REVIEW ARTICLE ON:

SCOPE OF AUTOMATION IN LEATHER INDUSTRY

BY: SAYATI MANNA
B.TECH (4TH YEAR)
GOVT. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND LEATHER TECHNOLOGY

ABSTRACT: This review article is mainly focused on the scopes of automation in leather
industry. It deals with the various aspects of automation, basic components used for it, and
industrial machineries which are already used for the purpose.

LITERATURE STUDY:
TAN-WARE (Solutions for the Leather Industry): A leading brand providing automation
to leather manufacturers. Many of their products are already being used worldwide.
LEATHER INTERNATIONAL (http://www.leathermag.com/): A leading magazine
providing a huge data base of the fast growing leather industry.
SUPPLIER: JINJIANG SHENG DA SHOES MACHINE TRADING CO., LTD.: A
leading supplier in the trade of leather machineries.
SUPPLIER: FOSHAN NANHAI RUIZHOU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
[MANUFACTURER]: A leading manufacturer of automated leather machineries.
SUPPLIER: ROCMACHINE CO., LTD.: A leading Chinese manufacturer of automatic
industrial machinery.
SUPPLIER: WUHAN GOLDENLASER CO., LTD.
[MANUFACTURER] A leading manufacturer of industrial machineries.

INTRODUCTION: Preparation of usable final products from raw hides/skins involves multiple
steps. Automation i.e. the technology of replacing human labour by machinery efforts helps in
the early recognitions of malfunctions and production problems and thus safeguards the
investments. Due automation the proper quality control in leather production becomes much
more feasible and the ultimate production cost comes down in the long run. Extreme dependence
on manual labour can thus be avoided and quality of the product can be certainly ensured as this
automated process removes the chances of human errors.
POSITIVE EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION:
Improved quality
Enhanced safety
Cleaner industry
Less requirement of skilled labours
Less pollution

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION:

Huge installation cost.

High repair and maintenance cost.
Huge unemployment of labours .

COMPONENTS USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTOMATION:

ADC (analog to digital convertor)

DAC (digital to analog convertor)
Sensors
Estimators
Amplifiers
Transducers
Microcontrollers

CONTENTS OF THE MICROPROCESSOR:

Sensed non-electrical parameters like temperature etc.

Calculation of difference between reference input and present output.
Equation for PID controller.
Equation for PID controller.
Process equation i.e. transfer function determination.

BASIC SOFTWARES USED FOR AUTOMATION:

C-language for real time operation.
(Used in microprocessor level)
Assembly level programming.
(Used in physical controller/regulator level)

CONTROLLERS USED IN LEATHER INDUSTRY:

Ph controller
Temperature controller
Turbidity controller
Speed controller
Flow controller

BASIC STRUCTURE OF A PH CONTROLLER:

AUTOMATED MACHINES USED IN THE LEATHER INDUSTRY AND THEIR USE:

Senseware - Temperature Controller:

What does it do?

Sense Ware is a system for wireless temperature measurement for all kinds of process vessels. It
offers a precise and convenient way of measuring temperature inside rotating vessels. Sense
Ware is ideal for systems that are not equipped with a laboratory box or a recirculation system.
How does it work?
Sense Ware can be mounted on all types of drums using a hole at any suitable place. It uses a
standard RTD temperature sensor connected to a transmitter located near the axle. The receiver
is mounted on the stationary part of the frame. Whenever transmitter and receiver come close
(once per rotation), the measurement is updated. Since there are no batteries required, the
transmitter is practically maintenance-free.
MEASUREWARE- pH CONTROLLER:

How does it prevent processing disasters?

Keeping the pH of liquids within well-defined ranges is vitally important in any tannery process.
Wet processes in particular require repeated and precise pH-value measurements. Measurement
takes place either inside the drum via a sensor apparatus or manually by testing liquid samples.
How does it do this?
Measure Ware pH is a central electronic measuring station that is linked to the Tan Ware
network. The system is built into a cabinet and consists of a pH electrode, measurement
amplifier, process computer, operators panel, and network interface. If the formula requires an
actual pH value, the operator is informed to take a sample from the drum and check it via
Measure Ware pH. The measurement result is sent back to Drum Ware where it is checked to be
within tolerance and then stored into the process report.

AUTOMATED DRUMS:

It's integrated with milling, dust-removal, automatic temperature control, and humidity control. It
has the functions of automatic / manual control of front and back running, stopping, mist
spraying, material feeding, temperature improving / decreasing, humidity increasing / positioned
stopping, flexible starting and retarding braking, as well as time-delay start and stop, timer alarm,
protection against fault, safety pre-alarming, etc. Especially, the drum door adopts the air
cylinder drive to achieve an easy operation and reliable sealing effect. It's the ideal product to
replace the imported one with the whole installation, stable operation, higher automatization,
energy saving, environmental protection and beautiful appearance.
LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE:

Usage-1. The leather splitting machine is mainly used to separate the top layer (grain) from the
lower layer.
2. Therere 4 models of machines, working range from 1850mm to 3400mm, suitable for lime
leather, wet blue, and dry leather.
Performance and Characteristics:
1. this machine is a kind of vertical separating and cutting machine. Rolling and releasing can be
in front of or at the back of the machine.

2. Independent master control screen, more flexible and even easier operation.
3. Automatic deviation-rectifying of releasing, photoelectric eye is suitable for tracking the edge
and color of transparent material.
4. Releasing tension adopts magnetic powder clutch control.
5. Rolling adopts magnetic clutch control.
6. Automatic slitter edge blowing-inhaling device.
7. Automatic meter counting of material moving length

SPRAYING MACHINERY:

This New Eco Spray System (NESS) tested methods which replaced rotating spraying structures
with linear bars in order to improve efficiencies. Conventional sprayers were also substituted by
automated aerographs, offering productivity benefits from more precise color spraying.
These impressive eco-efficiency improvements included:
up to 98% reduction of solid sludge waste from water depuration;
up to 95% reduction in the use of volatile compound chemicals for the leather finishing;
and
Up to 75% savings in electricity demands and up 95% less water use.
Economic outcomes from the new spraying techniques include consistently high quality
end-products, lower operating costs and a faster finishing cycle. As such, the LIFE
investments have succeeded in getting more from less from NESSs novel approach.

LEATHER POLISHING MACHINE:

1. The polishing machine has working width range from 600mm to 3000mm...
2. Its electric system is controlled by PLC, and also has alarm or signal when some part broken down.
3. Its polishing roller is imported from Italy, and there're resistant rubber and steel roller available to your
option.

LEATHER COATING MACHINE:

1. Therere many kinds of big and small models of coating machine, which has the working
width range from 800mm to 3400mm, meeting different technical demands of customer.
2. All of them have perfect coating effect.
3. It not only saves 30% chemicals but also better effect in coating, compared to the traditional
spraying machine

LEATHER BUFFING MACHINE:

1. Therere 2 kinds of buffing machines: through-feed model and through-feed model for wet
and dry leather.
2. Through-feed models' working width range from 1500 to 3200mm, also equipped with the
dust removal and dust cake set...
3. Through-feed model for wet and dry has working width range from 1200mm to 3200mm.

LEATHER STAKING MACHINE:

1. Therere 3 types of staking machine: roller-type model, standing-type model, and vibration
model.
2.Roller-type staking machine is the new designed product, which fill the blank in leather
machine industry in China, with working rang from 1500 mm to 1800mm.
3.Vibration staking machine is suitable for wet blue and dyed hides, which can improve the
grade of leather.

LEATHER TOGGLING DRYER:

1. Two types of toggling dryer: chain toggling dryer and rotary toggling dryer.
2. Chain toggling dryer: working width range from 1600 mm to 3200mm, automatically expand
and dry.
3. Rotary toggling dryer: suitable for drying both wet and dry leather, improve 6% leather
obtaining rate.
4. The quantity of toggling frames can be custom required.

LEATHER SAMMYING AND SETTING-OUT MACHINE:

1. Therere 6 models of sammying and setting-out machine, with working width range from
1500 to 3200mm, which are mainly suitable for the process before vacuum drying and toggling
drying...
2. GJSP 320 model : is 5-rollers type equipment, compared with traditional 4-rollers type, hence
its working effect is more obvious.
3.1500-1800 models are suitable for small size leather sammying and setting out.

LEATHER FLESHING MACHINE:

1. There're 5 models of fleshing machine available to all kinds of hides and skins, with the
working width ranging from 1500mm to 3200mm.
2. Machines are designed to flesh the subcutaneous fat and flesh.
3. It adopts hydraulic press, and is driven by hydraulic motor. The roller blade is adjusted by
dynamic balance.
4 Owing to the bad working circumstance, it adopts anticorrosive technology and materials.

LEATHER SHAVING MACHINE:

1. Therere 7 models of shaving machine, with working width from 450mm to 3000mm.
2.Two main kinds: high precision shaving and common shaving one.
3. Shaving effect: make the thickness reach to the required and even, uniform; improving the
leather's grade...

CONCLUSION:
Depending upon the present scenario of the Indian leather industries, concept of complete
automation is not a practical way out. Semi automated industry development can be a suitable
option as it perfectly balances the quality factor and the unemployment problem caused by
automation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
I would like to take this opportunity to show my sincere regards and gratitude to Prof. Goutam
Mukherjee and all other teaching and non-teaching stuffs of Govt. College of Engineering and
Leather Technology for providing me with the golden opportunity to present this article and for
their kind cooperation behind the successful completion of this project.