tion disc twisters, FTS-471 and FTS-481, the friction disc of these units being provided with a shaft of large diameter.

The shaft diameter was 8 mm for the yarn speed of 600-1,000 m/min, and now has been changed to 12 mm for 1,200 m/ min. The bearing type has also been changed. Particularly , in FTS-481, an upper bearing is additionally provided for

the disc shaft as shown in Fig. 16 for preventing the disc from oscillating in case of speed up .

References

[1] J. Shimizu; "Development of Machinery for Processing Man-made Fiber'; a lecture record in the 2nd OTEMAS

highlight seminar at Osaka International Textile Ma- chinery Show, Nov. 6, '81.

[2] K. Yasuzuka; J. Text. Mach. Soc. Japan, No. 7, P 310 (1980).

1-ig, 15 Peyer's "iii i-T E ''

Fig. 16 FAG's Friction Disc FTS-481

Vol. 29 No. 1 (1983)

DYEING AND FINISHING MACHINERY

Itaru Abe and Masayoshi Kubo

Toray Industries, Inc.

1. Preface

Due to the recession and the difficult situation in dyeing

and finishing industries, the 2nd OTEMAS exhibition was

little expected in general. However, some kinds of sparkling

fight to have the innovated equipments by machine manu-

facturers have been observed. Thus, we would like to ex-

press our gratitude to the machine manufacturers and vend-

ors for having shown their latest mechanical and instrumental

developments.

Typical tendency of this 2nd OTEMAS on dyeing and fini-

shing machines would be in saving energy. Innovated appli-

cations of electronics including micro-processors were also

noticeable.

2. Washing and Pretreatment Machines

Wakayama Iron Works displayed their reputed open-width

washing unit Poly-Stream already proved in many produc-tion lines. It contained 30m of fabrics and ran at the speed of

20 m/min. Hanayama Kogyo presented the washing machine

Suction Matic Model SE-Z which repeated four cycles of im-mersion, mangling and dehydration with suction. By its em-

phasized dehydration mechanism, efficient washing perform-ance might be expected (Fig. 1).

Nisshin Denki Kogyo showed their Rope Washing Machine

Model NT-320 equipped with High-Through Mangle of

9

Fig. I Suction Matic

yama Kogyo)

SE-Z Open Width Scouring Unit (Hana-

Kinyosha at the delivery side of the machine for getting ef-

ficient dehydration.

Tokyo Sensen Kikai showed their batchwise Drycleaning

Machine and the panel of Libratex. This was only the display

for continuous scouring in solvent which should be taken up

more for saving energy.

3. Dyeing Machines

Nippon Dyeing Machine demonstrated the Rapid Uni-Ace

Model RX (Fig. 2) which attained I :5 liquor ratio and the

Swing-Ace A (Fig. 3) which marked 1:4 liquor ratio. These

liquor ratios may be the lowest limits on this type of ma-chines. The Swing-Ace A has an European Style and has the advantage of space saving.

The Tokyo Sensen Kikai's Milner and the Inamoto Manu-facturing's Flotea were displayed. Both of them were reputa-ble Rotary Dyeing Machines with dehydration.

The Thies GMBH's Roto Stream was modified with Dop-

pelstrang for two ropes in one jet and with newly designed Plaiter. The Apollotex (Fig. 4) of Ichikin has aroused our keen in-

terest in applying Micro-Waves to the piece dyeing first in the world. Further development in this respect will be expected in future.

Hisaka Works has developed the 1-ITS Program Control-

ling System for batchwise dyeing. By this system 10 dyeing

machines can be regulated through one controller and 20

different programs can be reserved. The unique benefit of

this system is its automatic holding function with micropro-

cessors when the temperature elevation was delayed.

4. Dehydrator and Applicators

Dehydrators are widely used as well as applicators for saving energy to dry. However, only the High-Through-Roller from Kinyosha and the dehydrator from E-Vac were dis-

played. Padders are also a representative of applicators, one example of which was the modified UP-Padder displayed by Kyoto Machinery. It has efficient hydraulic pressure con-troller which can evenize and compensate the nipped pres-sure automatically (Fig. 5). The controlling was performed by a senser traversing widthwise which detects water content

just after nipping mangles. The detecting senser of this unit emits two different wavelengths of infrared to the padded fabrics and the differential reflectance between two infrared beams is compared and calculated to get the water content. Every available information obtained through the senser is transmitted to the micro-processor, and the signal is issued to the hydrauric controlling system of the padder.

The Paraflex Padder of Wakayama Iron Works was also exhibited which worked for getting uniform nip by mechani-cal bend controlling.

Fig. 2 Rapid Uni-Ace Model RX (Nippon Dyeing Machine Man-ufacturing)

Fig. 3 Swing-Ace A (Nippon Dyeing Machine Manufacturing)

Fig. 4 Apollotex (Ichikin)

lU Jour~Iui( of The TeltiIe Muc{tine/v Society of Japan

E-Vac showed the VAC-U-PAD, the blower of which was

controlled through the senser to determine the pick up, and

could also be served as a dehydrator if the recovering unit for

the chemical solution was removed, or as a low pick-up ap-

plicator if the recovering unit was added (Fig. 6). Uniform

pick-up ratio can be expected by this regulating system. It is

very rare to have this kind of regulating system on the suc-

tion dehydrating lines.

Sando Iron Works displayed the YS Mangle already proved

and reputed the most reliable gravure roll applicator in many

production lines.

The NT Applicator developed by Nittobo Itamikako and

manufactured by Osaka Senshoku Kikai was a kind of lick

roll applicators. In order to save the chemical solution to be

applied, this machine was surely well arranged by mounting

the liquor container over the lick roller (Fig. 7).

Foam Applicators aroused tremendous interest in this

OTEMAS. The Gaston County's Testing Machine FFT coat-

ed both sides of a fabric two times by one passage. The noz-

zles and the inlet device for foam distribution were made

compact and convenient to use.

Swiss manufacturer Werner Mathis was demonstrating various types of testing machines for coating. Each of them

seemed applicable as a foam applicator. Especially, the SAG

(Fig. 8) had a horizontal padding mangle, and a foam distri-butor was placed over the nip. It may be an example of sim-

ple foam applicators.

Fig. 5 UP Padder (Kyoto Machinery)

Fig. 6 VAC-U-PAD (E-Vac )

Fig. 7 NT Applicator (Osaka Sensyoku Kikai)

Fig. 8 Foam Applicator Type SAG (Werner Mathis)

Fig. 9 Universal Applicator (Hirano Kinzoku)

Vol. 29 No. 1 (1983) 11

Hirano Kinzoku's stenter was equipped with a Universal Applicator having a Beta Ray pick-up controller. It allows three different ways of foam application (Fig. 9).

Printaire display a machine for continuous carpet dye-ing. It performs continuous dyeing for carpet at the lowest level of water content less than 100% of pick-up, and so extreme efficient energy saving could be expected (Fig. 10).

The Johannes Zimmer's Magnet Roller System model MW-

RS-B was a foam applicator and can be used also for screen

application, such as rotary screen print, rotary screen coat-ing or for special coating with the combination of back-up

rolls and magnet rolls (Fig. 11). This system permits vertical

coating with a horizontally arranged rotary screen unit, and seems advantageous for uniform distribution.

The Uenoyama Kiko's Rotary Screen Printer also had a

single rotary screen printing head and be served for a coater

and a foam applicator. Werner Mathis displayed the laboratory foam generator

Minimix (Fig. 12).

Mondo Mix demonstrated the foam generator Type E-50

(Fig. 13). Hirano Kinzoku showed also a Machine in this regard.

5. Dryers and Heat Setting Machines

Tokyo Sensen Kikai exhibited the Tumble Dryer Passat POT-354-T. There were no continuous tumble dryers

displayed excepting the panel of Passat's Air Shrinker which

was considered as a well made relaxing dryer. Heat Settting Machines also have aroused our interest in

this 2nd OTEMAS'81.

Kyoto Machinery has changed the heating chamber to have the pressed and welded panels aiming at the assembly ration-

alization of the heating chamber. Significant improvement is

achieved for airtightness to control the humidity and the

other factors of heated air to blowers. Kyoto Machinery named it Super Tenter, the nozzle clearance of which was decreased from the conventional 150 mm to 80 mm resulting

in minimizing the volume of heating chamber (Fig. 14).

The Simplex Tenter of Hirano Kinzoku was improved to

have smaller hausing volume and minimized nozzle clearance

to 50 mm. It was equipped with Telescopic Nozzles which

can control the working width and the blower revolution de-

pending on the fabric width to be processed. Furthermore, it

Fig. 10 Continuous Foam Dyeing System (CFDII) (Printaire)

Fig. 1 I Magnet Roller Screen System Model MW-RS-B For

various ways of application (Johannes Zimmer)

Fig. 12 Foam Generator Minimix Labo-Mixer (Werner Mathis)

Fig. 13 Foam Generator Type E-50 Mixer (Mondo Mix By .)

Fig. 14 Super Stenter (Kyoto Machinery)

12 JOU fl I of The Textile Muchirte1) Society of Japan

wasequipped with continuous automatic cleaning devices for

the air filter, in addition to the weft straightening unit with

section rollers. The heat recovering unit from the exhaust

air and the automatic humidity controller regulated through

a ceramic senser and a micro-processor. The mechanical

details are illustrated in Fig. 15.

Wakayama Iron Works went on a different way of im-

provement to the Eehomax Stener which had a catalytic oxi-

dation system for the heat recovering unit. Though the hous-

ing construction became larger, an operator can enter the

chamber easily, and its airtightness was improved by mount-

ing smaller doors than before. Further improvement to the

blower was added for setting higher efficiency, lower operat-

ing level, and diminished mechanical noize (Fig. 16). How-

ever, the most amazing benefits of this machine existed in the

energy saving effect around 30% or more and polution free

performance. With respect to the controlling facilities for the dryer, there were displayed several types of Moisture Detec-

tors by Strandberg and Mahlo GMBH. There were used cer-tain sensers to watch and control over-drying from delivery

side of the dryer. On the other hand, the above mentioned

Hirano's Humidity Controller with a ceramic senser and the

Mahlo's Model AML regulate the humidity of the exhaust air

from the blower of the dryer. These are of great help to save

drying energy and to keep the condition reasonable.

6. Weft Straightener

Various kinds of Weft Straighteners were displayed. The

Weftrol of Mount Hope Machinery succeeded in widening the working range by the combination of mechanical and

photo sensitive detectors. The U-Engineering's Model WE-52 worked with photo

sensers at 180 m/min speed with 2.5 % correcting sensibility. The Terector of Sando Iron Works also had multi photo

sensers which could run at the maximum speed of 260 m/min.

The Denshimatic DM-B of Seiren Electronics mounted spe-cialized photo sensers for serving at the 200 m/min maximum

speed. It might be applicable to every fabric the picks or the course numbers per inch of which could be measured with a

densimeter. The Hirano Kinzoku's Weft Straightener with sectional

rolls was the first trial in Japan, and useful to knitted fabrics having complicated bow or skew lines.

New mechanism for Weft Straighteners named Pin Wheel

Type (Fig. 17) was also disclosed from Tsuchiya Machinery.

Its mechanical principle was to stretch the fabric weftwards

through freely rotating two pin-wheels to correct bow or skew. Thus, precise bow or skew detection is not required,

but only selvages should be detected for getting exact pin-

ning. The maximum speed will be 60 m/min and further development or application will be expected.

The U-Engineering's Model ST-56 was also made of simi-

lar mechanical standpoint to the above Pin Wheel. At first, the pin stentering zone will correct bowed lines, then skew

correction rolls will compensate the biased lines. The maxi-

mum speed will be 120 m/min (Fig. 18).

Fig. 15 Simplex Tenter (Hirano Kinazoku)

Fig. 16 Echo-Max Stenter (Wakayama Iron Works)

Fig. 17 Pin Wheel Type Weft Straightener (Tsuchiya Machinery)

Fig. 18 Weft Straightener Model ST-56 (U-Engineering)

Vol. 29 No. 1 (1983) /3

7. Centering Devices and Cloth Guiders

In order to realize higher speed and labor saving, centering devices are important. In this connection, the Centering Roll of Seiren Electronics and the Toyo Texter of Toyo Ma-chinery were displayed. The former used framed rolls and the later used the inclined block rolls for centering fabrics.

Sanki Industries displayed the Unit Tenter (Fig. 19), which

we believe a Cloth Guider. It detects the fabric selvage and

holds precisely to spread out. We have never seen before this

kind of guiding system, and it could be of great use to us.

The Conventional Disk Guider of Sanki Industries was the

simplified model of this.

8. Printing Machines

Dainippon Screen has disclosed their latest model of Pastee

4000 for screen making system to the printing field (Fig. 20).

It can be annexed with their Color Plotter System on it for

making a hard copy by the Ink Jet System. Its mechanical construction was composed of a computorized image devel-

oping system which will analyze the original pattern to re-

solve and display on a CRT Screen for editorial operations. Editted and corrected image of the pattern will be exposed

with a Laser Beam, and developed on the film. Toshin Industry exhibited their new Rapid Steamer (Fig.

21), a kind of universal steamers, the printed fabrics in which

was transferred with a conveyer and sent to be heated by the

contact of hot rollers. Its idea was considered rather unique. Incidentally, polyester fabric will require 100 seconds for

color fixation. The machine can be combined with a printing

machine, due to that every trouble being introduced to the

printed fabrics during pile-up before steaming is to be minimized.

There was a couple of Rotary Printing Screen Machines

as described in the former chapter for foam applicators. Also

several useful preparation facilities for printing, such as

thickener making units, various washing devices and other

supplemental tools, were displayed there.

9. Finishing Machines

Yuri Roll exhibited their new machine for Plast Calender regulated with hydrauric pressure. This kind of Plastic Roll

made of polyamide was applied by Kuster at first and fol-

lowed by Ramisch Kleinewefers. Plastic rolls have advantages of excellent recovering performance from the damages or dis-

tortion and maintenance convenience, but there is a limit to

the thermostability. The maximum service temperature of the Plast Calender is 195°C.

Ramisch Kleienewefers introduced their Nipco Fscher

Wyss consisting of special three roll calender (Fig. 22). It has

established the reputation as the highest and qualified Cal-

ender ever made, due to its precise controlling performance for obtaining uniform pressure distribution. Their special-

ized polyamide roll named Raeolan can be served up to

230°C. The accuracy of the temperature control for the steel roll is expected within 1°C.

Fig. 19 Unit Tenter (Sanki Industry)

Fig. 20 DS PASTEC 4000 (Dainippon Screen MFG)

Fig. 21 Ichinose's Rapid Steamer (Toshin Kogyo)

Fig. 22 3-Bowl Special Calender Type Nipco-Esher Wyss (Ramisch Kleinewefers)

14 Journal of The Textile Machinery Society of Japan

The Muller's Universal Raising Machine Model TRI S 45

was displayed by the technical cooperation between Franz

Muller (West Germany) and Nankai Iron Works. This model

can indicate the fabric speed and the raising energy to settle

the operation conditions. We feel sure that the recent raising

requires higher technology than beofre, and it will be our

great pleasure to have such an excellent raising machine as-

sembled in Japan.

10. Laboratory Dyeing Machines

New requirement for developing laboratory dyeing ma-

chines with low liquor ratio has been zooming up. To meet

this tendency, three kinds of laboratory dyeing machines

were displayed.

The Tesmat Model LTC-12 of Hisaka Works attained the

liquor ratio from 1:4 to 1:40. It has 12 pressured pots around

the rotaing shaft placed horizontally in the autoclave con-

taining ethylene glycol or water as the heat medium (Fig. 23).

Minicolor of Texam Engineering (Fig. 24) was the first ma-

chine, 12 pots in which are rolling over horizontally. It work-

ed at the liquor ratio from 1:5 to 1:30. These 12 pots are not

placed in the pressure vessel, so some kinds of heating medi-

um such as ethylene glycol is necessary for high tempera-

ture dyeing.

Tsujii Dyeing Machine Manufacturing exhibited the Labo-master Model LHD-312E, somewhat resembling the rolling over type of Texam Engineering. I t means the horizontal roll over type for pots has certain advantages, although this type could be seen only in Japan. Majority of European Labora-tory Dyeing Machines adopted the vertical mounting way for

pots similarly to Hisaka Works.

11. Plasma Grafting

SAC (Surface Activation Corp.) has disclosed their new

machine for the Continuous Chemical Grafting System using low temperature Plasma (Fig. 25). It provides Argon Plasma

exposure for radical generation on fabrics, and then acrylic

monomer such as acrylic acid is introduced for graft poly-

merization. Plasma grafting may bring a new aspect in future.

12. Conclusion

It seems natural as far as dyeing and finishing industries

are going progressive, that each machine manufacturer

concerned will develop innovated processes or imptoved

machines. In contrast, under the current worldwide recession

the machine development will be difficult. Every effort is

done to overcome the present difficult situation, and some

challenge or exploration against the limits for cost reduction

on dyeing and finishing has aroused machine manufacturer's

interest in developing innovated eq .uipments. We could con-firm that the machine manufacturers have absorbed the in-

quiry from the field to solve each problem one by one steadi-

ly. We hope this literature will be of some help for the im-

provement in this field.

Fig. 23 Tesmat LTC-12 (Hisaka Works)

Fig. 25 Low Temperature Plasma Grafting Mechine (SAC)

Fig. 24 Mini-Color 12 (Texam Engineering)

Vol. 29 No. 1(1983) 15