‘OmniPlus-i Connect’s EcoBoost Is A Technological Evolution That Supports Productivity And Sustainability’

The new digital and automation features make the OmniPlus-i Connect far more intuitive, efficient and adaptable to the needs of modern weaving mills, says Kasiviswanathan Palanisamy in an exclusive interview with Henry Dsouza, Associate Editor, Textile Insights

 Picanol unveiled the next-generation OmniPlus-i Connect airjet weaving machine at the ITMA Asia expo. What, in your view, makes this model a true game-changer for modern weaving mills?
The key focus in the industry today is on productivity and cost efficiency — how to produce high-quality fabrics with high productivity & at a lower cost. That means more production, reducing energy consumption and minimizing waste.

At the same time, we need to ensure that machines remain user-friendly. If a machine is too complex for an operator without high technical qualifications, it becomes impractical, no matter how advanced it is.

So, with the OmniPlus-i Connect, we have focused on three core principles:

• to maximize speed and efficiency in production environments
• on energy savings, to lower the operational costs and reduce energy consumption
• on waste reduction, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable workflow
• on robustness of the machine and a high level of user-friendliness

These are the guiding ideas on which the OmniPlus-i Connect has been developed, making it a true next step in the evolution of modern airjet weaving.

The new EcoBoost feature offers energy savings of up to 1.5 kW per weaving machine. How significant is this for mills aiming to cut operational costs and reduce their environmental footprint?
If you visit any weaving plant, you’ll find that energy consumption is one of the largest operational costs, whether it’s from the weaving machines themselves or the humidification systems. That’s why energy efficiency is such a critical focus area today.

The new generation OmniPlus-i Connect equipped with EcoBoost is a real game-changer.

EcoBoost is a standard feature on OmniPlus-i Connect narrow width machines that are specified for the maximum production speeds. EcoBoost will result in an energy saving of up to 1.5kW at the maximum mechanical speeds of a machine equipped with EcoBoost

Other interesting information:

– EcoBoost = completely redesigned drivetrain

– lower energy consumption also means less heat dissipation

Worthwhile mentioning is that the less energy weaving machines are consuming, the less load is put on the climatization of the weaving plant. It is estimated that for every kW consumed by a weaving machine half a kW is needed to climatize the department, so also here a very positive impact of EcoBoost.

How does the OmniPlus-i Connect build on the success of the previous OmniPlus platform, and what key technological improvements can customers look forward to?
The OmniPlus-i Connect continues on the same proven platform as the previous OmniPlus model, but it incorporates several advanced new features that significantly enhance performance, efficiency and user experience.

We’ve introduced innovations such as the Airstream, ELSYPro, SmartShed Pro, EcoWeft, EcoBoost and WeavePilot systems. Among these, Weave-Pilot is a major software advancement, it provides intelligent guidance to technicians, helping them automatically optimize machine settings for the best performance.

For example, when changing an article, the operator simply inputs basic parameters like warp data and the system automatically calculates and sets the optimum weaving conditions, achieving the highest possible speed, best performance and minimal waste.

So, while the core platform remains familiar, these new digital and automation features make the OmniPlus-i Connect far more intuitive, efficient and adaptable to the needs of modern weaving mills.

How do the Ultimax and Supermax rapier weaving machines address fabric segments that are not suitable for airjet weaving?
Airjet and rapier weaving machines cater to different fabric requirements. Fabrics such as linen, poly-viscose, poly-wool, 100% wool suiting, silk and various furnishing materials are better suited for rapier technology because these yarns cannot run effectively on airjet machines.

We have two rapier models, namely, Ultimax, which is manufactured in Belgium, and Supermax, which is manufactured by Picanol in China.

Ultimax represents our highest-performance rapier platform. It was developed completely from scratch, beyond previous OptiMax generations, and delivers top speed and efficiency. It is already performing successfully in mills across India, including major textile hubs such as Punjab, Bhilwara, and Surat, weaving fabrics like shirting, poly-viscose and poly-wool blends.

Supermax is designed with wider width loom segments like silk sari in mind and is already seeing strong uptake in Surat. The Supermax machine shown at the exhibition was weaving silk saris and the Ultimax was on coating fabrics, demonstrating both speed and consistent quality.

Together, Ultimax and Supermax complement our airjet portfolio by supporting mills working with specialty, delicate and premium yarns where rapier technology is essential.

The integration of AI-powered applications within the PicConnect platform is a major step toward smarter manufacturing. How will these digital tools help mills optimize performance?
PicConnect is a user-friendly digital platform that allows mills to monitor and control both individual machines and the entire weaving shed, even remotely through a computer or mobile device.

The new AI features in PicConnect focus particularly on air consumption, which is a key factor in operating costs for airjet weaving. The system analyzes historical data and compares it with real-time usage to detect abnormalities such as leaks or inefficiencies. When deviations occur, the platform alerts the user and helps to detect leaks in an early stage or to adjust settings for optimized performance.

This means mills can reduce energy waste, maintain consistent quality and make faster decisions based on data-driven insights.

This is just the beginning. More AI functionalities will continue to be integrated to make weaving machines increasingly intelligent, efficient and easier to manage.

Sustainability and energy efficiency are key priorities across the textile industry. How is Picanol’s new generation of weaving machines supporting greener and more resource-efficient production?
Our latest machines are designed to significantly reduce both energy use and waste. We have achieved around 10% lower energy consumption through improved air management and optimized machine settings.

In addition, we have redesigned key elements such as the main nozzles and weft stretching system to maintain yarn tension using minimal air pressure and shortest waste length. This not only reduces the energy required during weaving, but also lowers waste on the right-hand side of the fabric.

Together, these improvements deliver more efficient weaving, reduced environmental impact and a more sustainable production process.

How was the response for Picanol at ITMA Asia? What feedback did you receive from visitors, and which regions did they come from?
The response was very positive. While Singapore is a more expensive venue and attracts fewer casual visitors, the people who came were serious decision-makers. We met owners, senior management and weaving heads who were either evaluating ongoing projects or planning investments over the next few years.

There was strong engagement and meaningful business discussions, rather than window shopping. From India perspective, we saw visitors from South India, North India, Surat and Andhra Pradesh and overall we are very pleased with the quality of interactions at the show.