Calendering (textiles)

Last updated

Calendering of textiles is a finishing process used to smooth, coat, or thin a material. With textiles, fabric is passed between calender rollers at high temperatures and pressures. Calendering is used on fabrics such as moire to produce its watered effect and also on cambric and some types of sateens.

Contents

In preparation for calendering, the fabric is folded lengthwise with the front side, or face, inside, and stitched together along the edges. [1] [2] The fabric can be folded together at full width, however this is not done as often as it is more difficult. [2] The fabric is then run through rollers at high temperatures and pressure [2] [3] that polish the surface and make the fabric smoother and more lustrous. [4] Fabrics that go through the calendering process feel thin, glossy and papery. [2]

The wash durability of a calendered finish on thermoplastic fibers like polyester is higher than on cellulose fibers such as cotton, though each depends on the amount and type of finishing additives used and the machinery and process conditions employed. Durability of blended fabrics reflects the above, and the proportion of synthetic fiber component.

Variations

Various finishes can be achieved through the calendering process by varying different aspects of the process. The main types are beetling, watered, embossing, and Schreiner. [5]

Beetled

Beetling is a finish given to cotton and linen cloth, and makes it look like satin. In the beetling process the fabric goes over wooden rollers and is beaten with wooden hammers. [5]

Watered

The watered finish, also known as moire, is produced by using ribbed rollers. These rollers compress the cloth and the ribs produce the characteristic watermark effect by differentially moving and compressing threads. [2] [4] In the process some threads are left round while others get flattened some. [5]

Embossed

The embossing process uses rollers with engraved patterns, which become stamped onto the fabric, [5] which gives the fabric a raised and sunken look. [6] This works best with soft fabrics. [5]

Schreiner

Similar to the watered process, the Schreiner process used ribbed rollers, though very fine, with as many as six hundred ribs per inch. Pressed flat under extremely high pressure, the threads receive little lines, which causes the fabric to reflect light better than a flat surface. The high luster of cloth finished with the Schreiner method can be made more lasting by heating the rollers. [5]

History

Historically calendering was done by hand with a huge pressing stone. For example in China huge rocks were brought from the north of the Yangtze River. The pressing stone was cut into a bowl shape, and the surface of the curved bottom made perfectly smooth. After a piece of cloth was placed underneath the stone the worker would stand on the stone and rock it with his feet to press the cloth. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

Textile Flexible interlocking network of fibres

A textile is a flexible material made by creating an interlocking bundle of yarns or threads, which are produced by spinning raw fibers into long and twisted lengths. Textiles are then formed by weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, tatting, felting, bonding, or braiding these yarns together.

Linen Textile made from spun flax fibre

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.

This timeline of clothing and textiles technology covers the events of fiber and flexible woven material worn on the body; including making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, and manufacturing systems (technology).

Velvet Type of pile fabric

Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word velvety means "smooth like velvet". In the past, velvet was typically made from silk. Today, velvet can be made from linen, cotton, wool and synthetic fibers.

Calender Series of hard pressure rollers that produces a surface effect on fabric, paper, or plastic film

A calender is a series of hard pressure rollers used to finish or smooth a sheet of material such as paper, textiles, or plastics. Calender rolls are also used to form some types of plastic films and to apply coatings. Some calender rolls are heated or cooled as needed. Calenders are sometimes misspelled calendars.

Beetling A textile finishing method of obtaining a flat and lustrous effect.

Beetling is the pounding of linen or cotton fabric to give a flat, lustrous effect.

Textile manufacturing The industry which produces textiles

Textile manufacturing is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods such as clothing, household items, upholstery and various industrial products. Overall, many things can be made with cotton, not just clothing.

Textile printing Method for applying patterns to cloth using printing techniques

Textile printing is the process of applying color to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fibre, so as to resist washing and friction. Textile printing is related to dyeing but in dyeing properly the whole fabric is uniformly covered with one colour, whereas in printing one or more colours are applied to it in certain parts only, and in sharply defined patterns.

Nonwoven fabric Sheet of fibers

Nonwoven fabric is a fabric-like material made from staple fibre (short) and long fibres, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabrics, such as felt, which are neither woven nor knitted. Some non-woven materials lack sufficient strength unless densified or reinforced by a backing. In recent years, non-wovens have become an alternative to polyurethane foam.

The manufacture of textiles is one of the oldest of human technologies. To make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fiber from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving, which turns yarn into cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. For decoration, the process of colouring yarn or the finished material is dyeing. For more information of the various steps, see textile manufacturing.

Units of textile measurement Systems for measuring textiles

Textile fibers, threads, yarns and fabrics are measured in a multiplicity of units.

Grosgrain Plain-woven fabric with weft-wise ribbing, often woven in ribbon widths

Grosgrain is a type of fabric or ribbon defined by the fact that its weft is heavier than its warp, creating prominent transverse ribs. Grosgrain is a plain weave corded fabric, with heavier cords than poplin but lighter than faille, and is known for being a firm, close-woven, fine-corded fabric. Grosgrain has a dull appearance, with little luster in comparison to many fabric weaves, such as satin, often used for ribbons; however, it is comparatively very strong. Grosgrain fabric is most commonly available in black, but grosgrain ribbon comes in a large variety of colors and patterns. The ribbon is very similar to Petersham ribbon in its appearance, but it does not have the ability to follow the curves of a surface or edge the way that the latter does.

Drafting linen

From the late 19th century until the middle of the 20th century, drafting linen, also known as drafting cloth, was commonly used as an alternative to wood-pulp and rag papers in creating technical drawings. Its major benefits were considerable strength, especially in erasing and redrawing, durability in handling, and translucency for making multiple reprographic prints. Manufactured as an undyed muslin woven fabric, typically using cotton or linen fiber, the textile was highly starched and then calendered to create a smooth surface for precise ink and graphite lines. Although drafting linen was most typically used in creating original drawings, it was occasionally used as the underlying support for blueprints and other similar reprographic processes. Drafting linen largely fell out of favor after the development of drafting film — varying in chemical composition from cellulose acetate to polyester—in the 1950s.

Decatising or decatizing, also known as crabbing, blowing, and decating, is the process of making permanent a textile finish on a cloth, so that it does not shrink during garment making. The word comes from the French décatir, which means to remove the cati or finish of the wool. Though used mainly for wool, the term is also applied to processes performed on fabrics of other fibers, such as cotton, linen or polyester. Crabbing and blowing are minor variations on the general process for wool, which is to roll the cloth onto a roller and blow steam through it.

Finishing (textiles) Any process performed after dyeing the yarn or fabric to improve the look, performance, or "hand" (feel) of the finished textile or clothing

In textile manufacturing, finishing refers to the processes that convert the woven or knitted cloth into a usable material and more specifically to any process performed after dyeing the yarn or fabric to improve the look, performance, or "hand" (feel) of the finish textile or clothing. The precise meaning depends on context.

Moire (fabric) Fabric with a wavy appearance

Moire, less often moiré, is a textile with a wavy (watered) appearance produced mainly from silk, but also wool, cotton and rayon. The watered appearance is usually created by the finishing technique called calendering. Moire effects are also achieved by certain weaves, such as varying the tension in the warp and weft of the weave. Silk treated in this way is sometimes called watered silk.

Wet process engineering is one of the major streams in textile engineering which refers to the engineering of textile chemical processes and associated applied science. The other three streams in textile engineering are yarn engineering, fabric engineering, and apparel engineering. The processes of this stream are involved or carried out in an aqueous stage. Hence, it is called a wet process which usually covers pre-treatment, dyeing, printing, and finishing.

Parchmentising or parchmentizing is a kind of aesthetic finish for textiles. It is a finishing treatment for cellulose fabric that stiffens the fabric and imparts a degree of translucency.

Aesthetics (textile) Concept of serviceability of textiles. It is determined by visual perception and the touch

Aesthetics in textiles is one of the basic concepts of serviceability of textiles. It is determined by the perception of touch and sight. Aesthetics imply the appearance and attraction of textile products; it includes the color and texture of the material. It is a statement about the end user (consumer) and the target market. When combined with fabric construction, the finish of the clothing material, garment fit, style, and fashion compatibility, colours create an aesthetic comfort. All of these elements work together to satisfy our visual perception. Aesthetics incorporates the role of evaluation also.

Shearing is a kind of mechanical finish in which the appearance of the fabric is enhanced by cutting the loops or raised surface to a uniform and even height. The machine may have a spiral blade similar to a grass cutting machine. A Shearing machine can cut the loop or the pile to a desired level. Shearing was most commonly used to make woolens and worsted materials. It was a part of dry finishing of woolen and worsted goods. Previously, shearing was also a component of gigging or napping; when partially produced goods were exposed to shear in order to improve the impact of gigging or napping, the process was referred to as "cropping."

References

  1. ↑ Harmuth, Louis (1915). Dictionary of Textiles. Fairchild publishing company. p. 106. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Textile World Record. Lord & Nagle Co. 1907. p. 118. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  3. ↑ Paine, Melanie (1999). Fabric Magic. Frances Lincoln ltd. p. 24. ISBN   0-7112-0995-2 . Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Cresswell, Lesley; Lawler, Barbara; Wilson, Helen; Watkins, Susanna (2002). Textiles Technology. Heinemann. p. 36. ISBN   0-435-41786-X . Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nystrom, Paul Henry (1916). Textiles. D. Appleton. pp. 274–275. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  6. ↑ Alexander, Theadora; et al. (2002). "Clothing and Textiles: Fabric Finishes". Caribbean Home Economics in Action, Book 3. Heinemann. p. 129. ISBN   0-435-98048-3 . Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  7. ↑ Chao, Kang (1977). The Development of Cotton Textile Production in China. East Asian Research Center, Harvard University. p. 34. ISBN   0674200217.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.