T-BOND AquaJet

AquaJet – 30 years of spunlacing at its best

Spunlacing, or hydroentangling, is the fastest and most versatile technology for bonding nonwovens. Using high‑pressure water jets, the web's individual fibers are gently entangled. The result are soft and yet strong nonwovens that do neither contain melt fibers nor chemical binders.

During the spunlacing process, the nonwoven can also be deliberately structured or perforated, enabling a wide range of product properties and surface designs. For more than 30 years, AquaJet spunlacing machines have ensured reliable bonding of light to heavy webs made of natural, man‑made and high‑performance fibers – including carded, wet‑laid and spunlaid materials.

AquaJet machines are characterized by high availability, user‑friendly operation and high efficiency – qualities proven in hundreds of installations worldwide.

A broad range of processes enabled by AquaJet

AquaJet spunlacing machines can be integrated into a wide variety of nonwoven production processes. Depending on the required product properties, AquaJet hydroentangles webs formed by different web‑forming technologies:

Carded and crosslapped webs (single‑layer or multi‑layer)
Wet‑laid webs for WLS nonwovens
Wet‑laid composite webs in carded/pulp lines
Spunlaid materials

In addition to web bonding, AquaJet can also be used to optimize nonwoven surfaces. A typical example is the smoothing of needle‑punched nonwovens used as substrates for artificial leather or technical applications.

The compact AquaJet AJ‑X – today’s standard for wipe materials

The AquaJet AJ‑X is the new compact standard solution for manufacturing spunlaced nonwovens for wipes.

Designed specifically for bonding light to medium‑weight nonwovens for wipes, the AquaJet AJ‑X combines proven AquaJet features with an innovative, compact design. Following a clear fit‑for‑purpose approach, it offers reduced complexity, a smaller footprint and lower energy consumption – without compromising product quality or process reliability.

Spunlacing/hydroentangling technology – key questions explained

What is spunlacing and what is hydroentangling?

Hydroentangling (or hydroentanglement) is the technical term for a nonwoven bonding process in which fine, high‑pressure water jets mechanically entangle fibers in a loose web.

Spunlacing is the commonly used industry term for the same process. The term comes from early hydroentangled nonwovens made on patterned surfaces, which gave the fabric a lace‑like look – hence the name “spun lace”. Today, the terms spunlacing and hydroentangling describe the same bonding technology and are used interchangeably in industry and literature.

How does spunlacing work?

Water is pressed at high pressure (up to 400 bar) through hundreds of finest holes across the entire working width. The water jets penetrate the web and are reflected by the perforated shell of the spunlace drum. By transferring their energy directly to the fibers, the jets entangle them throughout the web. The result is a mechanically bonded nonwoven.

How do structuring and perforation work?

During structuring, the water jets shift the nonwoven in a controlled manner into defined recesses of a so‑called structuring shell without damaging the fibers. This creates embossing effects and increases bulk, softness and absorbency.

For perforation, shells made of metal mesh or shells with raised pins are used. The water jets deliberately displace the fibers from the raised areas, resulting in uniform openings in the nonwoven that modify its characteristics and functional properties.

Why is spunlacing the best technology for wipes?

Hydroentangling produces strong nonwovens with high absorbency that also have a soft textile handfeel. A wide range of fibers can be processed. Typical raw materials are blends of viscose/lyocell and polyester fibers or cotton. Today, natural fibers or puls are also used for premium or innovative products.

What advantages does spunlacing offer compared to other bonding technologies?

Spunlacing enables very high production speeds of more than 300 m/min, making hydroentangled nonwovens particularly cost‑efficient for large‑scale production.

At the same time, the technology offers a high degree of design flexibility: Through targeted fiber selection as well as structuring and perforation, nonwovens with highly individualized functional and visual properties can be produced.

Which machines are part of a hydroentangling line?

A complete spunlace line consists of several coordinated process steps: fiber preparatio, web forming (carding, crosslapping), hydroentangling including dewatering in the AquaJet, drying, as well as finishing and winding.

All components are designed according to product requirements and the customer’s production environment. They are configured to ensure consistently high product quality and high process reliability.

Where are hydroentangled nonwovens used?

Today, hydroentangled nonwovens are used in a wide range of applications – from single‑use products for cleaning, personal care and hygiene to demanding, durable technical end products.

Typical AquaJet end uses – single‑use wipes and hygiene products

More than 90 % of all spunlaced nonwovens worldwide are used in hygiene and wipe applications.

AquaJet‑bonded nonwovens combine softness, absorbency and strength, making them ideal for high‑volume consumer and medical products such as:

Dry an wet wipes for baby care, personal care and household cleaning
Industrial wipes
Flushable wipes (moist toilet tissue)
Cotton pads and cosmetic wipes
Wound dressings and medical compresses
Topsheets for feminine hygiene products such as sanitary napkins and panty liners; partly also for baby diapers

These applications benefit from the excellent look&feel, high absorbency and consistent quality of spunlaced nonwovens.

Technical AquaJet applications – durable end products with high requirements

In technical and industrial applications AquaJet technology enables durable nonwovens with defined surface properties and high mechanical stability, for example:

Coating substrates for synthetic leather and coated textiles
Automotive textiles such as headliners
Filter media for demanding applications, including hot‑gas filtration in cement plants and waste incineration facilities

In these applications, spunlacing combines high bonding strength with gentle fiber treatment, supporting both functional performance and long service life.

Our AquaJet portfolio – on the market since 1996

For nearly three decades, AquaJet has stood for reliable and versatile spunlacing technology.

With more than 230 AquaJet installations worldwide, the portfolio covers the full spectrum of spunlace applications – from high‑volume industrial production to niche markets and research facilities. Many of these systems have been operating successfully for decades, underlining the robustness and longevity of the AquaJet concept.

At the core of every AquaJet spunlacing machine is the spunlace drum, which has proven so effective in its original design that it has remained the technical backbone across all machine generations. This continuity ensures consistent fabric quality and process stability, independent of project size or application.

Building on this proven foundation, the AquaJet portfolio has continuously evolved to reflect changing market requirements – offering fit‑for‑purpose solutions for both standard and specialized spunlacing tasks.

Minimal configuration AJ-X

Maximal configuration AJ-X

The targeted AJ-X redesign results in:

proven AquaJet nonwovens quality
line speeds of up to 350 m/min at the winder
a smaller footprint
modular, scalable configuration
reduced machine complexity
lower investment and energy costs

AquaJet AJ‑X – the compact standard solution

The AquaJet AJ‑X represents the new compact standard solution for the production of spunlaced wipe materials from 15 bis 200 gsm.

It was developed in response to a clear market demand: high productivity at lower investment and operating costs, without compromising fabric quality or process reliability.

While the proven spunlace drum remains unchanged, the second core component of the AquaJet – the jet head – has been fundamentally redesigned for the AJ‑X. The previous jet head generation was engineered for the full pressure range up to 400 bar, covering every possible application but adding complexity and cost.

The new AJ‑X jet head follows a focused, simplified design to perfectly match to typical light to medium‑weight nonwovens for wipe, hygiene and medial applications.

AquaJet AJ – solutions for special requirements.

Beyond AJ-X, Trützschler offers proven "classic AquaJet" configurations whenever products or processes place special demands on hydroentangling. Such specialized AquaJet solutions are used, for example, for:

multilayer or composite nonwovens, such as cotton pads or products with integrated additional layers,
webs made from short or very short fibers, as found in pulp‑based WLS or carded/pulp processes,
technical nonwovens with specific surface or strength requirements, for example coating substrates or hot-gas filter media.

A classic AquaJet-installation

A configuration for CP and WLS installations

Choosing the right AquaJet – key questions answered

How can the AquaJet AJ‑X grow with my business?

The AquaJet AJ‑X is modular by design.
It allows a compact start‑up configuration and can be expanded with an additional spunlace drum and jet heads as production volumes or product requirements grow.

What options exist for smaller capacities?

For wipe materials: AquaJet AJ-X comes in 4 standard working widths: 1,300 / 2,600 / 3,600 / 3,800 mm. Neverteless, talk to us for other working widths.

For cotton pad production, we offer a specialized line configuration featuring Trützschler flat top cards with 1.300 mm working width and a matching AquaJet AJ configuration.

Why AquaJet is the best solution for spunlaced nonwovens

With decades of experience in spunlacing technology, AquaJet stands for reliable processes, proven components and application‑oriented solutions.

Building on a modular machine concept and deep process know‑how, AquaJet solutions can be precisely adapted to different product requirements and market needs – supported by testing, digital integration and perfectly matched downstream equipment.

AquaJet advantages at a glance:

Over 230 installations worldwide across all spunlacing applications
A broad range of end uses, from standard wipes to specialized and technical applications
Easy trials and customer‑specific tests at the Trützschler Nonwovens Tecnology Center (NCTC) in Egelsbach
Perfectly matched integration with MPD high‑performance dryers
Proven integration into the T‑ONE digital platform for data‑driven process transparency andoptimizationg

Together, these elements make AquaJet AJ and AquaJet AJ-X trusted and future‑proof solutions for manufacturers of hydroentangled nonwovens worldwide.