Mechanical upgrades from Bergi

Bergi, leading Italian tannery machine manufacturers, have upgraded and improved two of their machines. Both were presented on the company's stand at the Tanning Tech fair. Bergi are famous all over the world of leather for their throughfeed ironing and embossing machines. The latest machine to be introduced is the Superpress-T 3400. Traditionally, hides are passed through ironing and embossing machines from belly to belly, when using a 3.2m working width equipment. Leathers larger than 50 sq ft had to be inserted through butt and neck because of their dimensions. In order to solve the problem of pleats created by this type of feeding, Bergi have introduced a wider 3.4m version so as to feed the machine with hides of more than 50 sq ft from belly to belly too. They have found that feeding the hides at 90° from the normal feed position is particularly advantageous on Brazilian hides such as the zebu breeds. Therefore, the T 3400 allows an increase in the throughput (an average of 25%) for the tanner and it also reduces the number of creases found in hides, especially in the neck and flanks. Inserting hides from belly to belly results in a major extension of the fibre and the consequent increase in the area. Superpress-T 3400 has been particularly popular among tanners of furniture and automotive upholstery leathers where a heavy ironing or embossing is required. The second improved machine on show was the inline dedusting machine, Ariosa 3200 T4. It is a continuous dedusting machine with air blades. The machine now features a more efficient double leather cleaning system as well as a more powerful rotating blower. The double dedusting effect is created by the leather passing a double head on the conveyor followed by a second single head 30cm later. A further head is located underneath midway between the two top dedusting heads. Ariosa 3200 T4 has been designed to operate on full hides following the throughfeed buffing operations. The upgraded machine improves the collection of fine dust and powdery talc-like powder often found after buffing.