Unleashed productivity changes the market

While the economic efficiency of conventional belt-driven rotor spinning machines has been pushed to the limit over the years, the Autocoro 8 from Schlafhorst has been surprising the industry with double-digit productivity increases for the last three years. The Autocoro 8 thus has the potential to radically alter the competitive situation in rotor spinning.

Schlafhorsts Autocoro machine has dominated the market for rotor spinning machines for 35 years. However, the success of the Autocoro 8 outstrips that of its predecessors. Although the latest machine generation has only been on the market for three years, Autocoro 8 spinning positions now account for 30 per cent of all spinning positions delivered by Schlafhorst in the last 10 years.

Around 35 years ago, Schlafhorsts Autocoro machine revolutionised rotor spinning thanks to the complete automation of the spinning and winding process. In particular, spinning mills that produced large quantities of so-called commodity yarns took advantage of the substantially lower total cost of ownership (TCO) of the Autocoro to increase their efficiency.

18% more weaving yarn at 160,000 rpm
The Moldavian textile company Tirotex, based in Tiraspol, spins its weaving yarns on Autocoro 8 machines at a rotor speed of 160,000 rpm.

40% more knitting yarn with take-up speeds of 240 m/min
Elif is one of the leading textile companies in the Turkish textile stronghold of Kahramanmaras, producing 13,000 tonnes of viscose yarn each year.

Fruit of the Loom: 50% more yarn
Fruit of the Loom is also reporting spectacular productivity increases. In its fully integrated factory not far from the Moroccan capital Rabat, the company processes raw cotton from the USA to produce ready-cut fabrics that are then sewn into T-shirts and sweatshirts for the European market in the nearby sewing plants.

Lean maintenance equals lower personnel costs
Many spinning mills take advantage of single-drive technology to switch to lean maintenance. The machines no longer have to be shut down for regular cleaning and servicing jobs. While an entire cleaning brigade leaps into action following the shutdown on conventional machines so that the machines can quickly be started up again, one employee can service the spinning positions section by section on the Autocoro 8 while production otherwise remains ongoing. Peaks in staffing requirements no longer occur, saving several thousand euros per year and per machine.

Efficiency ratings of over 97%
For the first time the Autocoro 8 offers the possibility of such intelligent handling of raw material and spinning component changes, even on single-lot machines, that machine downtimes are avoided almost completely. In practical terms, this yields two to three percent higher efficiency ratings.

Efficiency redefined
The technical innovations on the Autocoro 8 fundamentally change the cost structure of the manufacturing process. Hefty increases in productivity on the one hand and massive cost savings in virtually all areas on the other give the manufacturers of standard yarns in particular new room for manoeuvre. Efficiency is redefined. Companies that exploit this additional scope skilfully can cut their costs, augment their productivity and thereby operate with much greater flexibility on the whole and add new market share. Major changes lie ahead of us. The future of rotor spinning has only just begun.

For further information:
Waltraud Jansen, Schlafhorst
Zweigniederlassung der
Saurer Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Carlstrasse 60
52531 £bach-Palenberg, Germany
Tel: 2451 905 2194, Email: waltraud.jansen@saurer.com
Web: www.saurer.com