Mathis AG presented updated versions of its popular SmartLiquor dyebath monitor and the SmartScan digital system for colour fastness assessments. SmartLiquor comes in a version for exhaustion dyers, SL-AZ, and in a version for continuous dyers, SL-AT.
The main objectives of the SL-AZ (exhaust dyeing) are: improve dyehouse productivity, troubleshoot difficult shades and improve lab-to-bulk reproducibility, analyse and improve the compatibility of dyes in a recipe, reduce water and energy consumption during washing (cotton and viscose), and reduce the amount of levelling agents.
The main objectives of the SL-AT (continuous dyeing) are: replace DLC (Dye liquor confirmations) at the start of a production run for a faster and objective evaluation of dye stock tank concentrations (pass/fail analysis), analyse and eliminate tailing problem in CPB, E-Control and Pad Steam, and quality control of new dyestuff deliveries.
SmartLiquor is being used by dyehouses, dye and chemical manufacturers as well as research laboratories in over fifteen countries, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Thailand. SmartScan, a scanner-based digital colour measurement system, can be used to grade any colour fastness test that is evaluated according to the ISO/AATCC/SDC grey scales for colour change and staining (scale 1-5), including fastness to washing, water, perspiration, rubbing etc. It was designed to replace visual assessments in a light booth, thereby eliminating operator-to-operator differences. Operation of the scanner is fast and easy: The samples are simply put on the scanner surface and the software generates test reports which can be distributed electronically.
Recent innovations make it now possible to also use SmartScan for the colour assessment of printed textiles and heather (two-toned) fabrics which are difficult to assess with a conventional spectrophotometer. SmartScan is being used by leading test institutes, dyehouses, dyestuff.