Category: General
Country: Portugal
Published: 18 May 2023
Written by Haydn Davis
Porto - Smartex, the manufacturer of systems that detect fabric defects on circular knitting machines, has launched a new fabric-roll level traceability tool.
Set to be unveiled at next month's ITMA Milan exhibition, the Smartex Loop system is said to represent a significant advancement in the company's aim to provide cutting-edge tools for enhancing fabric quality for knitting mills.
Building upon the success of Smartex Core, the AI-enabled automated quality control product, Smartex Loop enables suppliers to take advantage of fabric-roll level data collection and upgrade supply chain communication, as well as directly addressing the call from fashion brands for better supply chain data, marking a new era of transparency and collaboration.
"Smartex Loop future-proofs businesses by providing foundations for better data collection and communication, enabling them to meet the rising demand for transparency and accountability in the textile industry while improving operational efficiency," explained Gilberto Loureiro, CEO of Smartex. "With Smartex Loop, users can quickly scan any fabric roll’s Loop Passport - or review all of their rolls on the Smartex Platform via their desktop or mobile - and instantly access a wealth of information about that fabric roll’s production history and quality."
The traceability tool is designed to equip fabric manufacturers with the means to elevate product value, increase productivity, and stay ahead of the dynamic industry landscape, says Smartex. Specifically, the system allows mills to pinpoint fabric roll issues, identifying the exact machine, worker, or yarn supplier involved. This visibility enhances quality alignment and transparency between knitting facilities and dye house partners, fostering trust, reducing waste, and minimizing delays.
Furthermore, in the event of supply chain disputes, Smartex Loop is said to provide irrefutable evidence of product quality through a digital roll map, effectively avoiding time-consuming and costly litigation with upstream and downstream customers.
Interestingly, the benefits of Smartex Loop extend beyond quality control. It also offers vital evidence for verified wastage reduction, inventory tracking, and Tier 2 production locations, enabling fashion brands to meet the mounting demands of legislation, investors, and consumers for improved supply chain data.
"We can now understand the root causes for defects occurring during our manufacturing process," added Carlos Rocha, Industrial Director of Impetus Group. "By consulting Loop, I can gather the required information to collaborate with other parties and enhance our production quality."
The company has also upgraded its Core module, the foundation of the Smartex system, which is now compatible with all circular knitting machines, including tubular machines.
Smartex Core facilitates automated quality control, enhancing productivity, margins, and waste reduction by eliminating roll rejections. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and European hardware, it also detects and prevents defects during fabric production, addressing production issues at their source.
"By expanding compatibility to include tubular circular knitting machines, it ensures that all their existing and future customers can guarantee quality and optimize production with Smartex Core," the company said.
Also on show at ITMA will be a new Automatic Roll Grading tool. This feature enables objective and automatic grading of all fabric rolls, departing from the subjective and sample-based approach currently prevalent in the textile industry. Leveraging Smartex Core's advanced camera and light system, the Smartex Platform analyzes captured photos to provide consistent and accurate grading.
Image below shows a Smartex Loop Passport attached to a fabric roll copy
Factories can customize their quality thresholds, gaining deeper insights into production and machine performance while maintaining consistent quality standards, the company said, noting that the seamless communication of fabric roll quality across the supply chain is facilitated by integrating Automatic Roll Grading with Smartex Loop.
At ITMA, Smartex's can be found at Hall 4, Stand E103 while it will also have a presence at three other booths: Terrot (H4-E104), Norsel (H4-C306), and Unitex (H2-D204).
Courtesy: Knittingtradejournal.com/
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