Heat Setting of Lycra Fabric Finishing Process
Heat setting is an important process for Lycra fabric. It is performed only with Lycra fabric to stabilize the dimension of Lycra. It is done by the stenter machine. Heat Setting is performed often in the open state. But in the case of Lycra Rib, it is done in Tube form or open form. But in open form before Dyeing it should be Back Stitching. It is performed by tension & heat with a gas burner. The blower fans are used for the proper distribution of heat. It is used to remove wrinkles, and crease marks during Dyeing. But in the case of Lycra Single Jersey or Lycra Rib after Heat Setting Back Stitching is used.
Because Heat Setting is performed usually in open form. During heat setting dia of the Fabric is increased such as (190, 210, 215, 220, 220, 220, 220, 220 cm) where the grey dia is 190 cm. In the heat setting the delivery GSM of the Stenter machine is less than the Grey GSM. If the grey GSM is 180 then the Delivery GSM will be 160 after the heat setting. It is used to remove the crease mark, dimensional stability, and to get less GSM from Grey GSM. Before heating the fabric should be padded with normal water to wet the fabric. In the case of polyester fabric, the padding bath is prepared with a polyester emulsifying agent to remove the oily substance from the polyester fabric. The Mahlo or Weftmatic software is used to control the bowing of fabric i.e., the grain line of fabric.
Objects for Heat Setting
- Shrinkage will be fail, if no heat setting.
- To stabilize the Lycra in the side of the Fabric.
- To keep the Elastic in the proper position. And the chamber is 175 oc. In Stenter the overfeeding is 63% max. Underfeeding is 8%. Tension is 15.4 bar
Considering Factors for Heat Setting
- Finished dia is increased about 6% +
- Less temperature for critical color
- GSM is decreased in the case of deep color
- For light color is vice versa
- For Lycra Single Jersey GSM is 10% decreased during Heat Setting but in relaxed conditions, it is recovered.
- For Lycra Rib & Interlock Fabric GSM is increased during Heat Setting.
- Temperature is 190 oc during Lycra Single Jersey Fabric is Heat Set.
- Temperature, Time, and Speed should be considered during Heat Setting.
- Temperature should depend on the amount of Lycra on the Fabric
Others factors:
- Half Feeder: Lycra <6%
- Heat Setting is done at 180 oc
- Dia is 10% excess of Finished Dia.
- Full Feeder: Lycra >6%
- Heat Setting is done at 190 oc.
- Dia is 15% excess of Finished Dia.
100% Polyester Fabric: 100% Polyester Fabric is Heat Set is used only for remove the oily substance, Fats Waxes etc by using Emulsifying agent in the Padding bath.
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