The Tüyap 2014 exhibition was held April 24-27 at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Buyukcekmece. The official name of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition was the International Clothing Machines, Embroidery Machines, Clothing Side Industry and Accessories Fair, and the 2014 meeting was its twenty-fourth edition.

Malkan Machinery shared its preparations and innovations with the public before the Tüyap 2014 exhibition. The headline of the announcement summed up the company's claim in a single sentence: “A Malkan wind will blow at Tüyap.” This sentence was also a herald of the expectation for the Tüyap 2014 exhibition.

Factory Manager Metin Kilic conveyed the preparations. According to Kilic, the company aimed to present at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition both new products and the improvements made to existing ones. It had been planned that a significant share of the machines would be displayed in working condition.

Malkan Machinery, founded in 1971, is Türkiye's first domestic manufacturer of industrial ironing machines, and it takes building a solution-partnership relationship with its customers as a principle. The preparation for the Tüyap 2014 exhibition was a reflection of this principle. The new products had been chosen to answer the daily problems of jacket and trouser manufacturers.

This article covers the innovations announced before the Tüyap 2014 exhibition and the production need that each of these machines answers. Because the date of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition is now behind us, the narrative is given in the past tense.

How the plans in the announcement were realized at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition was covered separately in the post-fair assessment.

1. TWO STANDS AND A 147-PRODUCT PLAN FOR THE TÜYAP 2014 EXHIBITION

A view from the Malkan Machinery fair stand.

Malkan Machinery planned to take part in the Tüyap 2014 exhibition with two separate stands. One of the stands, at the entrance of Hall 3, was 500 square meters, and the other, in Hall 7, was 100 square meters. A total of 147 types of products were planned to be displayed in these two areas.

A two-stand arrangement makes it possible to separate visitor flow and product groups. The large main stand suits displays that need space, such as working jacket lines. The second stand can be used to focus on a different visitor audience or on certain product groups.

The 147 types of products showed how wide an area industrial ironing covers. Jacket and trouser presses, ironing tables, inflatable robots, stain tables and auxiliary equipment are parts of this range. The aim was for the visitor to find the machine suited to their own production in the same fair visit.

The most striking part of the plan was that many of the products would be working. According to Kilic, fully equipped jacket ironing presses in particular would be run almost in a factory environment and presented for the guests' appreciation. This approach promised the visitor of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition a concrete observation of performance beyond catalog information.

2. THE INFLATABLE JACKET IRONING ROBOT

At the head of the innovations announced for the Tüyap 2014 exhibition was the inflatable jacket ironing robot. Malkan Machinery introduced this robot as a newly added machine in its production range. Inflatable robots are used at the stage of the final jacket ironing where the form is gathered as a whole.

In the inflation method, the jacket is put on a mannequin suited to the body. Steam is given from inside the garment and loosens the fabric fibers, and then hot air inflates the jacket from inside and dries it. In this way, form is given without a buck touching the surface, and the risk of shine decreases.

In these robots, the arrangements that keep the front edges and hem of the jacket taut are important. Tension makes the fabric spread evenly during inflation and opens wrinkles. Setting steam and air times by program also gives repeatable results on different fabrics.

The place of the inflatable robot in the line determines the balance of quality and speed in the final ironing. Used together with shoulder, collar and front body presses, the robot gathers the overall stance of the jacket one last time.

Introducing this robot at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition directly targeted jacket manufacturers' interest in the final ironing stage.

Lining and padding materials are also taken into account in the inflation method. When the lining shows different shrinkage behavior from the fabric, short waves can appear at the hem or sleeve opening after inflation. For this reason, steam quantity and drying time are set according to the lining as much as the outer fabric of the jacket.

3. THE CAROUSEL-SYSTEM JACKET SLEEVE SEAM-OPENING PRESS

A shot of the Malkan Machinery stand on the fairground.

The second innovation was the carousel-system jacket sleeve seam-opening press. Sleeve seam opening is the process of opening and laying flat the seam allowances of the jacket sleeve at the intermediate ironing. If it is not done correctly, seam marks and puckering can appear on the sleeve surface at the final ironing.

A carousel system is a structure in which several stations are lined up on a rotating table. While the operator places the part at one station, pressing and steaming continue at the other station. This arrangement shortens the operator's waiting time and raises the number of parts processed per unit time.

In sleeve seam opening, the buck must suit the narrow and long geometry of the sleeve. The buck should open the seam allowance equally to both sides without applying unnecessary pressure to the fabric. Even distribution of steam and vacuum along the buck lets the opened seam lie flat permanently.

Another benefit of the carousel design is ergonomics. The operator works at a fixed point, and the parts come toward them. For visitors to the Tüyap 2014 exhibition, this press was highlighted as a concrete example of how efficiency can be raised in intermediate ironing.

In carousel presses, the number of stations is chosen according to the target quantity of the line. When one of the stations stops for maintenance or buck changeover, the others can keep working, which prevents the whole line from stopping.

This flexibility was one of the striking topics of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition for manufacturers wanting uninterrupted flow in intermediate ironing.

Malkan Machinery's Texprocess 2019 Frankfurt article can also be reviewed as an example of the company's fair participations.

4. THE TROUSER FLY IRONING PRESS

The third innovation was the trouser fly ironing press. The fly is the flap section at the center front of the trousers that covers the zipper. Ironing this area properly directly affects the front look of the trousers.

In fly ironing, the folding line is expected to be clear and straight. The zipper teeth and the seam folds should leave no mark on the front of the fabric. A press with a special buck can process this area independently of other areas, with the right pressure and time.

Although the fly is a small area, ironing it by hand takes time and gives operator-dependent results. A separate press makes this process standard and reduces quality differences in the trouser line. In series production, small standardizations like this contribute noticeably to overall quality.

In a trouser line, the fly press complements the waist and hip presses and the hem and crease presses. Announcing this press at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition offered trouser manufacturers a new option for a cleaner look at the front.

The position of the press in the line can be right after zipper sewing at the intermediate ironing or before the final ironing, and the choice is made according to the manufacturer's workflow and model structure.

For the company's corporate achievements in the field of quality, the TSE quality award news can be consulted.

5. ONE-MOTION BUCK CHANGEOVER ON THE JACKET SHOULDER PRESS

A view of the stand during the fair.

Besides the new products, Malkan Machinery planned to present at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition the improvements it had made to its existing products. One of them was the one-motion easy buck changeover system that had begun to be applied on the jacket shoulder ironing press. Kilic anticipated that this improvement would draw intense interest from visitors.

On a shoulder press, the buck is changed according to the size and model of the jacket. When different size ranges or shoulder shapes are processed on the same line, buck changeover becomes a frequent operation. If the changeover takes long, the press stops for that time and the flow of the line is interrupted.

Shortening buck changeover time is an application of the setup-time reduction approach in production engineering. Being able to do the changeover in one motion both shortens the stop and reduces the risk of wrong assembly. This means a direct efficiency gain for manufacturers who work with small batches and high model variety.

Easy buck changeover also makes buck maintenance easier. Being able to remove the buck quickly for cover replacement and cleaning encourages maintenance to be done without delay. Regular maintenance, in turn, preserves the buck surface and steam distribution for a long time.

The accuracy of buck selection on the shoulder press determines the look of the jacket on the hanger. A buck of the wrong size can leave a break at the shoulder tip or pull marks at the sleeve set.

Marking bucks with size and model codes turns quick changeover into error-free changeover and completes the benefit of the system introduced at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition.

For information on the company's management approach, the Malkan 50th anniversary page can be consulted.

6. REVISIONS ON THE SHIRT IRONING ROBOT

In the pre-fair announcement, it was stated that the revisions made to the shirt ironing robot would also draw interest. The announcement did not share the details of the revisions. For this reason, what is covered here is which topics matter in general in shirt robots.

Shirt ironing robots shape the shirt by steaming the body from inside on a mannequin and drying it with hot air. Keeping the collar, cuff and placket areas taut is decisive for a smooth result. How quickly the tension arrangements can adapt to different sizes affects efficiency.

The main criteria evaluated in a shirt robot are cycle time, steam and air consumption, size range and how easily the operator can put the shirt on the mannequin. A wrinkle-free, shine-free surface comes from the balance of these criteria. Visitors to the Tüyap 2014 exhibition would be able to evaluate the robot with these criteria.

For current fair participations, the Texprocess 2026 page can be consulted.

7. KOHEI SAWA'S STAIN REMOVAL PRESENTATION

A general view of the Malkan Machinery stand.

One of the striking topics of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition program was the presentation planned at the Malkan Machinery stand at 1:30 p.m. on April 24, the first day of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition.

Kohei Sawa, a well-known Japanese expert on dry cleaning processes, was to give a presentation on stain removal techniques open to all participants and visitors.

The presentation was a session devoted to sharing knowledge beyond machine promotion.

Stain removal is one of the most delicate operations of dry cleaning and garment quality control. The first step is to identify the type of stain correctly; oil-based, water-soluble, protein-based and tannin-containing stains need different methods. The wrong chemical can set the stain into the fabric or cause color loss.

On stain tables, steam, compressed air and vacuum are used together. Steam loosens the stain, the chemical dissolves it, and vacuum draws the dissolved material out of the fabric and keeps it from spreading. Compressed air dries the area after the process and prevents a water ring from forming.

There are some basic rules in practice. The chemical is tried first on a hidden area, the stain is worked from outside to inside so that it does not spread, and the fabric is treated without rubbing. A pre-treatment before dry cleaning and a final check after cleaning noticeably lower the rate of permanent stains.

The solvents used in dry cleaning dissolve oil-based dirt well, but their effect on water-soluble stains is limited. For this reason, stains such as sugar, sweat or fruit juice are often treated separately before cleaning. Correct diagnosis in the pre-treatment also determines the success of the cleaning cycle in the machine.

Heat must also be used carefully in stain work. Some protein-based stains set into the fabric at high temperature, so the type of stain is made certain before steam is applied. Kohei Sawa's presentation at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition had been planned as a chance to explain such practical subtleties directly to practitioners.

Holding such a presentation at a fair stand reminds the visitor that machine and method must be considered together. Even the best stain table does not give the expected result when it is not used with the right technique. The session at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition stand aimed to carry this knowledge directly to practitioners.

8. RUNNING THE JACKET PRESSES IN A FACTORY ENVIRONMENT

In Malkan Machinery's plan for the Tüyap 2014 exhibition, running fully equipped jacket ironing presses in a factory environment held a special place. This arrangement meant showing the stations that make up the final jacket ironing together in a line layout. The visitor would watch not individual machines but how a jacket passes through the line.

The value of a display in a line layout is that the balance between stations can be seen. When the cycle times of the shoulder, collar-lapel, front body and inflation stations are watched side by side, the bottleneck and the flow of the line become concrete.

This information is more instructive than a catalog for a manufacturer planning their own ironing department.

A working jacket line requires a strong infrastructure on the fairground. Without dry steam, sufficient vacuum and balanced compressed air, presses cannot show their real performance. Setting up this infrastructure at the stand makes the displayed result comparable with the result in the factory.

The factory environment approach also makes operator ergonomics visible. The visitor sees on site the operator's movements in placing the part on the buck, the closing safety of the press and the carrying distance between stations. These details are what determine efficiency and occupational health in long shifts.

A line display also lets the quality of the product be seen as a whole. The visitor can examine in hand the jacket coming out at the end of the line and directly judge the harmony of the shoulder, lapel and front edge. This overall impression of quality cannot be obtained in a single-station display.

For one of the company's more recent fair participations, the ITM 2026 fair news can be reviewed.

9. BEFORE BUYING A NEW MACHINE FOR THE LINE: EVALUATION CRITERIA

A manufacturer encountering a new machine at a fair like the Tüyap 2014 exhibition should make an evaluation that goes beyond first impressions. The new machine's fit with the existing stations in the line, operator habits and infrastructure needs are considered together. This evaluation shows in advance whether the investment will deliver the expected benefit.

• Cycle time shows the machine's effect on line balance. The new station must work at the same rhythm as the stations before and after it.
• Infrastructure need is determined by steam, vacuum, air and electricity consumption. The adequacy of existing boiler and compressor capacity should be checked from the start.
• Buck and size range show suitability for the product range. Buck options for different sizes and models and the changeover time should be asked about.
• Ease of use affects operator training time and error risk. It is important that programs and settings can be selected through a simple interface.
• Maintenance and service determine the machine's efficiency over its life. The availability of consumable parts such as covers, gaskets and valves should be evaluated.

These criteria turn a fair meeting into a technical discovery. When the manufacturer brings a sample of their own product, the evaluation becomes more concrete. The machines planned to be displayed in working condition at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition would offer a suitable environment for this kind of examination.

10. FROM THE FAIR TO THE LINE: COMMISSIONING AND TRAINING

An investment decision made at a fair gains meaning when the machine is commissioned correctly on the production line. Commissioning covers installation, infrastructure connections, first settings and trial production. The more planned this process is, the faster the machine begins to work productively.

In the first settings, temperature, steam, pressing and vacuum times are determined on samples for each fabric group. The determined settings are recorded, and operators are trained with these settings. In this way, the machine's performance does not depend on the skill of a single experienced operator.

Operator training covers not only the use of the machine but also safety rules and daily maintenance. Checking the buck cover, noticing steam leaks and end-of-shift cleaning are parts of this training. Regular small maintenance prevents big failures.

The performance of a new machine in its first weeks should be monitored. Cycle time, defect rate and operator feedback show the need for fine adjustment. The real success of an investment that began at the Tüyap 2014 exhibition is measured by the line running stably at the end of this monitoring period.

Among Malkan Machinery's international collaborations is the Indupress strategic partnership.

11. FROM 2012 TO 2014: MARKET EXPECTATION AND THE SCALE OF THE FAIR

An image from the fairground.

The Tüyap 2014 exhibition announcement also mentioned the previous edition. The 2012 fair, in which 416 companies and company representative offices took part, had hosted more than 40,000 visitors from 66 countries. It was aimed that the 2014 fair would also make a mark in the local and international arena.

Malkan Machinery believed that markets, which had moved cautiously since the beginning of the year because of developments on the agenda, would regain momentum with the Tüyap 2014 exhibition. Capital goods purchases are postponed in periods of uncertainty and revive with a concrete meeting opportunity.

In this respect, the Tüyap 2014 exhibition offers a decision ground for both seller and buyer.

In periods of uncertainty, manufacturers' investment priorities also change. Instead of expanding capacity, machines that make the existing line work more efficiently and reduce waste and operator dependence come to the fore. The new presses and robots announced were products answering exactly this need for efficiency.

The expectation that stood out in Kilic's statements was that the new products would contribute to this revival. The innovations in the jacket and trouser line offered manufacturers concrete options for raising efficiency and quality. For manufacturers postponing an investment decision, seeing these options on site could be a factor that speeds up the decision.

The international scale of the Tüyap 2014 exhibition carries a separate importance for export-oriented machine manufacturers. Meeting buyers from different countries within the same week shortens a process that could take months with individual visits. Malkan Machinery's two-stand plan with a wide product range aimed to get the highest yield from this opportunity.

For information on the company's long journey and global vision, the Malkan Machinery 55th anniversary page can be consulted.

12. Conclusion: Tüyap 2014 Exhibition and Malkan Machinery

Malkan Machinery prepared for the Tüyap 2014 exhibition with two stands, 147 types of products and three new machines. The inflatable jacket ironing robot, the carousel-system sleeve seam-opening press and the trouser fly press answered the needs of jacket and trouser manufacturers at different stages.

The easy buck changeover on the shoulder press and the revisions on the shirt robot also showed that existing products were being improved.

Kohei Sawa's planned stain removal presentation aimed to make the Malkan Machinery stand a center of knowledge sharing as well. Running the jacket presses in a factory environment was the product of the goal of showing visitors the real performance of the line. These preparations turned the Tüyap 2014 exhibition into an ambitious meeting for the company.

Malkan Machinery had invited all industry professionals to the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Buyukcekmece on April 24-27, 2014. The assessment published after the Tüyap 2014 exhibition separately showed how this invitation was answered.

13. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When and where was the Tüyap 2014 exhibition held? The fair was held April 24-27, 2014, at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Buyukcekmece. It was the 24th edition of the organization.

Which innovations did Malkan Machinery announce for the Tüyap 2014 exhibition? The inflatable jacket ironing robot, the carousel-system jacket sleeve seam-opening press and the trouser fly ironing press were announced as innovations.

How many products did Malkan Machinery plan to display? The company planned to display 147 types of products on two stands, 500 square meters in Hall 3 and 100 square meters in Hall 7.

Who is Kohei Sawa? Kohei Sawa is a well-known Japanese expert on dry cleaning processes. He was planned to give a presentation on stain removal techniques at the Malkan Machinery stand on the first day of the fair.

What advantage does the carousel system provide? Several stations are arranged on a rotating table. While the operator loads one station, work continues at another, so waiting decreases and efficiency rises.

Why does a fly ironing need a separate press? The fly is a small but visible area that covers the zipper. A press with a separate buck processes this area with standard pressure and time, making quality independent of the operator.

How should a new machine be evaluated at a fair? Cycle time, infrastructure need, buck and size range, ease of use and maintenance and service terms should be examined together. Trying with a sample of one's own product makes the decision concrete.