Weaving matting

 LOOM AND ITS IMPORTANT PARTS

Loom is equipment with the aid of which coir products are produced by the process of weaving. Though in the industry, the major quantity of coir matting is manufactured with the help of handlooms, semi-mechanized, fully automated, and pneumatic looms are also engaged.

Handloom:-

A handloom in the coir industry consists of the following parts.

Chain beam

Waist beam

Chain rest beam

Tension beam

Heddle frame

Treadles

Pulley

Lamp rod

Slay

Shuttle.

Reed

Chain Beam:-

CHAIN BEAM

Wooden Ratchet Wheel

Wooden Flanges

A chain beam is a wooden roller upon which the warp yarn is wound. The length of the chain beam will depend upon the width of the loom. It is provided with two flanges on both sides. The warp is wound on the beam in between the flanges. At one end of this beam is provided with a wooden ratchet wheel, operating which the warp can be released from the beam as well as maintain the tension of the warp yarns during the progress of weaving.

CHAIN REST BEAM: -

This is a wooden beam. The size of which is equal to the front rest. The function of this beam is to guide the warp yarn from the chain beam in a parallel sheet form to the heddles, reed, etc. of the loom. Separate chain beams are provided for tight and slack chains. The chain beam for the slack chains is comparatively smaller in size than that of the chain rest beam for the tight chain. The length of the chain rest beam is equal to the width of the loom. 

 This is a wooden rectangular frame in which the heddle is arranged by suitable introduction of two iron rods at top and bottom which are called heddle staves. The number of heddle frames for a loom depends upon the design and the type of fabric to be woven. The heddles are usually made of iron wire twisted to form a heddle eye at the center and two holes at the top and bottom to insert the heddles through the heddle staves. A handloom in the coir industry is provided with a maximum of 4 heddle frames.

WEAVING MATS

Coir mats are made on handlooms, power looms or frames with or without brush available in a range of colours, sizes and designs. The brushing qualities of coir doormats and their ability to keep the dirt away make the product a unique one. Mats are available in plain(solid colour), natural and bleached, available with woven or stencilled design and bevelled patterns for use in interior or exterior fronts.

Coir mats are manufactured and supplied in various sizes. Popular and stock sizes are

Size No               Inch                 Cm

0.                           12"x21"       33x55

1.                          14"x24"       35x60

2.                          16"x27"       40x70

3.                          18" x30"       45x75

4.                          20"x33"        50x85

5.                           22"x36"         55x93

 The most popular and widely used coir mats manufactured with the aid of frames are,

 Corridor Mat 

 Sinnet Mat

 Mesh Mat

 Rope Mat and 

 Coir Mats with brushes are made mainly on looms and they are

 Fibre Mat

 Rod Mat

 Rod inlaid Mat

 Creel Mat

 Carnatic Mat 

 Loop Mat etc.

 Mats manufactured by other processes are, Rubber tufted mats

 P.V.C Tufted mats 

 Matting mats 

 General Procedure For Weaving.

 The warp yarn prepared on a chain beam is placed at the back of the loom. The yarn from the chain beam after passing over the back rest beam or chain rest beam is drawn through the heddle eyes and dented through the dents of the reeds attached to slay. This is then passed over the waist beam or front rest tied to a rod and attached to a wooden roller (tension beam/cloth beam) using pieces of rope. The take up of the woven fabric is affected by operating the ratchet wheel at one end of the wooden roller. By doing so the woven mat is uniformly taken up. There is another ratchet wheel fixed on the chain beam and by detaching the catch on the ratchet wheel, the necessary length of warp from the chain beam can be released.

Corridor Mat 

Corridor mat is also known as Hollander mat or Dutch mat. This is one of the mats that is woven without the help of a loom. It requires a wooden frame in which iron rods can be kept vertically through grooves cut on rails to the thickness of the iron rods. The iron rods temporarily function as warp. Based on the length of the mat the rods are arranged on the frame determining the number of rods required for a particular length as per the ends per foot of each quality of mat. The number of ends per foot generally followed in the industry is 14/15 and 18/19. After arranging the rods, the weft yarn is passed in between the rods by hand alternately from one end to the other and is turned back. This process of winding the yarn is continued until the required number of weft required for a particular width of mat is wound. For mats having designs coloured threads are

wound on the iron rods according to the designs. After completion of winding of yarn on one side, the frame along with the iron rods is turned to the other side so that the yarn can be wound on the latter portion of the iron rods. The process of winding the yarn on the iron rod is done similarly to with above case. The winding of yarn is done in this also as was done in the case of the other half. Now the iron rods with yarn wound over it is removed from the frame and placed in a pressing device. 

 The press consists of two iron rails out of which one is moveable by turning a handle. On the rails, small iron nails are fixed in such a way that the distance between the two iron nails equals the distance between the grooves cut on the wooden frame to erect iron rods vertically to weave the yarn. This helps the iron rods to be placed comfortably in the press while pressing. The iron rods with yarn placed on the two rails are subjected to pressing by turning the handle which causes the movable iron rail to move closer to the fixed rail to press the yarn to the required width. Now the iron rods are removed one by one and it is then drawn roping yarn through the holes from where the rods are removed. All the iron rods are removed like this and the rope yarn is passed in. While passing the roping yarn through the holes at the extreme ends a single thread of coir yarn is also passed in along with the roping yarn. So that the protruding ends of the thread can be utilized to prevent the weft threads of the mat at 4 corners from being loosened or removed while in use. The mat is then removed from the press and the 4 corners of the mat are made intact by taking the protruding threads suitably to interlace with the weft in

 the mat.

SINNET MAT 

 This is also known as Chain Mat. The mat is made by braid or plait guiding it in an even zig-zag manner with interspace-giving patterns followed by stitching. The braids used are generally 9 ply and 11 ply. The length of the braid required depends upon the size and the pattern of the mat to be produced. 

A flat table upon which nails without heads are fixed according to the size and pattern of the mat required. Starts with the braid is put from one corner and is guided around the outer portion of the nails for one round then it is guided to the inner side of the nails to form a second layer followed by stitching with the outer layer wherever required. Having completed the required number of layers for the border as described above, the braid again guided through the inner part of the mat through the nails to form the required pattern.

MESH MAT

This is a non-brush doormat produced with the help of a specially designed wooden frame. The size of the frame is made to the size of the mat to be made. The warp yarn is guided in between the nails in the length way and width way perpendicular to each other. There must be 4 layers of warp-two in length way and two in width way alternately. There will be 4 coir yarns crossing each other at the intersecting point. The mat is made by tying together the 4 coir yarn at the crossing point of warp layers with a special knot. A finer variety of coir yarn with the help of a needle is inserted through the mesh and circled over the warp yarn at the point of intersection in such a way that the stitching yarn should cross at the rear side of the mat. For getting designs, coloured yarn is used for tying.

A rectangular frame made out of 4 wooden planks upon which nails without heads are fixed at equal distances. The nails on one side of the frame are parallel to the nails on the opposite side of the frame. There should be 15 nails per foot. Usually for No-1 size the number of nails would be 17 and 30 in width way and length way respectively. Similarly, for the No.2 size, the number of nails is 20 and 34.

Having completed the tying according to the pattern, the mat is taken out of the frame. The edges of the mat round are finished by stitching with a coir braid of a suitable type or by a special braiding with 8 ends of coir yarn or finished with lace work

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Dyeing shade matching

CHEMISTRY OF FIBRE

It deals with the source, structure, composition, and properties of different kinds of Textile Fibres.

SOURCE (AVAILABILITY)

Fibres are obtained from different sources. To keep control over the commercial value, the textile Fibres must be available in large quantities and its supply more or less constant and low in price.

Examples: -

1.Cotton Fibre from Cotton plant

2.Coir Fibre from coconut husk.

Cellulose Fibres

3.Wool from sheep

Protein fibres

4.Silk from Silkworm

5.Terylene

Man-made fibres

6. Nylon

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIBRES

Natural or Artificial (man-made) fibrous materials are used for the manufacture of textile goods.

1. Cellulose Fibre

2. Protein Fibre

Natural fibres

3. Regenerated Fibre - Man-made Fibre

STRUCTURE

There are many Fibre structures in nature. The word Fibre means fine strand which is several hundred times longer than its width, but it is only those that can be spun into yarn suitable for weaving or knitting that is classified as. Textile Fibres.

Uses

The finished Textile products can be used for Apparel and Industrial purposes. The properties of Fibres will decide the qualities and uses. During use, the products are subjected to several physical treatments like stretching, pressing, twisting, squeezing, rubbing, etc., and chemical treatments with acids, alkalis, oxidizing and reducing agents, temperature, washing, etc.

APPAREL USES

INDUSTRIAL USES

Clothing's

'V' Belts

Furnishings

Tire cords

Tarpaulin

 PROPERTIES

Textile product has to withstand the properties during use and to fulfill the demands of the customers. The physical and chemical properties of the products decide the quality and end-use. So, it is essential to know about the properties of Fibre, the effect of finishes, the type of construction, and its uses.

The value of Fibre for textile purposes is determined by the degree to which it possesses certain fundamental properties such as staple length, tensile strength, elasticity, spinnability, flexibility. etc. to spin into yarn and make into fabric.

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

1. Staple length

Staple length is the most important property necessary to convert the Fibre into continuous length and it determines the usefulness. It is important to note that the strength of the thread is directly proportional to the length of individual Fibre used in the manufacture of that thread. The staple length of natural Fibre varies in length. Hence proper selection and grading of fibre is necessary to produce a particular type of yarn.

2. Tensile strength

Tensile strength is the most important property required for a textile Fibre. If the individual Fibre does not have strength, it is not possible to make a yarn from it. Although dependent on other qualities, the primary property essential is the tensile strength of Fibre to resist wear and tear while in use.

3. Spinnability (Cohesiveness)

The third essential quality required for a textile Fibre is the spinning power. It is the property of the individual Fibres holding one another when spun into yarn. Cohesiveness is the frictional resistance caused by the irregular surface of the Fibres. Cotton, coir, and wool possess an irregular surface that gives a high degree of friction and this is greatly increased by giving a twist in Fibre which interlocks several Fibres spun together and thus prevents the Fibres from slipping when subjected to strain.

4. Fineness

Fineness is the thickness of a Fibre and is expressed by its diameter in microns. It will decide the quality of the yarn or product. The finer the staple of the Fibre, the finer will be the yarn produced from it.

5. Elasticity

It is one of the most important properties of textile Fibre. It decides the breaking strength of the Fibre or yarn. The durability of a Fibre also determines in great measure its elasticity.

6. Pliability

Pliability is the property, that enables one Fibre to be easily wrapped around another in the spinning operation. The lack of this property will make the Fibre brittle.

7. Durability.

Durability means that the textile Fibres must be capable of withstanding ordinary kinds of wear to which it is reasonably subjected. It will decide the usage time of the product.

8. Luster

Another quality, that enhances the value of textile Fibre, is luster. Fibre possesses this quality such as silk, mercerized artificial silk, etc., and is capable of producing beautiful effects. The luster however is not an essential property but is an ornamental property.

9. Porosity

Porosity meant that the Fibre should be capable of easily absorbing liquids and solutions. This is essential for dyeing, bleaching, and other finishing processes. Fibres that cannot be dyed or bleached would have a limited application in the manufacture of textiles.

10. Uniformity

It means the evenness in length and diameter of the Fibre enhances the spinning quality very much and produces an even thread.

11. Moisture Relations

The moisture relation will affect the following

Comfort wearing

Percentage of shrinkage

Drying and wetting percentage

Development of elasticity

12. Density

The density of the Fibre depends upon the weight of the molecule of which it is made and how closely they are packed together. It is necessary in the development of cloth construction.

13. Availability

To possess commercial value Fibre must be available in large quantities and its supply more or less constant and cheap. The minimum availability will affect the production.

CLASSIFICATION OF TEXTILE FIBRE

Textile Fibres are divided into two classes based on their length.

➤Fibre

➤Filament

The word Fibre is usually used when speaking of cotton, coir, wool, and filament for rayon, silk nylon, etc. Filaments are natural and manufactured Fibres of continuous length. Staple Fibres are those, that are, cut into short lengths for spinning with wool cotton, or other textile Fibres.

CLASSIFICATION OF TEXTILE FIBRES

Textile Fibres are broadly classified into two groups based on their source of origin.

➤ NATURAL FIBRE

➤ MAN MADE FIBRE (ARTIFICIAL FIBRE)

This group can be further subdivided into subgroups.

NATURAL FIBRE

Natural Fibres are Fibres provided by nature in the fibrous form.

The natural Fibres are divided into three main groups.

Vegetable Fibre

Animal Fibre

Mineral Fibre

Vegetable Fibre

It contains in addition to cellulose, the usual constituents of vegetable cells. They are hemicelluloses and lignin, oils and wax, natural coloring matters, moisture and mineral matters. The vegetable Fibres are obtained from the seeds, bast (Bass), leaf, and fruits of the plants.

E.g.: cotton, linen (flax), Jute, Sisal, Manila hemp, and coir.

Animal Fibre

These are getting from animals. They are nitrogenous substances (meant to combine with Nitrogen or to supply nitrogen) and contain oxygen, Hydrogen, and carbon. They are also known as protein Fibres.

E.g.: Wool and silk.

Wool occurs as animal hair (Appendage) and silk is produced as a continuous filament by larvae of silkworms. (Secretion)

Mineral Fibre

These are natural substances (not vegetable or animal) obtained from mines.

E.g.: Asbestos, Glass.

ARTIFICIAL (MAN-MADE) FIBRE

Using suitable chemicals and auxiliaries makes artificial Fibres.

Man-made Fibres are divided into two main groups.

1. Semi-synthetic Fibre or Re-generated Fibre

2. Synthetic Fibre

. Semi-synthetic Fibre or Re-generated Fibre

They are made from vegetable sources and animal sources. The cellulose in the vegetable source or the proteins in the animal source is converted into a viscous solution and the solution is passed through a spinneret and then evaporated to form a long continuous filament by using suitable chemicals.

E.g.: Viscous Rayon Acetate Rayon Casein filament - Animal Protein

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2. Synthetic fibre

Synthetic Fibres are prepared from simple organic compounds. I.e., The raw material is not naturally occurring fibrous materials. The organic compounds are usually derived from the byproducts of petroleum.

E.g.: Terylene, Nylon

DYES AND DYEING 

 The term dyeing means coloring of various materials especially textile fibres in such a manner that the color cannot be removed by stripping or by washing. Moreover, the color must be distributed right to the whole material and not color simply on the surface like a painted article. The dyeing property of a material depends on the material to be dyed. Fixation of a dyestuff on a material by chemical processing is called dyeing.

CLASSIFICATION OF DYES

Based on the methods of application the dyes are classified as follows.

Acid dyes

Basic dyes

Direct dyes

Mordant dyes

After chrome dyes

Developed dyes

Coupled dyes

Sulphur dyes

Naphthol dyes

Vat dyes

Oxidized dyes

Dispersed dyes

Reactive dyes

Dyestuff For Coir

While in use the coir products are subjected to exposure in the light and rubbing. They should have the properties such as colorfastness towards the light, rubbing, and washing and the cost of the dyes and dyeing should be less. Most of these requirements can be met with acid, basic, and direct dyes. All the basic dyes are suitable for coir Fibre and yarn. Many of the acid and direct dyes are processing sufficient affinity towards coir.

BASIC DYES

Basic dyes are organic dyes based on certain types containing amino groups. This dyestuff has having direct affinity towards silk, wool, nylon, jute and coir. This dyestuff will produce brilliant shades and have great tentorial power (a small quantity of dyestuff produces a large number of colors and dyes more quantity of material) but these dyestuffs are poor in light fastness. Some of the basic dyes, which are commonly used for dyeing of coir in the coir industry, are

➤ Auramine OA (Yellow)

➤ Rhodamine B 500 (Pink) 5e

➤ Chrysoidine YN (Reddish Brown)

➤ Bismark Brown RLN (Brown)

➤ Magenta 2B (Rose)

Pink

►Malachite Green XLS (Green)

➤ Methyl Violet (Violet)

➤ Methylene Blue (Blue)

➤ Coir Blue AR (Dark Blue)

➤ Basic Black (Ash Black)

METHOD OF APPLICATION OF BASIC DYES ON COIR

The required quantity of dyestuff is pasted with an equal quantity of acetic acid (the strength of acetic acid will be 99.99% which is called glacial acetic acid) and brought into solution by adding hot water with proper stirring of the solution. The dye bath is set with the required quantity of water maintaining the material, solution ratio 1:12 to 1:15 for yarm and 1:20 to 1:24 for Fibre, and add required quantity of dye bath assistant (2% acetic acid on the weight of material) and stir