Singeing

Singeing is a process by which projecting or floating fibres, stand out on the surface of the fabric
are burned off.

Objects of Singeing:
1 To remove hairy fibres projecting on the surface of cloth and given a smoothen surface.
2 Optical levelness of the dyeing and clean-out lines of a printing design.
3 To increase lusture in the finished fabric.
4 To prepare the fabric for next process.

Types of singeing m/c:

1. Plate singeing m/c.
2. Roller singeing m/c.
3. Gas/ Flame singeing m/c.

1. Plate-Singeing m/c: The main parts of plate singeing m/c :-

i) Two copper plate & ii) Fire clay.
Copper plates are set up on the fire clay which is heated with farness (gas and oil or oil jet).
• At first the fabric opening with guide roller is passed over the plate with drawn roller.
• When the plate was red heated with farness, copper plates drawn with draw roller which
speed 135-225 m/min.
• Projecting fibres is burnt contact with heated plate.
• In this process, one side of fabric is singed.

Advantages:
• Very suitable for back filter in finishing process.
• A certain amount of lusture is produce due to friction between the fabric & hot surface of
curved plate.
• Improved lusture.
• Uniform singeing.
• More effective in case of valvet & pile fabric.

Disadvantage:
• Very difficult to maintain the proper heat control of the plate.
• Only one side of the fabric is singed.
• Discontinuous process so more time taken.
• More labour cost.
• Not uniform singeing in stitch portion.
• Strength decrease.

2. Roller singeing m/c:

This is more improved process than plate singeing m/c process. In this process, the fabric is
singed one side also by heat but not red heat. If the fabric is singed by red heated roller, the heat
is not even for this the result is not good.

Advantage:
 The surface temp of cylinder is more uniform than plate singeing m/c.
 This method is very suitable for valvet & pile fabrics.
 Uniform singeing.
 Lustre increase.
Disadvantage:
 Only one side of the fabric is singed.
 Due to over use, small tinny groove created on the cylinder.
 Local cooling may arise on cylinder due to contact between cold fabric & cylinder
surface.

3.Gas or flame singeing m/c:

This is the most commonly used process for woven fabric. The burners are usually supplied with
a suitable mixture of gas and air. Source of gas are
-Coal
-Petrol
-Natural gas.
 This m/c may be single or double burner. In double burner, fabric is singed the both side.

 At first fabric is drawn onto the guide roller then brushing is done on both side of fabric
such that, flying and projecting fibre stands sufficiently.
 Then fabric is passed over the burner. The burner should be adjusted with the width of
the fabric. Height of the flame depends upon the fineness or coarseness and speed of the fabric.
 After singeing the fabric is immersed in the water or de sizing tank to prepare next
process.
 Fabric speed in this m/c, generally, 150-250 m/min.
 The machine may be horizontal or vertical.

Advantages:
1. Uniform temperature ensure to proper singeing.
2. Both side of the fabric can be singed.
3. As the process is continuous, there is no hamper in production.
4. After singeing, fabric are cleaned in water / de sizing tank, hence all sparks are easily
removed.
5. Standard process.
6. Ideal singeing.
7. The fabric in inter-stitches of warp and weft are singed.
Disadvantages:
1. Dirty burner can produce spot on the fabric.
2. The process is not suitable for synthetic fabric.
3. Due to in consistent of fabric speed, it may be burnt.

Possible causes of defects of gas singeing and its precution.

(Care should be taken on gas singeing)
1. If any anticeptic /anti mildew agents, (ZnCl2 or MgCl2) in size ingredients, then singed
fabric produce spot which result, uneven in processing.
ZnCl2+H2O→ZnO + 2 HCl
So fabric must be free from those agents.
2. Burner should be cleaned, otherwise singed fabric will be faulty and as a result stripe
found during dyeing.
3. Speed of fabric must be consistent with the flame height, otherwise fabric may be burnt.
4. Synthetic blend must operate carefully otherwise shrink in flame and beet formed and
during dyeing uneven dyeing.
5. Fabric may be burnt due to power failure.
Automatic gas must stop the power failure.
6. Fabric must be evenly dried before singeing.
7. The singeing may not be even due to folding of selvedge.

Gas singeing is preferable than plate & roller singeing:

 Both side of fabric is singed in gas singeing m/c.
 Uniform temp can be controlled than roller and plate m/c.
 In gas singeing, brush is used which stands the lying projecting the fibres but not in plate
and roller singeing.
 Plates not decay on gas but decay in plate and roller singeing.
 After singeing the fabric is dipped in the water tank hence all sparks are extinguished.
 The fabric in interstiches of warp and weft can be singed but, not in plate and roller.

Controlling points of singeing m/c:

 Motor and other moving parts.
 Speed of the motor.
 Electricity supply.
 Air blowing suction hood.
 Fabric width control.
 Brush.
 Flame height.
 Fabric speed.
 Gas speed.

Compare Plate, Roller & Gas singeing m/c:

Plate Singeing m/c Roller singeing Gas singeing
1. One side of fabric is singed. 1. One side of fabric is singed. 1. Both side of fabric
is singed.
2. Uniform temp can not be maintained. 2. Uniform temp can not be maintained. 2.
Uniform temp can be maintained.
3. Extra lusture produce, due to friction between fabric & surface. 3. Extra lusture produce, due
to friction between fabric & surface. 3. No extra lusture is produced.
4. Not suitable for dyeing & printing.4. Not suitable for dyeing & printing.4. Very suitable for
dyeing & printing.
5. Brush is not used for proper singeing. 5. Brush is not used for proper singeing. 5.
Brush is used for proper singeing.
6. Plate may decay due to friction. 6. Plate may decay due to friction. 6. No decay.