Smartex
Machinery : Special Purpose : Textiles
Smartex provides a connected platform that helps make supply chains more transparent to reduce waste & increase quality. We are weaving together all parts of the supply chain. Hardware-enabled AI and machine learning platform designed for textile inspection.
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🧠 Terrot Adds AI-Upgrade to New Machines with Smartex
Terrot and Smartex.ai are pleased to announce a first-of-its-kind, strategic partnership in which German textile engineering meets proven Artificial Intelligence. As the industry moves towards smart machines that both produce a wide variety of fabrics quickly as well as automate previously manual tasks, such as quality control and data collection, Terrot has strategically adapted its machine production process to ensure all new Terrot and Pilotelli Open-Width machines will be “Smartex-ready”. Smartex-ready means that new Terrot and Pilotelli machine customers can now easily upgrade their machines to add Smartex CORE to take advantage of AI-enabled, automated quality control and gain real-time insights into their machine performance.
Smartex Unveils Cutting-Edge AI Tool to Boost Production
In the textile industry, productivity is key. Gross margins are tight, and every minute that a machine is stopped - or running slower than it should - can impact the bottom line. Ideally, a machine should work 100% of the time at its top speed from the moment a work order is assigned to it until it produces the necessary quantity. However, this is not always the case. Circular knitting machines stop for various reasons, such as when the yarn breaks or when the operator changes rolls, inspects for defects, or conducts unplanned maintenance activities.
By testing the new Smartex AI Boost Tool, one of our vertical factory customers (who wished to stay anonymous) had a 43% increase in production without compromising on quality! Smartex conducted a two-week test on one of their Smartex CORE-enhanced circular knitting machines producing single jersey cotton, modal, and elastane fabric. The machine ran at its regular 27 RPM rate during the first week and produced 28 meters of A-grade quality fabric per hour. In the second week, the machine speed was increased by 11%, going up to 30 RPM, and produced 40 meters of A-grade quality fabric per hour.
♻️⚙️ Germany’s Tvarit gets €5M to pave way for AI in sustainable metal manufacturing
Tvarit, a Frankfurt-based startup that’s on a journey to enable zero-waste manufacturing, has raised €5 million in the latest funding round led by Switzerland-based Momenta (also backed Smartex) and Futury Capital. Momenta leads the Series A round for Tvarit, an Industry 5.0 solution driving net-zero metal manufacturing”. The funding will help the German startup to accelerate zero-waste manufacturing through AI-powered, waste-free, and energy-efficient metal manufacturing.
Smartex sews up $24.7M to put smarter eyes on textile manufacturing
Smartex has developed machine-vision-driven software that makes fabric production more efficient by identifying defects, which primarily can be used to stop manufacturing if something is going wrong, preventing waste. In particular, the company argues that imperfect fabric can travel down the supply chain, with product issues only getting discovered much later in the manufacturing process.
These Series A funds will enable Smartex to expand the business to new geographies and to continue to grow the team. “I’m so excited about textile production in Asia and all the mega-factories in Bangladesh, Vietnam, China, etc. No one will ever solve textile problems without having a deep understanding and presence in these markets. So, going into all the cultural aspects and making businesses here is really awesome,” said Loureiro. “Our ultimate vision and long-term goal is to expand into other industries to enable factories around the world to produce with significantly less waste. We won’t stop until we have made a massive difference.”