Rieter ROBOdoff: Automation Reduces Labor Costs in Rotor Spinning

Gaoyi Delida Textile Co., Ltd., China, has upgraded their 30 semi-automated rotor spinning machines R 35, R 36 and R 37 with ROBOdoff, Rieter’s automatic doffing solution. ROBOdoff reduces the operator’s workload and labor costs thanks to a doffing success rate of up to 98%. The yarn package length and weight are consistently maintained, resulting in a lower conversion cost.

Delida faced difficulties in recruiting skilled operators for its rotor spinning mill. The noisy and dusty mill environment paired with the heavy workload involved in manual doffing don’t provide an attractive work environment. Finding qualified operators therefore became critical, resulting in increased labor costs.

Based on market requirements, Delida produces a wide range of yarn counts with the rotor spinning machines, which require frequent batch changes, adding additional workload to the operators.

The weaving and knitting markets demand for consistent yarn package length and weight to minimize downstream yarn waste. In addition, the yarn package with the target length and weight is also a very popular requirement in the market. For Delida, this was a constant challenge with the traditional manual doffing, as the weight deviation between the yarn packages is greater, leading to increased conversion costs.

Delida aims to increase the level of automation to overcome the problems of growing labor costs, improve the flexibility of the batch process and meet the market requirements of delivering consistent yarn package weight. Managing these challenges will help to further strengthen its competitive advantage and consolidate its market leadership position. Delida turned to Rieter to learn about automation solutions.

Automated Doffing with ROBOdoff as an Upgrade

Rieter’s after sales team recommended the ROBOdoff upgrade for Delida’s rotor spinning machines R 35, R 36 and R 37. ROBOdoff is a device for automated package change that runs on each side of the machine. Given the solution's promising potential to mitigate the persistent labor shortages, Delida ordered 30 devices. ROBOdoff has the following three smart setting features that meet multiple customer needs and provide maximum flexibility during operation:

• automated block doffing regardless of the package length,
• doffing in delta length securing that all doffed packages contain the target length, which ensures the weight deviation of the yarn packages is minimal, and
• ROBOdoff works as a traveling cleaner when doffing is not required, which cleans the rail and the machine's spinning positions.

Reliable performance with 24/7 working mode reduces the operator's workload of manual doffing. The customer was so satisfied with the stable performance of ROBOdoff that they will choose ROBOdoff again when investing in new machines.

The automatic doffing system ROBOdoff delivers an impressive doffing success rate of 98%, eliminates the need for manual doffing and reduces the operational workload, resulting in labor cost savings. The enhanced flexibility of the block doffing option allows Delida to manage frequent changes in yarn production batches with ease, improving overall operational agility significantly and ultimately reducing labor costs.

ROBOdoff does not only automate the unpleasant task of manual doffing. With the option of the delta length securing feature, the doffed packages are maintained with the same package length, resulting in a uniform package weight. The operator can set the package length and ROBOdoff will automatically doff packages whose length lies within the defined tolerance. The yarn waste in subsequent weaving or knitting processes is minimized to a greater extent. Another signature advantage of the ROBOdoff is a consistent and proper formation of the transfer yarn tail.

The uniform doffing process reduces the damage and replacement cost of the doffing arms, which helps extend the lifetime of the rotor machine in general. ROBOdoff also works as a traveling cleaner when doffing is not required, which cleans the rail and the machine's spinning positions from micro dust offering maximum flexibility to customers.

ROBOdoff enables more efficient work organization. The physically exhausting process of manual doffing is now a thing of the past and operators are free to focus on more value-adding tasks. This investment pays off in about two to three years.