Gilbos devised for itself an innovative yarn-twisting process for carpet manufacturing. However, the precision of the system Gilbos produced for this purpose proved problematic for its rollout. In this light, it decided to call on the know-how and precision-manufacturing capabilities provided by Sirris.
Gilbos NV, based in Aalst (Belgium), is a manufacturer of high-quality textile machinery, specializing in particular in producing carpet yarns. In a bid to make this process faster - indeed as much as 10 times faster - than previously and also make it more energy-efficient, Gilbos recently developed a new technique that uses airflows to twist the yarn.
Constant surface quality
The whole process of twisting threads into yarn is carried out in the 'Twist Jet SmarTwist', a component made of high-alloy, corrosion-resistant steel with channels for the airflow and the yarn. As the twisting process depends on the flow, it is crucial that the dimensional accuracy of these channels and the surface quality remain properly controlled and constant over time. In particular the channels leading to the final nozzle and the rounding for these channels need to be applied with the utmost precision to avoid unwanted aerodynamic effects.
Five-axis precision milling
As Gilbos did not have the appropriate machining equipment, the company contacted Sirris's Precision Manufacturing Department, which has a five-axis precision-milling machine. There were two ideas behind this, namely to evaluate various machining strategies for the critical air channels and, having adopted the best strategy, to produce a set of prototypes for functional testing.
At the end of the project, we received a set of high-quality prototypes with a significantly lower level of surface roughness than the pieces we produce ourselves.
This project taught Gilbos that precision machinery is essential for ensuring the quality of the components. In future, Gilbos will therefore be making the appropriate investments in modern and more precise machining units.
