Fibre to fabric. Gary Robinson Wool industry consultant

Transcription

1 Fibre to fabric Gary Robinson Wool industry consultant

2 The transformation of raw wool to fabric

3 Zegna Photograph courtesy of AWI.

4 Some issues for wool processing The random limit to fibre control Controlling fibres in drafting Fibre entanglement Fibre damage

5 S C O U R I N G C A R D IN G WORSTED SYSTEM WOOLLEN SYSTEM S C O U R IN G G I L L I N G C A R B O N I S I N G C O M B I N G L O O S E W O O L D Y E I N G S H R I N K P R O O F IN G TO P D Y E I N G C A R D I N G D R A W I N G S P I N N I N G S P IN N I N G YA R N D Y E I N G T W I S T I N G K N I T T I N G W E A V I N G K N I T T I N G W E A V I N G Y A R N D Y E I N G P I E C E /G A R M E N T D Y E I N G F I N I S H I N G P IE C E / G A R M E N T D Y E I N G F I N IS H I N G

6 The woollen system If it s got two ends you can make a yarn from it. Inputs to the woollen system can include lambs wool, combed wool, dyed wool, carbonised wool, locks, crutchings, pulled rags, other animal fibres, vegetable fibres and feathers anything with two ends.

7 Principle of blending Horizontal layers Vertical cuts Horizontal deposition Mixing of wool Greater uniformity of blend Ideal: all wool together

8 Woollen carding Source: Octir

9 Woollen spinning scribbler section Source: William Tatham Ltd

10 Fibre flows in carding Stripper Worker A/S Swift Doffer

11 Woollen spinning Scotch feed web rotation To carder From scribbler Source: William Tatham Ltd.

12 Woollen spinning Carder section with condenser From scribbler section Cylinders Tape condenser Doffers Delivery end Source: William Tatham Ltd.

13 Woollen card Delivery and condenser section Source: William Tatham Ltd.

14 Woollen spinning Condenser section Rubbing mechanism Tapes Source: William Tatham Ltd.

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16 Woollen spinning Draft against twist Source: Murata Machines Ltd.

17 Ring spinning Front drafting roller Bobbin Yarn guide Balloon control ring Ring/traveller Spindle

18 The worsted system

19 The TEAM 3 equation H = 0.43L S D 0.15M 0.45V 0.59CVD 0.32CVL H = Hauteur or mean fibre length in the top L = Staple Length D = Fibre Diameter M = %Midbreaks V = Vegetable Matter Content CVD = CV Diameter CV = CVLength

20 Blending procedure for greasy wool Selection across sale lots

21 Bale breaker Bales

22 Opening of Australian wool Brattice feed hopper Double drum opener Brattice feed hopper Weigh belt

23 Scour

24 Contaminants in raw wool Wool wax 10% Dirt 10% Suint 5% Burr Seed and shive Hardheads

25 Typical wool scour 2. Dunkers 5. Wool transfer 7. Conveyor 1. Spray box 4. Bowl level 3. Rakes 6. Squeeze False bottom

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28 alkali detergent suint scour scour scour rinse rinse Conventional desuint suint scour scour scour/ rinse scour rinse Siroscour

29 Sirolan - SWIMS Desuint Scouring Rinsing Recovery Loop Recovery Loops strong suint flowdown sludges flow wool wax rinse water membrane Evaporation CF CF-B Potassium fertiliser Recyclable sludge Clean wastewater

30 Drum dryer

31 Topmaking Know specifications of wool before scouring Measure scoured wool moisture and residuals Apply lubricant and moisture Blending Wool is carded (loose stock to sliver) 7a 6 5 Feed from hopper to card Transferred (on conveyer belt/ pneumatic system) to card hopper 7b 8 9 Wool web condensed and coiled into cans Check sliver weight and moisture content Transport cans to gills

32 Carding

33 Worsted carding - the Thibeau CA7 card 8250 mm 2449 mm

34 Worsted carding

35 Gilling

36 Gilling Slivers in Sliver out

37 Blending in gilling and combing Gilling: 6 cans x 70 kg = 420 kg 4% lot Combing: 20 bobbins x 50 kg = 1000 kg 10% lot

38 Combing

39 The combing cycle Feed gill Top comb Withdrawal rollers Nipper jaws Shovel plate Apron Circular comb

40 Neps (per 100g) Nep generation during topmaking micron 22.7 micron Card 1st Prep 2nd Prep 3rd Prep Comb 1st Draw Top Topmaking Stage

41 The role of combing Combed yarn Uncombed yarn

42 Combing The final filter can be set to selectively remove short fibre. Removes majority of neps. Removes majority of remaining VM. Straightens/aligns fibres. Adjustments critical to suit wool (diameter and length).

43 Top making Typically two post-comb gilling passages. Improve sliver cohesion. Improve sliver evenness (weight per unit length). Randomise fibre ends. Adjust moisture content. Produce top raw material for spinner.

44 Topmaking as a blending process Stage Doublings per stage Total doublings Preparer gilling 6 6 Second gilling 6 36 Third gilling Combing Finisher Finisher 2 (top)

45 Worsted spinning

46 Tops arrive at spinner Test tops: Decision made - blend with other Undyed tops, - length - diameter tops, blend with 1 or 2 gillings, - VM/nep other fibres, dye 1 recombing tops plus 2 gillings Worsted spinning 4.2 Top dyeing - 1 or 2 gillings, 1 recombing plus 2 gillings 4.3 Blended with synthetics gill plus recombing plus 2 gillings Steaming yarn Spinning Roving Drawing x 3 or 4 times

47 Worsted spinning Winding and clearing Twisting for warp Steaming 11 Package yarn Singles yarns for weft 12 Yarn dyeing (optional)

48 Worsted spinning

49 Worsted spinning Steaming and winding

50 Yarn twisting Assembly winding Two-for-one twisting

51 Sirospun

52 Solospun Solospun rollers Weavable singles yarn

53 Solospun comparison with two-fold

54 OE spinning layout Rieter system

55 OE rotor and drive Rieter system

56 Open-end characteristics Very high twist insertion: ~ 200,000 min-1. High production speed: 500 m/min. High production rate: 10 g/min/station. Yarn not as good as ring spun used for sheeting, not high quality fabrics. Problem with yarn structure is the presence of fasciated fibres giving the yarn a harsh hand.

57 Murata Vortex Spinning Drafting and Twist Insertion

58 Spinning system comparisons Ring. Open-end (OE). Air Vortex and Air Jet (false twist process). Spinning Ring Ring Rotor MJS MVS System Long Short Spindles (million) Delivery (m/min) World Prod Rate (tonnes/min) Murata Jet Spun Murata Vortex Spun

59 Principles of weaving

60 Weft insertion Shuttle with pirn Pirn: Yarn supply

61 Weft insertion Projectile Sulzer system

62 Weft insertion Projectile

63 Rapier system Yarn transfer

64 Weft insertion Air-jet Weft yarns Primary air jet

65 Weft yarn supply Weft yarns Weft yarn accumulators (6)

66 Weaving speeds

67 Finishing and Dyeing Worsted Woollen Crabbing Scouring and milling Scouring Stentering Dyeing Stentering Carbonising Dyeing Decatising Shearing Raising Cropping and/or Singeing Decatising

68 Plain weft knit fabric

69 Weft knit rib knit or 1x1 rib

70 Circular knitting Warp knitting

71 Finishing of knitwear Worsted Woollen Mild scour Dyeing and easy-care treatment Scour Mill Dyeing Steam press with vacuum Steam press with vacuum

72 The miracle of transformation Many steps, often unique to wool. Batch processes are common. Productivity often relatively low. Specification and measurement essential. R&D important for product and process. Wool fabrics are unique and highly desirable.