Primary process characteristics:
Modular structure of the spunbonding and melt blown components
Common operating console for all spinning stations
Common high-speed spinning belt for all spinning stations.
High-speed winding system with downstream slitter/rewinder
Approx. 40% of all melt blown fabric is manufactured as pure melt blown fabric, the rest is used in composites with spunbonded fabric or in laminates with film.
Applications
Barrier products
Diaper edges
Filtration
Covers for superabsorbents
Medical applications (for example surgery covers)
Physical properties
Thermo-bonded
High resistance against water column
Thermal insulator
Preferred grammage range 10 - 60 g/m²
Dyable
Applications
Hygiene
Industrial applications
Dust collectors
Filtration
Physical properties
High air permeability
Thermo-bonded - no chemicals
Excellent bi-directional and wear properties
Soft and comfortable
Grammage between 10 - 100 g/m² (150 g/m²) if possible
Possible additional nonwoven features:
- Printing
- Laminating
- Electrostatic charging
- improved hydrophilic properties through application of
tensides
By using additives or pigment pastes
- Dying in every imaginable shade
- fire-retardant properties
- antistatic properties
- increased UV and gamma ray protection
Process components
Preparation of raw material
Dosing unit for primary polymer, pigments and additives
Extruder for melting and conveying the raw materials
Melt filter
Spin pump to ensure a constant throughput to the spin unit
Sheet distributor with spinneret
Filament cooling
Filament extension
Discharge unit (diffuser)
Web forming machine for discharge and conveyance of the filaments
Nonwoven bonding, preferable calendering
Winding
Process description:
Out of the silo the polymer is vacuumfed to dosing station on top of the extruder. Inside the extruder it becomes melted and homogenised. Passing a filter system and a spin punp, the melt is distributed by a coathanger die, feeding the spinneret which forms a curtain of filaments. The filaments are cooled by means of a stream of air in a blowing area, drawn by aerodynamic forces and then transported to the downstream discharge channel. Here the filaments are swirled around and then deposited on the wire mesh belt as a random nonwoven material. This is transferred to the heat bonding calender which by heat and pressure sets the physical properties as tensiles and elongation of the final product. After calendering the material is cooled by a water-cooled pair of rolls and then wound up.
The Reifenhäuser REICOFIL® spunbonding technology convinces by simple handling and low energy consumption (1 - 1.2 kWh/kg) for melting and conveying the raw materials.
