Start-up company’s leather press combines platen and throughfeed benefits
03/03/2017
The Trissino-based company is the brainchild of a group of engineers with extensive experience of the leather industry, but it was founded in 2016.
An initial focus has been the field of ironing and embossing leather. A study of the methods and equipment employed in this phase of leather manufacture confirmed the general use of platen presses or of rotary throughfeed machinery. Both of these systems are similar in results but platen pressing leads to a softer leather feel and also relatively better embossing, experts say, because it applies relatively low heat over longer exposure. A drawback of this method, however, can be lower productivity.
Rotary machine pressing (or setting) on the other hand is faster but tends to produce leather that is less soft.
After detailed investigation of this aspect of leather manufacturing, Evolution Tech developed a new rotary throughfeed press capable of producing results similar to the conventional platen press but without sacrificing productivity.
This new rotary press combining the elements of the platen press and those of the rotary press, as well as the ability to correct leather substance, is the Evolux. It uses a patented anti-fold sammying band called Thermotech, which allows pre-heating of both grain and flesh sides of the hide. Contact with the press cylinder only commences after the hide has travelled approximately one metre during the required pre-heating phase, up to a maximum temperature of 110 degrees Celsius.
Reaching this point, the hide is subjected to no more heat as it moves between the transport belt and the cylinder; its temperature can be adjusted at will at this point, avoiding the danger of thermal shock. This is how the Evolux press allows leather to retain a soft feel during the ironing phase and deeper marking when embossing, without creating cuts. Evolution Tech has told leatherbiz that technicians at important tanneries have already confirmed the results obtained using the Evolux system and the machine attracted high levels of interest at Tanning Tech 2017.
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