Groz-Beckert has showcased its ‘Productivity Benchmark’ efficiency calculator for circular knitting processes at the ITM trade show in Turkey and ShanghaiTex in China, demonstrating how the use of high-quality products can increase productivity and be gentle on resources at the same time.

Higher quality, higher efficiency

Developed at the ITM and ShanghaiTex trade fairs, the tool was designed to compare high-quality Groz-Beckert knitting-machine needles with other products.

Relevant machine configurations and data, as used in Turkey and China respectively, served as a basis for the two markets. The aim of the presentation was to prove what a huge influence the use of high-quality knitting-machine needles has on productivity. The tool takes into account factors such as:

• Machine speed
• Efficiency
• Needle breakage rate
• Needle downtime
• Power consumption

A closer look at typical configurations

The production cost calculator is also designed to show how tiny changes to individual factors can have a major influence on productivity, by collecting factors and transforming them into a general overview for comparison purposes.

The calculator showed that increasing a machine's speed by just one revolution – from 30 to 31 rpm – over the course of one year already means a productivity increase of 7,000 kilograms. According to the company, this may result in a reduction in running costs per kilogram of goods produced.

Circular knitting

The creation of high-quality, flawless knitted fabric requires using needles that have been optimally manufactured.

According to Groz-Beckert,  its high-quality products with special features enable the following:

• Increased machine speeds
• Improved efficiency
• Reduced needle breakage rates
• Longer service life
• Lower power consumption

Among the benefits of its own products, the company lists absolutely smooth surfaces,  advantageous geometry for gentle, trouble-free yarn gliding, high dimensional accuracy for an absolutely uniform loop structure, precise latch guidance for minimal wear, and litespeed design for reduced power and oil consumption.

Price-performance ratio

The ‘Productivity Benchmark’ also showed the overall price-performance ratio delivered by Groz-Beckert.

The additional profits generated by higher productivity are said to increase the investment's profitability by savings on operating costs.

The expected changes in the production environment include minimal heat generation, reduced oil misting, which are said to considerably optimise working conditions for knitting-machine operators.

www.groz-beckert.com