible winding places go unused. This is where the spinning concept—currently the only one on the market—offers a highly effective solution: a combination of an automated eAFK Big V multi-spindle texturing machine and a WINGS POY HD take-up unit.
Water: a resource that is disputed
The Oerlikon Neumag EvoSteam staple fiber mill is the most current illustration of a sustainable e-save technology. Additionally, throughout development, the pertinent sustainability-related process stages were already taken into consideration. There is no need for water baths in this novel procedure. As a consequence, up to 3.5 million liters of water may be saved annually, drying energy and preparation consumption are greatly reduced, and the CO2 footprint can be reduced by up to 20%. The EvoSteam staple fiber technology is up to 12% more efficient than earlier ideas thanks to an enhanced draw point release. All things considered, the EvoSteam method can save up to 8% energy and minimize manufacturing waste by up to 50%.
Another illustration: the issue of textile dyeing contaminating water is one that is frequently debated. Manmade fiber manufacturing provides an extraordinarily clean alternative by allowing color pigments to be injected as a masterbatch as early as the melt preparation step, thanks to the 3DD mixer technology that was formerly created at Oerlikon Barmag. A pleasant bonus is that the color fastness of these spun-dyed yarns is unmatched, and the dyeing is far more uniform than that of bath-dyed bobbins or textile surfaces. Furthermore, the spun material virtually never loses its color.
Finally, but just as importantly, the textile sector as a whole is working to find answers for a sustainable, comprehensive circular economy. Oerlikon Bar-mag already offers at least one option for a zero waste manufactured fiber spinning machine, in collaboration with its joint venture partner BB Engineering. Production waste may be high-quality reprocessed in the spinning mill with the aid of VacuFil technology, allowing the waste material to be returned into the melt flow.
Top: accreditation from Bluesign®
About two decades after Oerlikon first introduced the e-save label as a voluntary commitment, the company is now following suit and submitting to evaluation by independent organizations like the Swiss bluesign Technologies AG as part of the ESG requirements that are now legally required.
The Oerlikon Neumag EvoSteam staple fiber facility received the bluesign® VERIFIED DATA certification last year. A plausibility assessment of the supporting documentation for the EvoSteam draw frame, the focal point of the EvoSteam process, was used to verify impact statistics, including water, spinning preparations, thermal and electrical energy, and the CO2 footprint. This implies that all polyester staple fibers made using the EvoSteam method will actively participate in the bluesign® SYSTEM going forward, which is good news for yarn makers.
The Oerlikon Neumag EvoSteam staple fiber facility received the bluesign® VERIFIED DATA certification last year. A plausibility assessment of the supporting documentation for the EvoSteam draw frame, the focal point of the EvoSteam process, was used to verify impact statistics, including water, spinning preparations, thermal and electrical energy, and the CO2 footprint. This implies that all polyester staple fibers made using the EvoSteam method will actively participate in the bluesign® SYSTEM going forward, which is good news for yarn makers.
More sustainability is becoming more than simply a fad; it is essential for the global market and industry players alike. In addition to our own e-save label, we are giving our clients even more transparency in anticipation of the European Green Deal by obtaining external certifications like bluesign®. As Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of the Swiss Oerlikon Group in addition to serving as Division CEO, Georg Stausberg says, “In this way, we are intensively strengthening trust in all our products and services.”