Fabric makers will already be familiar with the successful, industry-proven solutions USTER® EVS Q-BAR, FABRIQ VISION and FABRIQ SHADE, which today are used worldwide to inspect upwards of 60 million meters of fabric per day. At ITMA in Barcelona, USTER® Q-BAR 2 and USTER® FABRIQ EXPERT will be launched and explained to show visitors.

For fabric manufacturers, the competitive nature of the textile market means that reliable quality is a requirement, and defects are unacceptable to their customers.

USTER® FABRIQ EXPERT and USTER® Q-BAR 2 aim to support textile mills in guaranteeing the delivery of the desired roll quality, using the best technology available for monitoring and improving production at the earliest-possible stage. That includes locating any defects quickly, supporting identification of the root causes and initiating corrective action. The expertise of EVS technology – with intelligent visual detection and fault-recognition algorithms – is now enhanced by USTER’s overall experience in quality management systems for the wider textile industry. 

Fault detection with direct impact on business success

USTER® Q-BAR 2 represents the next generation of the original on-loom monitoring and inspection system, offering user-friendly design and operational improvements for weaving. An inspiring USTER design built on years of EVS experience brings many advantages, including indication of the defect location, and better access to make maintenance tasks easier. The USTER® Q-BAR 2 is positioned immediately behind the reed on each machine – the ideal location for earliest detection of fabric defects. This means the operator can respond quickly to alarms and stop signals, to correct problems immediately and prevent quality issues from continuing, thus minimizing material waste. A red LED guides the operator to the exact position of defects, and lights at the side of the unit show system status.

Fabric faults are categorized and saved, creating a ‘defect map’ for each roll which can be recalled and reviewed later via the intuitive touchscreen.

The system reduces the need for postweaving inspection for most applications. USTER® Q-BAR is already making a significant impact on the business success of users. In one example, a US technical textiles producer reports that it has increased sales volumes through the ability to guarantee seamless fabrics to its customers. This firm produces base-layer material for coating, an application in which defects larger than 9 inches are unacceptable, as they would require cutting and seaming. The advantage of USTER® Q-BAR 2 here is the rapid stop of weaving when it identifies a defect – before it reaches the critical size for the subsequent processes.