Warragul, Australia, October 28--Modra Technology has developed a tufted-carpet sample machine called 'Mtuft,' according to IntelTex.
It is more than 10 years since Modra introduced an end-out detection system for the identification of faults in the Amxinster weaving process. The company also manufactures the Kibby Carpet Sample Machine, an automatic pegboard machine capable of making samples up to 450 mm. square. Over 140 of these machines have been sold to 25 countries.
The Kibby was initially developed for sampling Axminster and Wilton carpets, and later refinements allowed it to be used to sample tufted carpets.
In response to requests for increased speed, size and more representative tufted samples, Modra has been working for the last five years on the development of a sample machine specifically for tufted products. The result is the Mtuft Tufted Carpet Sample Machine.
The Mtuft uses conventional needles, loopers, hooks and knives to tuft yarn into a primary backing. It has the capability to use up to eight different yarns or colours in one sample, but only one package of each yarn is required.
A needle is used to stitch a line of tufts from right to left, and the backing is advanced for the next line. This advance of the backing between lines of tufts becomes the gauge of the sample. The gauge, therefore, is controlled by the computer and is adjustable in the Mtuft software.
The stitch rate is precision controlled by the computer and also adjustable. The software selects the required needle at the beginning of each row and the pattern is produced at up to 1,000 needle inserts per minute.
Servo-controlled yarn feed and looper-hook/knife selection are combined to provide the desired pile height or to produce cut pile along the stitch path. The traverse from right to left can be modified to 'zig zag' and sliding needle bar product can be reproduced following a cam pattern.
The company remarks: "This gives the Mtuft remarkable flexibility in that one machine has the capability to sample any type of tufted carpet. Full-repeat scroll (FRS), single, double and unequal sliding needle bar, fine line, cut and loop, cut pile -- all can be produced at a wide range of gauges and stitch rates without changes to any gauge parts.
"Due to the complexity of a FRS sample machine they are very expensive, and often a decision is made to sample on the production FRS machine. This is often disruptive to production. The Mtuft offers a very economical alternative to FRS sample machines. The Mtuft also can replace many dedicated fixed-gauge sample machines. This gives flexibility and adaptability to the sample department."
The Mtuft also provides information on carpet weight as the sample is made, and allows the manufacturer to calculate yarn usage for the full product run. This assists production staff in balancing sample quality against yarn requirements and product specifications.
The Mtuft comes complete with a dual-screen computer and requires single-phase power (220/240v) and compressed air. The machine is on castor wheels and designed to fit through a standard doorway.
Integrated and included with the Mtuft is "Ned Graphics Vision Tuft" software, easing the creation of carpet designs and importing designs from an existing Ned Graphics suite. New designs can be developed in "Vision Tuft" on the second screen of the Mtuft while a sample is being produced.
The Mtuft has been sold in Australia and Belgium, with strong interest from China and the United States.
