Topics: Calendering TARIQUL ISLAM

Wet Processing Lecturer (TECN)

Calendering:
 Calendering is a process where fabric is compressed by passing it between two or more
rollers under controlled conditions of time, temp. & pressure.
 It is a type of mechanical finish.
Objectives of Calendering:
 To improve the fabric handle and to impart a smooth silky touch to the fabric.
 To compress the fabric and reduce its thickness.
 To reduce the air permeability by closing the threads.
 To increase the luster.
 To reduce yarn slippage.
 To increase the opacity of the fabric.
 Surface patterning by embossing.
Working Principle of Calendering:
 The fabric is run through the rollers that polish surface &
make fabric smoother & more lustrous.
 The rollers may be highly polished, friction or engraved.
 High temp. & pressure is used as well.
 The durability of finish depends on the proportion of
synthetic fibre component, finishing additives & process
condition.
 Controlling parameters are: Pressure, Temp. & Speed.

Factors/Controlling Parameters of Calendering:

1. Pressure into the nip:
a. Lever or screw system: Allow very high ‘dead-set’ pressures that has greater risk
of fabric or bowl damage.
b. Pneumatic system: Modern & more resilient system.
c. Hydraulic pressure system: Raise the bottom bowls to give contact with a fixed
top bowl.
2. Temperature of the metal bowl: Temperature is achieved by gas, electric, thermal fluid
or steam heating. Gas & electric heating need very accurate control whereas steam or
fluid heating gives level heating profiles.
3. Speed of the bowls: The slower the speed, the longer the fabric is in the Calender nip &
the greater the effect on the fabric. Modern thyristor motor controls give highly accurate
speed control.
Types/effects of Calendering:
1. Swizzing or normal or simple Calendering
2. Chasing Calenders
3. Glazed or friction Calendering
4. Ciŕe Calendering
5. Embossed Calendering
6. Moiré Calendering
7. Schreiner Calendering.
01. Simple/Swizzing Calendering:
  Swizzing is a British term used to denote that the fabric runs
through all nips at same surface speed as the rolls.
 Swizzing Calenders usually consists of 7-10 bowls.
 Fabric effect is closed interstices, a smooth appearance &
gloss without high glaze characteristic of friction Calender.
 It applies high speed & high pressure, at room temp.
 High pressure flattens the yarn, smoothen & weaken the
fabric, increases luster.
 Used for woven plain or twill weaves.
 It is a temporary finish, return to its natural cross-section after
first laundering.
02. Chasing Calender:
 Chasing calenders are very similar to swizzing calenders.
 In chasing Calender, the cloth passes through the nips of 7-
bowl Calender, then over the chasing rollers.
 The cloth is then fed back again into the nip of the Calender
such that layer of cloths lies one over another & repeated
several passes before it exits to a take-up roll.
 The cloth is compressed against itself with as many as 5 to 6
layers being in a nip. This gives the cloth a thready-linen
appearance and a soft special feel.
 Sometime a water mangle precedes the Calender.
03. Glazed/Friction Calendering:
 It is a Calendering finish to produce highly glazed/shined
polished cotton.
 One cylinder of highly polished steel cylinder rotating at
speed much higher than the fabric passing through it.
 Fabrics are first treated with starches or resins before
Calendering to make more durable.
 The spaces between the yarns are thus filled up and glazed
appearance is obtained.
 Glazed Calendering using starch are semidurable & using
resins are durable.
04. Cire Calendering:
 It is a type of glazed Calendering where friction roller rotates at speed much greater
than ordinary friction Calendering.
 The fabric become highly lustrous and takes on a wet look.
 Cotton, rayon, polyester, nylon & blends can be given cire finish.
 Fabrics are treated with waxes & resins before Calendering.
 Highly polished effect is produced.
 When thermoplastic fabrics are ciŕe finished, they becomes moderately water-repellent
due to flattening or partially fusing of fibres.
05. Embossed Calendering:
  It is a Calendering in which a three dimensional design is
created on a fabric.
 This is done on a special embossing Calender in which the
roller cylinder is engraved with the embossing design.
 The pattern is then pushed or shaped into the cloth when the
fabric passes between the rollers.
 Some embossed fabrics are made to imitate more costly
woven jacquard or dobby designs.
 Embossed patterns of fabrics treated with resins and cured
after embossing are durable.
 Embossing of fabrics of thermoplastic fibres are permanent
because the heated metal roll heatset the design.
06. Moire Calendering:
 The moiré finish produces a watermark effect on fabric.
 It can be temporary, durable or permanent.
 Durable moiré finish requires initial resin treatment for cotton or rayon & use of
heated roller for thermoplastic fiber fabrics.
 Methods of producing moiŕe:
 Using engraved cylinder: Engraved cylinder causes different light reflectance &
creat moire effect.
 Using smooth Calender roller: Two fabrics are fed through smooth Calender,
high pressure on Calender rolls causes fabric to squeeze into each other in certain
areas & create light reflectance.
07. Schreiner Calendering:
 Schreiner Calendering produces a low, soft key luster on
fabric distinct from high glaze of the glazing Calender.
 To produce this effect, one of the steel cylinders of the
Calender is embossed with fine diagonal lines.
 Widely used on cotton & cotton/polyester sateen.
 Schreiner Calendering may be permanent, durable or
temporary finish, as follows-
 Permanent: if the fibre is thermoplastic.
 Durable: if the fabric is resin treated but not cured.
 Temporary: if the fibre is non-thermoplastic and not
treated with resin.