Lemu Group, a global converting equipment manufacturer, has engineered a machine to help produce facemasks in the continued fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This product development provides an opportunity for converters to expand into new areas of potential growth. Lemu Group has used its technical know-how to launch this mask manufacturing line. The equipment was developed by Teyman, a  Lemu Group company whose factory is located in Valencia, Spain.

“Given the shortage of masks in Europe, Lemu Group decided to do what it does best – build robust machines with stable production,” explains Andre Beaudoin, leader of Lemu Group USA’s sales and marketing team. “We wanted to help curb this disease, which spreads so fast. In record time, we were able to develop a surgical production line from scratch.”

Market research has revealed concerns with low quality and inefficiency with many existing mask-making machines. Lemu Group’s latest launch, a 100%-made European machine, delivers enhanced productivity and full automation while adhering to all of the European safety standards. Plus, this machine can be operated primarily from a PLC, with the ability to provide quick and seamless job changes.

“While there are many machines out in the international market, we believe we are offering something different,” notes Beaudoin. “The majority of foreign machines on the market lack the automation and quality that Lemu Group provides, and they are clearly not operating within the same safety standards.”

Lemu Group also boasts local technical service.

The Lemu Group mask-making machine is equipped with four unwinders, which enable the production of masks with three and four layers. Each reel also has its own independent tension control.

“We can work with different materials, and the adjustments are always simple,” states Beaudoin. “With just a few manual adjustments, the machine works properly and efficiently. This is critical because the materials used in mask production frequently change in terms of quality.”

The machine features two welding groups, as well. The first welding group joins the different mask layers, while the second welds the mask’s earloops. Lemu Group has partnered with Weber Ultrasonics to produce these German-made welding groups.

“We have worked diligently to ensure the welding point of the mask’s ear loop can be adjustable,” explains Beaudoin. “Depending on the quality of the ear loop and mask material, this welding point can vary quite a bit, so is very important to have the material well-guided.The positioning of the masks in the welding system are servo-made, which guarantees that the position of the mask is accurate and eliminates positioning errors.”

The machine is also equipped with a system to place the ear loops inside the mask, and the mask grouping system in each welding line is independent.

“We group the masks and we use one pneumatic pusher in order to make sure that the masks will be together during transportation,” says Beaudoin. “At the entrance of the packaging system, the machine is equipped with one selection system so that the Flow Pack packaging unit can have constant feeding and the mask forming unit never stops.”