DESIGN OF A SLOW SPEED HIGH PRODUCTION REVOLVING FLAT CARDING

MACHINE WITH A TRANSFER FACTOR OF ONE

V.Natarajan
Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore – 641006
kadangadu@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

1. Introduction

This paper deals with the research on fundamental aspects of carding performance of a
revolving flat carding machine, which is claimed, as per the available knowledge base, to have a
transfer factor varying from 0.05 to 0.4. An attempt is made to improve the carding action by
increasing the transfer factor to one and by adopting slow speed and better fibre control.

2. Present revolving flat card

A flat carding machine or a revolving flat carding machine is used in the spinning process
to open the fibre tufts and flocks into individual fibres and to some extent parallelize the
individualized fibres. It is known from the art and research studies that the fibres are carried over
the cylinder over a number of revolutions before they being doffed from the cylinder and made
into a sliver. Fibres carded and doffed in the present method has their ends or one of the ends
hooked, which necessitates use of drawing machines to straighten these hooked fibres.
It has been observed by many researches that the transfer coefficient of a revolving flat
carding machine is around 0.1 and therefore there exists a delay time for a fibre to come out of
the carding machine4. An operational layer is built on the cylinder surface. Load on the flats
induced by carding action becomes almost stable and minimum after 15th – 20th flats5. That is the
remaining working flats do not perform much carding action.

2.1 Disadvantages of the present revolving flat card

i. The average number of revolutions that different tuft or fibre in any processed lot
makes around the cylinder has been estimated to vary from 5 to 20 revolutions depending on the
transfer factor2,3,4. This transfer factor is the percentage of fibre mass deposited on the cylinder
surface is transferred to the doffer during each rotation of the cylinder. As the process is a
random one, some fibres may be through the machine with in one revolution, some may be in
two revolutions, some may be after three revolutions and so on. Therefore, there is difference in
carding action carried out on different fibre tufts and fibres. This is a serious drawback.

ii. Another drawback of the present flat card is that there is fibre damage and nep
formation due to severe treatment meted out to fibres because of them traveling around the
cylinder many times and getting carded again and again.

Iii. Yet another drawback is the doffing process in which hook is formed in fibres. This
is due to the mechanical transfer of fibres from cylinder surface to doffer surface and the
difference in surface velocities of these two elements. Hook formation complicates the yarn
forming process because these hooks have to be removed and the fibres straightened before

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twisting them into a yarn. Otherwise effective fibre length will be reduced. Therefore, drawing
machines become an essential part of the yarn spinning process.

iv. Another drawback is the high speed employed for all the working elements of the carding
machine or for the majority of them. As a result, the process which is already random, looses
control over the movement of fibres. With increased speeds, the randomness of the process
increases and contol gets reduced. This problem has become more severe with cards meant for
high production.

3. Objects of the invention

The invention is therefore based on the objective of making the carding process a
controlled process, thereby improving the carding performance at the same time maintaining the
required production rate.

The method in accordance with the invention and its apparatus allow controlling the
processing of fibres or flocks in the carding machine in an optimal way. The fibre flow is
absolutely controlled by achieving a transfer factor equal to one. This means that the fibres are
doffed from the cylinder as they pass through the carding zone between the cylinder and flats
with out being allowed to make a second revolution. The processing of fibres in the carding
machine is thus optimized by maintaining lowest damage to the fibres i.e., fibre shortening or
nep generation.

The invention essentially and drastically changes the accepted and known art of
achieving carding action and productivity through increased rotational speeds of the licker-in
roller or rollers, cylinder and doffer.

Licker-in, cylinder and doffer are rotated at speeds just needed to give the required total
draft of around 100 -150. Draft is distributed between feed roller – Licker-in zone, licker-in -
cylinder zone and cylinder – doffer zone. Thus the surface speeds of the licker-in, cylinder and
doffer are maintained so that the required draft in the material flow is achieved.

Another possible solution lies in a pneumatic doffing device, which can doff the fibres
completely from the cylinder surface and at the same time produce a completely straightened
fibre arrangement in the sliver without hook formation, because of the air current induced
tension.

4. Description of the design of improved carding sub-systems

The invention is explained with the help of Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 as possible four
embodiments to explain the idea and many such embodiments are possible to realize the concept
of this invention.
Figure 1 depicts the revolving flat card with conventional working elements but with a
transfer factor of 1 between cylinder and doffer. Figure 2 depicts the revolving flat card with
conventional working elements and pneumatic doffing apparatus instead of the oscillating comb
or a rotary web doffer and with a transfer factor of 1 between cylinder and doffer. Figure 3
depicts the revolving flat card with conventional working elements (except doffer) and with
pneumatic doffer and with a transfer factor of 1 between cylinder and doffer. Figure 4 depicts a
typical licker-in roller with a two or three or four armed beater or opener (instead of a saw
toothed licker-in cylinder).
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 The invention differs from the known art by the following two principles either
independently or together accomplished:
A transfer coefficient of one is ensured between cylinder and doffing apparatus
The speed of the elements are so adjusted to produce the required draft in the material
flow and therefore, licker-in and cylinder are rotated with significantly lower surface
speeds compared to that prevails in known art.

In Figure 1, fibre feed in the form of lap or flocks 1 is fed to the licker-in 3 via the feeding
arrangement 2. Fibres after getting opened by the licker-in are pushed into the carding zone
consisting of cylinder 4 and flats 5. Doffer 6 ensures a transfer factor of one between cylinder
and doffer. An oscillating comb 7 doffs the fibres in the form of web and a condenser and
drawing unit 8 makes a sliver and delivers it to the coiling unit 9.

In Figure 2, a similar arrangement of working elements as explained above (10 – feed

material; 11- feeding arrangement; 12 – licker-in; 13 – cylinder; 14 – flats; 15 - doffer) are used.
For doffing fibres from the doffer a pneumatic doffing 16 apparatus is used, which ensures
minimum hook formation in the sliver. The sliver is then delivered by condensing unit 17 to the
coiling unit 18.

In Figure 3, a radically new set-up is shown with a pneumatic doffing apparatus 19 , which
doffs the individualized fibres from the cylinder. This apparatus ensures a transfer factor of one
between cylinder and doffing apparatus and straightens the fibres by tractive force action of air
current resulting in minimum number of hooks or no hooks in the sliver.

Figure 4 depicts one of the possible embodiments for the licker-in with three beating blades
or strikers or arms 20 fixed in a closed drum 21. This cylinder ensures controlled flow of fibre
tufts to the cylinder.

5. Study on carding performance with transfer factor of 1

In a revolving flat carding machine (Make : MMC), which has reached a steady state
condition, a small section (2” wide) of the material is sucked off continuously. The remaining
portion of the card width is normally operated. Sucked fibre material is compared with that
coming out as sliver. It has been observed that carding performance has not deteriorated
significantly.

Therefore, next phase of the study is being conducted to reduce the speeds of licker-in
and cylinder so that fibres can be fed without much disturbance in their arrangement.

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6. Conclusion

The study has confirmed the hypothesis of the patent which states that carding
performance can be improved by increasing the transfer factor to one. Phase II of the project is
under progress to study the affect of reduced speeds of licker-in and cylinder along with
maximum transfer factor on carding performance.

References:

1. Natarajan. V., Slow speed high production flat carding machine with a transfer factor of
one, Indian Patent 762/CHE/2003 (Application pending)
2. Krylov.V.V Some theoretical and experimental data concerning the design of high speed
carding, Technology of Textile Industry USSR 1962 No.2 PP46-55
3. Baturni Yu.A. The Laod of the carding surface and the proportion of fiber transferred
between the surface, Technology of Textile Industry USSR 1964 No.2 PP37-43
4. Singh. A & Swani N.M. A quantitative analysis of the carding action by the flats and
doffer in revolving flat card. J.Text.Inst.1972 pp 115-122
5. Sengupta A K et.al, Studies on carding forces between cylinder and flats in a card. Indian
J.Text.Res Vol.6 September 1983 pp 59-63.