The main difference between a so called compactor and sanforizer is the following one:

• The compactor use the felt blanket
• The sanforizer use the rubber belt
• The is another type of machine for the shrinkage which is the shoe system which use an heated shoe

In countries which produce the basic knits 100% cotton or with a very low content of lycra, the compactor (compacting machine) is very popular while those customers that want to export an higher quality standard of their fabrics or they want to process new fashion knits (viscose, modal, ….) or even improve the handtouch feeling of their pigment printed knits, those producers decided to use the CIBITEX sanforizer to process their open-width knits model .

CIBITEX shrinkage unit + felt calender

CIBITEX shrinkage unit only

Just for your information, CIBITEX started to produce the sanforizer applied to the processing of open-width knitted goods already in years 1993 so that more than 30 years ago.

Without any doubts, the best results of finishing and permanent dimensional stability can be achieved with the sanforizer so that the machine with rubber belt unit.

The effect that is given has a plus value compared to any other process that could be the felt compactor or the shoe mechanical system.

The felt compactor itelsef without the use of the pin equalizing unit in front of it can't give any significant result of shrinkage. Shrinkage is obtained only by the steaming effect and the overfeeding of fabric into the pin equalizing unit. The double felt compactor is mainly an ironing than a shrinkage process of the knits.

The shoe system is very agressive on the knits surface and can even generate some pilling of the knits surface. You can run easily the standard jersey while a thin and fine product like a viscose jersey of 100 gr/sqm is practically impossible to run it properly. In general also the finishing handtouch that is achieved on that machine is very poor.

The CIBITEX sanforizer with rubber belt has the advantage to guarantee a permanent dimensional stability, it has the advantage to obtain a finishing touch that is unbeatable compared to any other type of machine for generating shrinkage, the appareance of fabric is soft, voluminuous, brilliant and looks like mercerized on some fibers. The sanforizer can be used without a pin equalizing unit if the customer made a finishing of its open-width knits into a stenter. We could even consider a process in continuous stenter – CIBITEX sanforizer.

Another solution in case the customer arrive from a relax dryer, in order to avoid the passage of the knits into the stenter, a solution could be to use in that case, the pin equalizing unit in front of the READY machine in order to adjust and uniform the width of the open-width knits.

Competition (felt compactor producers) generally says that there is a change of colour. There might be a  slight variation of the colour shade but this can be limited in great part by some intervention in the dyeing process of fabric and also by using our sanforizing with the correct parameters of process (especially the temperature and threading of fabric into the machine). The variation of shade can be easily corrected while the finishing touch is far better than any other machine.

The colour shade is also very limiited if the yarns OR the fabric are mercerized before the sanforizing process.

The colour shade variation is much evident at the exit of the sanforizing machine than in the reality. If you look the fabric simply after 1-2 hours after the sanforizing  process,  when fabric is fully relaxed and cold, the shade variation is even less evident.

We started very early in this new application and as it can be seen on the market, our pioneer idea has been more and more used. Our experience in the open-width knits is a long experience in this sector.  

WHY A CUSTOMER  OF KNITTED SECTOR SHOULD SELECT CIBITEX:

• Because we have been warning them from a very long time that the solution of rubber belt is the real and best solution for achieving the expected results of dimensional stability and nice soft finishing touch that can be achieved.
• Because CIBITEX is in the business of sanforizing machine from more than 40 years.
• Because we manufactured our first sanforizing machine applied to knits more than 30 years ago to a French company that is still using it.
• Because we have the experience and our machines are fully reliable and fruit of years of experience.
• Because for some type of fabrics as we have said from a long time, it is the only way to achieve  a proper result of dimensional stability (viscose for example and light knitted fabrics 100-130 gr/sqm)
• Because this is a specific machine for processing the open-width knitted goods.
• Because the competition in consideration of their unexperience, they offer the rubber belt shrinkage unit still combined with their felt compactor. It is a choice of result. You do sanforizing or compacting. 
• Because a customer  with a CIBITEX machine with rubber belt  and felt calender can offer to their customers a product of the highest quality. At the limit, the rubber belt unit would be sufficient.
• Because CIBITEX has already sold more than 100 machines dedicated to the knitted sector.
• Because the CIBITEX machine is not agressive on the surface of fabric and do not generate any pilling and a mechanical shoe system could generate.
• Because the CIBITEX machine guarantee on pirment printed knits a full change and uncomparable finishing touch.
• Because for some kind of fabrics (viscose, polyamyde) the sanforizing effect let the fabric appear like mercerized and give a plus to the finishing aspect
• Because the machine works with a drive system which control the speed of each single unit without generating any tension of fabric. We can even work with a certain overfeeding.
• Because the machine is equipped with all the devices to control in automatic all the settings (temperature, synchronisation, .....)
• Because all the parameters  of production can be put on a recipe system and used for achieving always the same settings and results.
• Because the machine is equipped with a maintenance program that allow to optimise the maintenance operations on machine and assure a longer life.
• Because the machine is equipped as a standard with a teleservice facility which can be very useful in case of any electric problem, any alarm or any up-dating without the intervention of a CIBITEX electronic.

I am sure that it is the absolute right time for  some customers  to do that investment to compete with the international market and I would recommend to do it with a company that is manufacturing those type of machines from many years so that with CIBITEX.