By Thomas Martin

The experience of the Brazilian spinning mill Sergipe of using the new fully automated rotor spinning machine R 66 has been nothing but positive. No wonder， as the R 66 meets the highest quality standards at low production costs.

Sergipe Industrial Textile Ltda （SISA）， founded 136 years ago， is now one of the largest textile companies in Brazil with its two production sites in the eponymous state of Sergipe. The spinning mill and the production for greige fabric are located at the parent company in Aracaju. SISA produces terry toweling goods at the second location in Riachuelo. This is also where all products are finished and tailored. Yarn production is 95% focused on cotton yarns with a count of Ne 12/1 to Ne 36/1. In the weaving mill up to 95% flat woven fabric for bed linen and table cloths and around 5% terry toweling fabric for towels are produced.

Investments in innovations

SISA is always on the search for innovations for developing new products that will protect the environment and ensure satisfaction， well-being and comfort.

“To remain competitive and be able to manufacture products of a high quality at low costs， the SISA management is investing year after year in machines of the latest generation for its production plants.”

——Augusto Oliveira， General Manager

In the spinning mill， SISA invested in the fully automated rotor spinning machine R 66 with 700 spinning positions. Its “state of the art” spin box technology ensures that the constantly high quality requirements are met. The high productivity， predictable and cost-saving maintenance and user-friendly design guarantee low production costs.

Good running properties， high efficiency

The special technical features of the R 66 facilitate high machine efficiency. These include firstly the short TWISTunit， which consists of the nozzle， the channel plate CHANNELinsert and the TWISTstop and stabilizes the yarn tension. This reduces the number of ends down and facilitates a high degree of machine efficiency. The technical solutions also include the absolutely precise centering of the rotor and delivery nozzle each time the spin box is closed， which is a requirement for a consistently high standard of yarn formation and a low level of yarn breaks. The consistent yarn quality – with very few weak points and exceptions – also has a positive impact on the running properties in downstream processes.

Efficient rotor cleaning prevents material loss

A pneumatic and/or mechanical rotor cleaning after every yarn break on the R 66 ensures that the rotor groove is free from dust or trash particles. The axial motion rotor cleaning head guarantees that the scrapers clean exactly in the rotor groove. This keeps the yarn quality at a high level at all times （Fig. 1）.

Maximum production time

The open design of the machine and spin box makes it easier for operators to gain access to key technology parts that can be replaced without tools. This also applies to the TWISTunit （Fig. 2）.

The self-explanatory control unit with its clear and simple operator guidance makes it easier for employees to handle the machine. This reduces the time for lot changes considerably and maximizes production time.

Predictable maintenance is easier on the budget

The drive system of the rotor is exposed to extremely high loads. Regular maintenance is therefore essential， with preventive maintenance having proved successful time and time again. Wear parts should be replaced at fixed intervals， wherever possible in conjunction with other maintenance work. This will minimize unscheduled downtimes with high expenditure on troubleshooting and rectifying individual faults.