ONE of the major trends in the wipes market is flushability. A good flushable wipe has to be made from fully biodegradable fibers, have adequate strength while in use, and then disperse quickly in the municipal sewage systems.
The ANDRITZ neXline line: wetlace technology is an ideal process for the production of flushable wipes from 100% natural and/or renewable raw materials without chemical binders
ANDRITZ Nonwoven has developed a process to apply special and unique artwork to flushable wipes. This unique patterning process will allow wipes producers to clearly differentiate their product in ways that will resonate with consumers.
The patterning of flushable wipes is technically very challenging due to the weakness of the flushable substrate, which must have only enough strength for the intended purpose and then be able to disperse completely in water with no residual wet strength. This powerful and innovative solution for patterning of flushable substrates allows an almost unlimited number of possible patterns. Pattern prototyping or the production of test quantities for customers’ evaluation can be carried out quickly and easily in the ANDRITZ technical centers.
The expertise in wet forming and hydroentanglement has led to the certified ANDRITZ Wetlace technology, and fabrics produced using this system comply with the latest EDANA/INDA flushability standards, passing all seven tests according to the new guidelines.
In April, ANDRITZ Nonwoven received an order from Dalian Ruiguang Nonwoven Group to supply a complete neXline wetlace line designed for high speeds and integrates units for stock preparation, wet forming, and hydroentanglement. By combining wet forming and hydroentanglement, the highly flexible ANDRITZ technology enables manufacturing of a great variety of products, such as biodegradable nonwoven wipes without any chemical binder. Start-up of the line is scheduled for 2015.
The line is equipped with a newly developed through-air drying system for significantly reduced energy consumption.
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