The Comparison, Measuring & Labelling of Energy-efficient Textile Machinery
“Sophisticated test
equipment has not
only a low energy
consumption, but it
also supports the
development of en-
ergy-saving prod-
ucts such as fibre-
reinforced plastics
with special tests for
carbon fibres and
fabrics.”
Dr. rer. nat. Ulrich Mörschel,
Managing Director,
Textechno
Herbert Stein GmbH & Co. KG
In general, textile manufacturers
receive the following energy mix from
the utility companies :
-Nuclear power
-
-Fossil and other fuels
Renewable energy sources
CO2 emissions can vary by a factor
of 2 to 3 solely as a result of the energy
mix with which the textile manufacturer
is provided by the utility companies. A
reliable CO2 footprint can therefore
only be specified by the textile
machinery manufacturer if the client
informs the manufacturer of his
“energy exchange rate”.
Thermal energy
In the generation of thermal energy, the
specific CO2 emission of the fossil fuel
is the determining variable. (Table 2)
Generally speaking, the least
economical way to produce thermal
energy is to use electricity.
Reliable parameters
Machine manufacturers should state
(kWh/kg product) for the thermal and
electrical energy as a reliableparameter. Actual CO2 emissions can
then be determined by the textile
manufacturer and influenced by the
selection of the energy mix he
purchases.
What can a label achieve?
Basically, all actions are welcome that
make the market transparent. These
include, for example, information that
supports textile manufacturers in the
process of assessing the impact of
their investment decision on the energy
efficiency of their own processes.
energy consumption data helps to
quantify the expected operating costs
(as is also the case with Life cycle cost
studies) and can thus serve as a basis
for investment decisions, amongst
other factors.
Market transparency is important, but
when it comes to capital goods, labels
are not a cure-all. They are by no means
a “simple solution” for a complex
product such as a textile machine.
The significant differences between
consumer goods and textile machinery
must be taken into account when
considering labelling. What may be
useful for refrigerators and domestic
washing machines in order to give
customers with little specialist
knowledge some guidance on the
appliance market, is neither feasible
nor appropriate for textile machinery.
Textile machines are marketed to
companies that exert an influence on
the technical characteristics, features
and performance data of the textile
machine. Textile machines therefore
possess a high degree of
customization which is influenced by
the requirements of the product which
the machine will manufacture as well
as by the organizational and technical
integration of the machines into the
textile manufacturer’s technical
environment.
In the view of the textile machinery
industry, innovative technologies must
fulfil the functional product
NCM-APRIL 2020
65requirements and the optimization of
production processes, and at the same
time minimize any impact on the
environment. The exclusive focus on
energy consumption is therefore
viewed critically by the industry.
Product labelling in mechanical
engineering is subject to demanding
requirements – only if they are met can
machine labels offer added value!
As a quality seal or seal of approval,
labels should inform the potential buyer
about a defined set of product
characteristics. Labels only make
sense if they pursue and implement
transparency objectives. Machine
labels that provide no basis for
comparing products from different
manufacturers bring no added value to
potential buyers. Labelling activities
that pretend to present a neutral
statement to the customer in order to
differentiate themselves from
competitors rely on quick marketing
success and customers who are not
critical in their questioning of this issue.
There has long been mandatory
labelling for capital goods – CE
marking. The CE mark denotes the
conformity of a product with all relevant
european legislation, for example the
Machinery Directive. compliance with
the requirements of the ecodesign
Directive is also demonstrated by the
CE mark.
An ecologically and economically
logical label concept for capital goods