Xerium Technologies Inc., Youngsville, N.C., USA, a global provider of industrial consumable products and services, recently launched Huycon Air technology for nonwoven airlaid applications. An extension of the globally established Huycon portfolio, Huycon Air incorporates a 2.5 layer base fabric with a fine-mesh product side with engineered air-channel-geometry for excellent web formation, retention, and release. Huycon Air also incorporates conductive yarns cross-linked by a specially engineered conductive edge sealing and providing superb static electricity dissipation.

"The industry-proven Huycon product portfolio provides a complete range of belts specifically designed to produce top quality webs ranging from robust industrial fabrics to highly critical medical and hygiene products. Our newly introduced Huycon Air belt extends our Huycon spunlaid technology to the airlaid manufacturing process," said Bill Butterfield, EVP and CTO of Xerium. "Huycon Air is ideal for the forming and transfer position on all kinds of airlaid machines, and we are delighted to further enhance our product line for our global customers," he added.

Xerium’s newly introduced Huycon Air belt extends the company’s Huycon spunlaid technology to the airlaid manufacturing process. The versatile airlaid process combined with the complexity of raw materials puts increased demands on a forming fabric. The range of raw material fibers can vary from 1.5 mm to 12 mm with different source materials including SAP (super absorbent polymer) and chemical binders (latex). 

In response to these challenges and increased machine speeds, Xerium developed Huycon Air using a 2.5 layer base PET fabric with a fine-mesh product side with engineered air-channel-geometry. And since Huycon Air incorporates conductive weft yarns cross-linked by a conductive edge sealing, this structure provides excellent static electricity dissipation. 

Benefits include:

• Reduced mark due to high fiber support index
• Excellent static electricity dissipation
• Improved retention of super absorbent polymer
• Superior life potential due to special weave pattern and improved material properties.