10/24/2019 Manufacturing | Nonwovens | Technology | Knowledge | Huddersfield Textiles

Manufacturing

Nonwovens manufacturing

One way to categorise nonwovens is by their methods of manufacture. Nonwovens can be divided into
three distinctive groups: those produced by dry-laid methods; wet-laid methods; or spun melt processes.
Information of manufacture, properties and end uses are contained in the next three sections.

One of the major advantages of nonwoven manufacture is the speed at which fabric can be produced,
especially when compared to the production rates of knitted or woven fabrics. The effect of this is the
reduction in the cost of manufacturing.

Dry-laid nonwovens

Dry-laid nonwovens are formed from staple fibres. These fibres are then processed to create fibrous webs
which have little mechanical integrity. The webs are then bonded either by mechanical, thermal or
chemical means. Sometimes a secondary bonding process will also be applied (Fig. 3)

Figure 3 - Overview of dry-laid nonwoven manufacturing

Fibre selection and opening

Fibre selection and opening is the first stage of the nonwovens process. More information can be found at

http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Dry%20Laid%20Nonwovens.htm

http://www.tatham-uk.com/fibreopening.php

Dry-laid web manufacture

There are two different methods of dry-laid web manufacture. The method used depends on the desired
fibre orientation, the method of bonding to be used (it is difficult to successfully mechanically bond short
fibres) and the fibre length (Fig. 4).

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Figure 4 - Air-laid web formation processes

Air-laid

Air-laid technology produces a randomly orientated fibrous web.

Airlaid short fibres of 1-15 mm and particles are dispersed in air by various means. A common method
employs rotating blades, which produces a “cloud” of fibres within the airlay chamber. The fibres are then
transported through the air toward a permeable conveyor belt under which suction is applied. This helps to
gather the fibres onto the conveyor surface, where the web is formed (Fig. 5).

Figure 5 - Carding

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More information on web formation can be found at

http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Dry%20Laid%20Nonwovens.htm

http://www.edana.org/Content/Default.asp?PageID=41#drylaid

http://sst.umt.edu.pk/newsite/courses/Spring2010/TX-224/3-
%20Non%20Woven%20Web%20formation.pdf

Dry laid bonding methods

There are three different types of bonding, mechanical, thermal, and chemical. A variety of different
processes come under these different headings.

Mechanical bonding

Hydroentanglement (spunlace) the fibres are mechanically entangled together by high velocity jets of
water that are directed onto the web. The water pressure can be 20-600 bar. The jets entwine, Twist? and
rearrange the fibres to create bonding and in some cases to introduce patterning effects. Patterns and
apertures in the fabric are produced by altering the design of the conveyor sleeve surface (Fig.6) more
information can be found at: http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Spunlace.htm

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Figure 6 - Hydroentanglement: A diagram, B Machine, C end fabric

Needlepunching with Barbed Needles

Fibres are mechanically entangled by the reciprocation of barbed needles through the web. Sections of
fibre are collected on the barbs of the needles (normally 3 barbs on each of the 3 edges of the needle) as
they move up and down. This creates “pillars” of fibres in the thickness of the web that hold the structure
together. To stop the whole web moving up and down with the needles as they reciprocate during the
process, a stripper and a bed plate are provided (Fig.7). More information can be found at
http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Needle%20Punched%20Nonwovens.htm and
http://www.textileworld.com/Articles/2008/September_2008/Nonwovens/Needlepunched_Nonwovens.html

Figure 7 - Needle punch

Thermally bonded

Thermal Bonding of thermoplastic fibres (that soften and melt when heated) can be carried out using
heated calender rollers (Fig.8) or an oven, where hot air is convected through the web to bond it. The
fibres are effectively fused together by melting (Fig.9). The proportion of fibres that are melted can be
controlled to prevent the fabric from becoming too stiff or film-like. The temperature used in bonding has
to be selected according to the melting temperature of the fibre. More information can be found at
http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Thermal%20Bonding.htm

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Figure 8 - Calender rollers

Figure 9 - Thermally bonded fibres

Adhesively bonded

Chemical Bonding of fibres involves adding a wet chemical adhesive (binder) to the web by various
means. One method is to saturate the web with the binder liquid by impregnation. Drying and curing
follow to stabilise the binder. The properties of the fabric depend on the amount of binder that is added in
relation to the weight of fibre, its physical properties and how it is distributed within the web (Fig.10).
http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Chemical%20Bonding.htm

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Figure 10 - Two differing methods of Adhesive bonding

Wet-laid nonwovens

The principle of wetlaying is similar to paper manufacturing. The difference lies in the amount of synthetic
fibres present in a wetlaid nonwoven. A dilute slurry of water and fibres is deposited on a moving wire
screen and drained to form a web. The web is further dewatered, consolidated, by pressing between rollers,
and dried. Impregnation with binders is often included in a later stage of the process.

The strength of the random oriented web is rather similar in all directions in the plane of the fabric. A wide
range of natural, mineral, synthetic and man-made fibres of varying lengths can be used.
http://www.edana.org/content/Default.asp?PageID=41

More information can be found at

http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Wet%20Laid%20Nonwovens.htm

Figure 11 - Wetlaid machinery

Spunmelt nonwovens

In these processes webs are made directly from filaments spun from plastics in liquid form.

Spunbond

Spunbond: this is the most direct method of making a nonwoven. Continuous filaments, not staple fibres,
are spun (extruded) directly from polymer chip. Normally, polymers are melt-extruded in the spunbond
process. The formation of a web of continuous filaments deposited on the conveyor belt is assisted by
suction. The web is then bonded directly by various means, normally thermal bonding (Fig. 12). More
information can be found at:

http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Spunbond%20Technology.htm

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Figure 12 - Spunbond equipment

Meltblown

Meltblown is similar to spunbond but produces much finer filaments. The hot, molten, liquid polymer is
forced through nozzles to form a stream of polymer. At the nozzle tip, the filaments are picked up by hot,
high velocity air streams that stretch the filaments by drag forces into very fine diameters. The filaments
gradually cool as they travel across to the collector. The use of suction at the collector assists in web
formation (fig.13).

http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Melt%20Blown%20Technology.htm

Figure 13 - Meltblowing

Finishing treatments

There is an opportunity to meet the needs of the customer even more precisely by modifying or adding to
existing properties. A variety of different chemical substances can be employed before or after binding, or
various mechanical processes can be applied to the nonwoven after binding.

Nonwovens can be made conductive, flame retardant, water repellent, porous, antistatic, breathable,
absorbent and so on - the list is a very long one. They can also, for example, be coated, printed, flocked or
dyed, and can be combined with other materials to form complex laminates.
http://www.edana.org/content/Default.asp?PageID=43

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More information can be found at

http://web.utk.edu/~mse/Textiles/Finishing%20of%20Nonwovens.htm

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