Mario Fonio SPA, established in 1954, is a family-owned business that was an exclusive supplier of cutting room machinery for Rimoldi-Necchi – a well known sewing machine brand. However, year 2000 saw the company come into its own, and enthused by its new team and renewed energy, Mario Fonio took upon itself to reach out to its customers placed globally. Today, with 30,000 installations worldwide, product reliability, dealer experience and on-time deliveries are few of the traits which compel new clients to invest in their machines.
StitchWorld recently met with Paolo Fonio, Owner and President of Mario Fonio SPA, and Anil Behl, CMD Janaksons Overseas, their agent in India, to discuss the new developments and the market reach of its spreading machines.
Popularly known as ‘Spreading Specialist’, Mario is today selling its product range throughout the world. On offer is a wide range of 12 models of spreading machines, and cutting equipment such as band knife machines, slitting machines and rib cutting machines. Its latest version of the 111 Stenditore “Tension Free” Spreading Machine, popularly known as the Lycra Spreading Machine in Europe, lays the fabric with an amazing ease without any fabric tension. The twelve different models of the machine are capable of spreading different widths and weights, both in wovens and knits: Heavy fabrics such as denims, light weight and sheer fabrics, home furnishings, lycra and technical textiles.
The machine is equipped with a pre-feeding cradle, which allows it to load, unload and spread the cloth without any roll supporting shaft. Four motors fitted in the machine are designed to sense and control the speed of the belts supporting the roll during the spreading process. As the lay proceeds, the subsequent decrease in weight is sensed by inbuilt sensors that transmit the signal to these motors, which in turn adjusts their speed to ensure lay spreading is accurate. Even when a roll is about to finish, the inbuilt sensors immediately detect the increase in speed and send out the signal to the four motors. Accordingly, the speed is automatically readjusted without disturbing or stopping the spreading operation.
Electronically controlled by the K-PLUS computer, the machine allows the operator to insert up to 10 different programs with a maximum of 20 colors. Model 111 is capable of 8 different spreading patterns, depending upon the type of fabric and can easily handle a roll with a maximum of up to 80 kg , at a maximum spreading speed of 105 metre/minute. The patented cutting unit is made up of two reverse Nip Rollers located beneath the cutter and is computer-controlled. These rollers eliminate any wrinkling of the material.
These specifications define the high performance of Model 111 that allows the start of the spreading anywhere. The operator can set the Model 111 to get different perfomances, such as spreading with different lengths, step programming, changing the spreading to different patterns. The fabric does not need to be clamped after each lay. This results in saving of fabric in every lay and also saves on operator handling time. In fact, the lay spreading is very precise with just 1 to 2 mm tolerance in comparison to 1 to 2 cm taken in other spreaders.
In addition, electronic sensor devices fitted in the machine move with the lay, as the same is being spread, to constantly monitor the fabric tension. The result is a tension-free lay spread which is immediately ready to be cut and does not need to rest for 24 hours or overnight; a major time losing exercise that the factory has to go through otherwise.
