WEKO, Weitmann & Konrad GmbH & Co. KG, a leading German company in functional finishing equipments for printing, nonwoven, tissue, and textile finishing, has launched latest non-contact, minimum application system that allows applying minimal amounts of liquid, with high precision on nonwovens, with more savings of chemicals, energy, and production times. Manufacturers and finishers of high-quality nonwovens offer a large selection of different functionalisations, for example hydrophilic, hydrophobic, antimicrobial, perfuming, flame-retardant, dirt-repellent, or smoothing finishings. Liquid, water- based dispersions applied to the nonwovens are usually used for these functionalisations. The application system by WEKO offers high production and cost benefits compared to conventional application methods. Using the slogan ‘Don’t play – work with precision’, WEKO positions itself on the international market with a high-precision system that applies finishing chemicals on the nonwoven web in exactly metered quantities and absolutely clean without gimmicks and wasting resources. Finest micro-droplets are generated with the WEKO application system and then applied to the web by kinetic energy. Even smallest amounts of liquid can be applied to webs up to 7 metres wide, uniformly and consistently. The liquid applied mostly consists of water and the actual ingredients that give the functional properties. Because water needs to be diverted again, the amount and cost of the chemicals are in direct relationship to the drier energy. The WEKO system can control the application quantity so that the desired function of the finishing is reliably provided while reducing the amount of liquor required to a minimum. WEKO application systems work contactless. The web remains dimensionally stable, both in length and width, and retains its original volume. Compared to touch and roller systems, the nonwoven web is not stretched by system-related tensile forces and does not require squeezing through rubber rollers either. Liquid application can be freely selected depending on the configuration of the system. Hydrophobic applications can be applied to one side, for example, to facilitate lamination of the back side. WEKO application systems also score very well when it comes to sustainability. The capacity of the liquor tanks is variable and can be chosen according to the respective application conditions. Only a small amount of residual liquor is generated. Non-contact application also prevents fibres, particles or pigments from being carried over into the downstream application liquors.
