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Apparels - II
B.F. TECH – 2 N D SEMESTER
3HRS PER WEEK
Course Content
Hrs Content
2 Weft Knitting
2 Overview of types of knitting machines
1 Yarn characteristics for knitting
2 Graphical Presentation of knit structures
2 Warp Knitting
1 Knitted strcutures
1 Non-woven technology
1 Web formation techniques
2 Fabric Testing
1 Woven and Knitted Fabric defects
Course Content
Hrs Content
2 Pretreatment processes
1 Dyeing
1 Stages of dyeing
1 Dyeing machineries
3 Dyes
1 Defects in dyeing
6 Printing
1 Defects in Printing
Industrial visit
Pre-treatment Processes
Objective – To prepare the material for Processes
subsequent dyeing and finishing processes ◦ Shearing
◦ Singeing
Achieved by
◦ Removing both natural and added impurities ◦ Desizing
that interfere with subsequent dyeing and ◦ Scouring
printing ◦ Bleaching
◦ Improve the ability of the fibres to absorb ◦ Mercerization/ liquid ammonia
moisture, chemicals and dyes
◦ Carbonization of wool
◦ Impart a clear, bright and white surface
◦ Degumming of silk
especially for printing and dyeing of pastel
shades
Shearing
Cutting the loose strands of fibres from either
surface of a fabric
Cutting carried out by using sharp edged razor
or scissors
Cutting of designs into pile fabrics also
possible my manipulating the shearing
Simplest way to reduce the pilling tendency
Precautions need to be taken to avoid the
blades scratching the surface of the fabric –
will cause defects in subsequent dyeing
Shearing
Singeing
Aim: Burning off the protruding fibres from the fabric surface
Reasons for carrying out singeing
◦ Improves the end use and wearing properties of textiles
◦ Results in a clean surface which allows the structure of the fabric to be more clear
◦ Reduced fogginess caused by differing reflection of light by the projecting fibre
◦ Dyed fabrics appear brighter
◦ Reduced pilling tendency especially in blended fabrics containing synthetic fibres
◦ Reduced soiling tendency
◦ Essential for printing of fine intricate patterns
◦ Facilitation and speeding up of the desizing process
Singeing
Uneven singeing can cause Colour loss/ darkening of shade: disperse dyes
◦ streaky dyeing of high sublimation fastness
◦ Bubbles when the fabric is finished
Thermal damage to temperature sensitive
Specky dyeing of synthetic-blended fabrics fibres – plasticizing of fabric
◦ For cotton fabric – singeing of gray fabric Heat-bars caused by stop-offs
◦ For synthetic blended fabrics – singeing done
after dyeing Creasing causing streaky dyeing
Singeing
For cotton/ regenerated cellulosic For wool
◦ singeing of gray fabric is the normal practice ◦ Poor combustion properties
◦ Leads to slight yellowing ◦ Very sensitive to temperature
◦ Removed by subsequent bleaching ◦ Not subjected to intense flame
◦ Economical – additional washing and drying ◦ Flame not allowed to penetrate the fabric
◦ Can be singed very strongly with maximum
burner intensity
Singeing
Synthetics: Polyester enjoys greatest Blended fibre fabrics
significance ◦ Selection of singeing conditions are to be
◦ Melts at 280-290oC, burns at 500oC selected depending on the sensitiveness of the
◦ Flame singeing with powerful flame used kind of the fibres in the blend
◦ Also overcomes the problem of oligomers ◦ E.g. acetate/viscose blend, polyester/wool blend
Singeing
Machines
◦ Direct & Indirect type
Direct singeing: fabric comes in direct contact with the source of heat
Indirect singeing: No flame contact, uniform singeing, heat retention zone, singeing by means of
heat radiation
Direct singeing: Plate, Roller or Gas
Gas singeing: convenient, economical, effective that other methods and well accepted
commercially
Singeing – Gas Singeing
Machine consists of one or more burners with Fibre ends present in the interstices also
a adjustable narrow slit burned
Continuous flat or vertical flames produced by Singed fabric then passes between a pair of
a mixture of compressed air and gas draw rollers or through a nip of mangle
revolving above a water box
Cloth drawn over the flame at high speed
All sparks get extinguished
Flame impinges on the fabric surface and
burns the protruding fibres
Singeing
Singeing – Burner Positions
Tangential Singeing
◦ Flame touched the fabric tangentially
◦ Only protruding fibres are burned off
◦ Hardly any contact of the flame with the fabric
◦ Suitable for singeing light weight and sensitive fabrics
Desizing
Methods
Hydrolytic Oxidative
methods Methods
Desizing Enzymes
Hydrocarbo Chlorine
n system system
Scouring of Cotton
Scouring agents
◦ Alkaline agents – Sodium hydroxide, Potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium metasilicate,
sodium silicate, sodium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, tetrasodium phosphate, sodium
tripolyphosphate, borax etc.
◦ Surfactants – usually anionic and non-ionic
◦ Emulsion scouring agents – combination of an emulsifier and a solvent
◦ Organic solvents – Chlorine based include carbontetrachloride, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene,
methylchloroform, trichloromethane, fluorine,
◦ Organic solvents (Hydrocarbon based) – Benzene, Industrial gasoline, white spirit, solvent naptha
Scouring of Cotton
Caustic Soda Boil Soda ash boil
◦ Kier Boiling – sodium hydroxide 10–20gpl, liquor ◦ For fabrics containing coloured yarns
ratio 3:1, temperature 130oC, time 8hrs ◦ Sodium carbonate 1-2%, wetting agent,
◦ Batch process for piece goods – treatment with temperature – boil, time 30min
sodium hydroxide 4-6% at 130oC for 8hrs
◦ Continuous process – sodium hydroxide 40-
60gpl, temperature 130-135oC, time 2min
Scouring of Cotton
Mixture of caustic soda and soda ash Soap/Detergent – Soda ash boil
◦ 2 parts caustic soda and 1 part sodium ◦ Suitable for delicate and colours woven goods
carbonate ◦ Milder combination than that of caustic soda
◦ Soda ash – softens water: favours formation of ◦ Slower action of the alkali compensated by the
stable emulsions, increases fibre swelling: addition of detergent
release of impurities, soap formation by
neutralization of fatty acids, reduced adherence
of detergents in the alkaline medium;
stabilization of pH
Scouring of wool
Wool Impurities in wool and their removal
◦ Impurities in wool make it difficult for the fiber ◦ Lubricants: saponifiable oils, emulsifiable oils,
to be spun into yarn or dyed, printed or finished surfactant types, polyglycol types
◦ Three important methods: emulsion scouring, ◦ Saponifiable oils removed by scouring with soda-
suint scouring, solvent extraction ash
◦ Necessary soap formed in-situ
◦ Also emulsifies grease and dirt
◦ Emulsifiable oils removed by scouring with soap
and alkali
◦ Surfactant types removed in dyebath by normal
washing
◦ Polyglycol types removed by non-ionic
detergents in neutral conditions
Scouring of wool
Scouring of wool yarn and fabric Crabbing of woollen fabrics
◦ Wool yarn – setting and scouring ◦ Relaxation process to remove strains in the fabric
◦ Wool fabric – crabbing and scouring introduced during spinning of yarn and weaving
of fabric
Setting of yarn ◦ Fabric passes through boiling water and tightly
◦ To prevent cockling of yarn wound onto a roller half immersed in boiling
◦ Hanks or yarn stretched on a frame, immersed in water
boiling water for 30min, allowed to cool under ◦ Process continued for 5min and repeated in
tension before being removed from frame another bath for the second time
Scouring of wool
Emulsion scouring
◦ Detergent (2-4%), sodium carbonate (2%), temperature 50-55oC, pH 10, time 10-15min
◦ Multistage scouring – also assists in removal of dirt
Objective
◦ To destroy the colouring matter
◦ To produce whited fabrics with minimum degradation of the fibre
◦ The whiteness thus obtained should be permanent in nature
Bleaching
Types of bleaching Half Bleach
◦ Full Bleach ◦ Fabrics meant to be dyed with pale shades or to
◦ Half Bleach be printed without much white ground
◦ Absorbency more important than whiteness
Full Bleach ◦ Generally achieved by bleaching with
◦ Highest degree of whiteness is achieved hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide of adequate
◦ Done when the fabric is going to be used as a concentration
white fabric for apparels or to be printed with
white background
◦ Usually achieved by hypochlorite bleaching
followed by hydrogen peroxide bleaching
Bleaching
Bleaching agents
For polyamides
◦ Acid Dyes
◦ Metal Complex Dyes and Mordant Dyes
Important terms
Affinity Percentage Shade
◦ Qualitative estimation of the intermolecular ◦ Amount of dye taken to produce a particular
forces of attraction between colorant molecules shade
and the substrate
Percentage Exhaustion
Substantivity ◦ Amount of dye that has been actually been
◦ To describe the suitability of a dye for a taken up by the fibre from the dyebath
particular fibre
E.g. for 500gm material, % shade – 2% and %
Dyes suitable for a fibre should exhibit the exhaustion – 90%
affinity or substantivity towards a fibre in ◦ Amount of dye taken – 10gm; Amount of dye
order to get them fixed initially and to resist taken up by fibre – 9gm; amount of dye
removal by washing afterwards remaining in the solution – 1gm
Important terms
Migration & Levelling Migration & Levelling (contd.)
◦ Synonymous terms ◦ Migration of the dye on the fabric
◦ Migration is the ability of the dyes to transfer ◦ Results in levelled dyeing i.e. uniform colour
from areas of higher concentration to lower throughout the fabric length and width
concentration
◦ Migration of dye from outside to interior of the MLR (Mass to Liquor Ratio)
fibre ◦ Measure of liquor to be taken against a given
◦ Results in proper penetration of the dye giving weight of material
better shade and technical performance ◦ MLR 1:20 means 20 litres of water to be taken
for 1Kg material
Direct Dyes
Capable of direct application to cellulosic Affinity as a result of a combination of Van Der
fibres Waals forces, dipolar and hydrogen bonding
Anionic dyes – presence of sulphonate (SO3-) Not very strong forces of attraction
groups
Consequently technical performance
Sulphonate groups responsible for the water somewhat inferior
solubility of the dyes
Augmented by after-treatment processes
Cotton fibres carry a slight negative charge designed to improve the fastness properties of
when in water direct dyeing
Anionic nature of the dyes can reduce affinity
for the fibres
Direct Dyes - Application
Exhaust dyeing ◦ Dyeing is continued at this temperature for 30-
◦ Dye dissolved in water and added to the dyebath 60min depending on the depth of shade
after filtration ◦ To improve the fastness properties of direct dyes
◦ Cellulosic substrate put in the dyebath and after-treatment is usually given
◦ Temperature raised 45-50oC and maintained for ◦ A cationic dye fixing agent or metal salts are
15-20 min generally employed
◦ Thereafter common salt or glauber’s salt added ◦ Applied at 50-55oC for 15-20 min
in instalments while the temperature is being ◦ Washing and soaping complete the dyeing
raised to 95oC-100oC process
Vat Dyes
Totally water insoluble dyes Converted back to its original insoluble form
by an oxidation reaction
Converted to a water soluble ‘leuco’ form by
an alkaline reduction process Hydrogen Peroxide is commonly used
E.g. sodium dithionite (Na2S2O4) in the Dye gets trapped inside the fibre
presence of sodium hydroxide
Water insolubility gives the excellent wash
Leuco form has affinity for the cellulosic fibre fastness properties characteristic of vat dyes
and is thus taken up by the fibre
Vat Dyes - Application
Application of vat dyes is three stage process ◦ Reducing agent which is most commonly sodium
◦ Vatting (Reduction) dithionite added and temperature raised to
dyeing temperature to vat the dye
◦ Exhaustion
◦ Vatting is confirmed by change in colour
◦ Oxidation
◦ Leuco dye transferred to the dyebath
Reduction
◦ Vat dye converted to its leuco form that is Exhaustion
soluble in water ◦ Material to be dyed put in the machine and the
temperature raised to dyeing temperature
◦ Vat dye dispersed in water along with the
usually in the range of 50-60oC
required amount of sodium hydroxide
◦ Salt added to improve exhaustion
Vat Dyeing - Application
Exhaustion (contd.) Oxidation (contd.)
◦ pH and sodium dithionite levels regularly ◦ Oxidation carried out using hydrogen peroxide in
checked the presence of sodium hydroxide
◦ Oxygen from air consumes sodium dithionite as ◦ Additional sodium hydroxide may be added if
well as converts vat dye back to its insoluble required
form
◦ Additional sodium dithionite added after Soaping
intervals ◦ Dyed material treated with soap at boil for 15-
20min
Oxidation ◦ Removes any surface dye and improves the
◦ On completion of dyeing, goods are given a wash fastness of the dye
to remove surface dye and residual sodium ◦ A hot and cold wash completes the dyeing
dithionite and sodium alkali process
Reactive Dyes
Initially introduced for dyeing of cellulosic fibres
Later adapted for application on protein fibres
React chemically with the fibres to form a covalent bond
Exhibiting outstanding wash fastness properties
Groups
◦ Heterocyclic trazine ring
◦ Vinyl-sulphones
Reactive Dyes
Heterocyclic trazine ring (Procion Dyes)
Contains either two (dicholortriazine) or one
(monochlorotrazine) chlorine atoms
Reacts by neuclophilic substitution reaction
Reaction occurs only in the presence of alkali
Alkali is added at a later stage after the dye
has been exhausted on to the fibre
Results in more dye getting reacted with fibre
rather than water and getting hyrolyzed and
useless
Reactive Dyes
Vinyl-sulphone dyes (Remazol)
Again react with cellulose in alkaline
conditions
Nucleophilic addition reaction
Reactivity in between monochlorotriazine and
dichlorotriazine
Reactive Dyes – Application
Fixation
Two stage application ◦ Sodium carbonate is then added in instalments
◦ Exhaustion in about 15-20min
◦ Fixation ◦ Dyeing continued at this temperature for 45-
90min depending on the shade
Exhaustion
◦ Dyebath set at 50oC Soaping
◦ After completion of dyeing time the material is
◦ Predissolved dye added to the bath
given a hot and cold wash
◦ Material to be dyed introduced in the ◦ Thereafter it is soaped at boil to remove
dyebath hydrolysed dye
◦ For hot brand dyes the temperature ◦ Otherwise the washing fastness of dye will be
raised slowly to 80oC poor
◦ Salt is also added during this time in
instalments
◦ Upon reaching the desired temperature
dyeing continued for 15-20min
Sulphur dyes
Fairly small in number but some products Dyes initially insoluble in water
manufactured in large quantities
Converted to water soluble form by treatment
Long established group of dyes for cellulosic with alkaline sodium sulphide
fibres
Reduction of disulphide to alkali soluble thiol
Capable of providing a wide range of shades
usually produce dull colours After application to the fibre, oxidation to
regenerate the insoluble polymeric structure
Polymeric in nature thus chemical structures
not fully established
Known to contain mixtures of sulphide (-S-),
disulphide (-S-S-), polysulphide (Sn) links in
heterocyclic rings
Sulphur Dyes - Application
Sulphur dye dispersed in water Temperature gradually raised to 60-85oC with
addition of salt in instalments
Sodium polysulphide added to reduce the dye
into its water soluble form Dyeing continued at this temperature for 30-
60 min
Material to be dyed introduced in the dyebath
and the dyeing started from 50oC Fibres rinsed in hot water, oxidized, soaped at
80-85oC, rinsed in mild alkali solution and
dried
Azoic dyes
Also known as in-situ dyes Limited combinations available that can be
applied successfully in this manner
Contain two components
◦ Coupling agent (a phenol or aromatic amine) Deep colours like reds and purples can be
◦ Developing agent (a diazotized base) produced
Applied sequentially on the fibre i.e. one after Tedious application process
the other Need for cooling systems as the reactions
Colour gets developed in the substrate itself need to be carried out at lower temperature
that are even lower than room temperatures
Azoic Dyes - Application
Three stage process Naptholation (contd.)
◦ Naptholation ◦ Fabric impregnated with solution of sodium
◦ Coupling or Diazotization naphtholate
◦ After-treatment ◦ The excess solution from the surface of the fibre
removed by centrifuging, squeezing, vacuum
Naptholation extraction etc.
◦ Naphthol pasted with Turkey Red Oil and small ◦ Fabric dried
amount of water
◦ Solution heated to 85OC
◦ Alkali added and heated for further 5-10min
Azoic Dyes - Application
Coupling pH5-7 essential for stability of the napholate
◦ A primary aromatic amine diazotized by reaction and diazonium salt
with sodium nitrite under acidic conditions and
low temperatures Maintained by the addition of acetic acid or
◦ Fabric is immersed in the solution of the sodium acetate
diazotized base when the reaction between the Aftertreatment
coupler and the developer completes the ◦ Soaping and rinsing carried out to remove
reaction
surface dye
◦ Also develops the full colour and brightness of
the shades
Dyeing of Wool
Acid Dyes
Used to dye protein/polyamide fibres Under acidic condition fibres carry a positive
charge
Application – direct as was in the case of direct
dyes for cotton Ionic forces develop resulting in increased
affinity of the dye for the fibre
Applied from an acidic dyebath
Improved exhaustion
Presence of one or more sulphonate (SO3)
groups Van der Waals forces, dipolar forces and
hydrogen bonding also play role in increasing
Play a dual role the affinity of the dye for the fibre
◦ Provide solubility in water
◦ Make the dye carry a negative charge when
applied from an acidic bath
Acid Dyes
Further classified as Fast Acid Dyes
◦ Acid-levelling or equalising dyes ◦ Larger in size as compared to levelling acid dyes
◦ Fast acid, half milling or perspiration-fast dyes ◦ Superior wet fastness properties as compared to
◦ Acid-milling dyes & Super-milling dyes levelling acid dyes
◦ Retain some of the migration properties
Acid-levelling dyes
◦ Smaller in size, lower affinity, migrate easily, Acid Milling Dyes & Super Milling
resulting in a levelled shade ◦ So named because they have some degree of
◦ Unlevelled dyeings can be corrected by boiling fastness to milling process
for 30 min in the presence of increased ◦ Thus have higher degree of wet fastness as
concentration of sodium sulphate compared to previous dye classes
◦ Wet fastness moderate and in some cases poor ◦ Size larger than both the previous dye classes
◦ Poor migration properties
Application Methods – Acid Dyes
Exhaust Dyeing preferred method
Can be carried out at different stages – raw
stock/loose fibres, slubbing, yarn or finished
garments
Dyeing method
◦ Dyebath prepared with dye, sulphuric acid (2-4%
owf) or formic acid (1-3%), glauber salt (5-10% owf)
and other dyeing assistants e.g. levelling agent
◦ Material to be dyed introduced in the dyebath and
the temperature raised to boil @1oC/min
◦ Dyeing carried out for 40-60min
◦ Material subsequently washed, soaped, washed and
dried
Application Methods – Fast Acid
Dyes
Dyeing method
◦ Dyebath prepared with dye, sodium sulphate (5-
10%), acetic acid (1-3%)and other dyeing
assistants e.g. levelling agents
◦ Material to be dyed introduced in the bath and
temperature slowly raised to boil
◦ Dyeing carried out for 45-60 min
◦ Material subsequently washed, soaped, washed
and dried
Application Method – Acid Milling
Dyeing Method
◦ Dyebath prepared with acetic acid (1-3% owf) –
pH 5.0-7.5, sodium acetate (2gpl) or ammonium
sulphate (4% owf) and other dyeing assistants
◦ Material to be dyed introduced in the dyebath
and the temperature raised to boil @1oC/min
◦ Dyeing carried out for 40-60min
◦ Material subsequently washed, soaped, washed
and dried
Mordant dyes/ Chrome Dyes
Similar to acid dyes When a single chromium ion coordinates with
two dye molecules, a considerable increase in
Additionally have ability to form stable size of the molecules results
complexes with chromium
Improves the fastness properties
Dye applied to fibre as an acid dye
Most widely used for heavy shades e.g. navy
Treated subsequently with a chromium salt and black
e.g. potassium dichromate
Disadvantages
Gives very good level dyeing and migration ◦ Long dyeing times
properties before chroming
◦ Potentially high levels of fibre damage
And after chroming excellent wet fastness ◦ Environmental concerns associated with the use
of chromium
Application Method – Mordant
Dyes
Three application methods Meta-chrome dyeing
◦ Chrome mordant dyeing ◦ Co-application of dye and chromium from a
◦ Meta-chrome dyeing dyebath at neutral pH
◦ After-chrome dyeing ◦ Restricted to dyes which have affinity for wool at
neutral pH
Chrome mordant dyeing ◦ Good macro levelness
◦ Pre-chroming wool ◦ Disadvantage – limited number of suitable dyes
◦ Dye application ◦ Disadvantage – inability to achieve very heavy
◦ Permits simple shade matching shades, because of limited exhaustion at neutral
◦ Disadvantage – requires two separate baths pH
◦ ◦ Disadvantage – high residual levels of chromium,
Disadvantage – chroming step causes significant
fibre damage resulting from less than optimum dyebath
exhaustion of the mordant at neutral pH
Application Method – Mordant
Dyes
After-chrome dyeing
◦ Most widely adopted technique
◦ Separate steps but carried out in the same bath
◦ Reduced dyeing times, water and energy
requirements
◦ No restriction on shade
◦ Better fastness properties than either of the
other two chrome dyeing techniques
◦ Disadvantage – difficulty in shade matching
Metal Complex Dyes
Exemplified by 1:1 metal complex and 1:2 1:1 Metal Complex Dyes
metal complex dyes ◦ Commonly applied from a strongly acidic bath
with a pH of approximately 2
Preformed dyes ◦ Possess excellent migrating and levelling
Have high affinity for the fibre because of their character
large size ◦ Prolonged dyeing under such low pH causes
fibre damage
Excellent light fastness and wash fastness ◦ Reduced amounts of sulphuric acid or use of
other acids like formic acid or sulphamic acid or
use of a proprietary levelling agent is suggested
Metal Complex Dyes
Metal Complex Dyes
1:1 Metal Complex Dyes
◦ Alternatively dyeing at 80oC is also suggested
Dyeing of Silk
Dyeing with Acid Dyes
Lower affinity of dyes for silk as compared to wool Pre-dissolved dye added, dyeing continued for
10min
Lesser problem encountered in level dyeing
Temperature raised to 80-85oC in 45 min and dyeing
Super milling dyes show very good fastness continued for further 30-90min
Exhaust dyeing at neutral or acidic pH is preferable Dyeing beyond this temperature reduces lustre
method
A thorough washing to remove superficial dye
Dyebath prepared at 40-45oC with Acetic Acid (2-
4%) and Glauber’s Salt (5-10%) to maintain a pH 4-5 Strong acid dyes can be applied at pH 3-4 using 1-3%
Formic Acid (HCOOH) and 5% Glauber’s salt
Some amount of boiled-off liquor is also used in
dyeing Brilliant shades produces with good light fastness
abut poor to moderate wash fastness
Acts as levelling agent and keeps silk soft and
lustrous Improved by treatment with cationic dye fixing
agent (2-4gpl) at 40-50oC for 20min
Dyeing with Metal Complex
Dyes
Dyeing method similar to dyeing of wool
Dyeing carried out at 90oC in the presence of
Acetic Acid alone or in combination with
Ammonium Sulphate (5%)
Ammonium Sulphate acts as a buffer and
increases the dye uptake substantially
After-treatment with cationic dye fixing agent
(2-4gpl) at 40-50oC for 15-20min to improve
the wash fastness
Produce dull shades with good light and wash
fastness
Dyeing with Mordant dyes
Dyebath set with Glauber’s salt (10%) and Restricted application due to
acetic acid (4%) ◦ Production of dull shades
◦ Deposition of chromium on silk imparts rigidity
Temperature raised to 90oC over 30min after with loss of its characteristic scroop
which formic acid is added for complete
exhaustion Mostly limited to the application of logwood
black
Dyeing continued for further 15min and then
dried without washing Silk first steeped in a solution of cutch or
myrabolan at 50-60oC
Mordanting is done with mordant solution
containing basic salts of chromium (3%) for Then steeped in a solution of pyrolignite of iron
16hrs at 30oC at 60-70oC
Washing and drying completes the process Squeezed and exposed to air for 1-2 hours and
washed
Nylon Dyeing
Acid Dyes
Rate of dyeing dependent on pH Milling Acid Dyes
◦ Increases slowly from pH 7 to 4 ◦ Moderate affinity
◦ Remains somehow changed from pH 4 to 2.7 ◦ Applied at pH 4-5 with Acetic Acid (3-4%) at 95oC
◦ Steep rise in pH from 2.7 to 1 for 60-75min
Acrylic fibres contain anionic groups (SO2 and CO2) Dyeing methods
◦ Non-Retarder Method
Ionic attractions are the main forces of attraction
between the dye and fibre ◦ Retarder Method
Basic Dyes – Application
Methods
Non-Retarder Method
◦ Bath is heated in a controlled manner
◦ Dyeing started at 40oC and quickly raised to 70oC
◦ Rise in temperature restricted to 1oC/min till
85oC
◦ Thereafter raised to 95oC rapidly
◦ Dyeing carried for 1-2hrs
◦ Soaping and washing
Basic Dyes
Retarder Method (Cationic) Retarder Method (Anionic)
◦ Bath set at pH 4.5, cationic retarder (2%) and ◦ Bath set at 60oC with anionic retarder (0.5-2%),
60oC non-ionic dispersing agent (2-3%), Acetic Acid in
◦ Acrylic treated in this bath for 10min and then combination with Sodium Acetate to get a pH
dye is added around 4.5
◦ Dyeing carried out at 95oC for 1-2 hrs ◦ Bath heated up to 85oC rapidly then slowly to
boil
◦ Dyeing further carried out for 1-2 hrs, followed
by soaping and washing
◦ Basic dye forms a complex with the anionic
retarder; the whole complex takes part in the
dyeing
Blend Dyeing
Blend Dyeing
Classification of fibre types by dyeing C fibres – dyed with cellulosic dyes in full
properties depths e.g. cotton, linen and other bast fibres,
viscose, Lyocell, modal and other Polynosic
A fibres – dyed with acid dyes in full depths fibres
e.g. wool and other animal fibres, silk, nylon,
polyurethanes, acid-dyeable variant of nylon, D fibres – dyed with disperse dyes in full
polypropylene, acrylic and modacrylic fibres depths e.g. acetate, triacetate, polyester,
deep-dye polyester variants, poly(vinyl
B fibres – dyed with basic dyes in full depths chloride)
e.g. basic dyeable acrylic, modacrylic, nylon
and polyester
Types of Blends
Types of blends ◦ CC Blends – Cotton/Viscose, Cotton/modal,
◦ Primary blends – Binary blends of fibres Cotton/Polynosic, Cotton/linen, Linen/viscose,
belonging to the same group e.g. AA, BB, CC, DD Linen/modal
blends ◦ DD Blends – Cellulose acetate/triacetate,
◦ AA Blends – Wool/silk, Wool/mohair, Cellulose acetate/polyester
Wool/cashmere, Wool/angora, Nylon/wool,
Nylon/Silk, Wool/polyurethane,
Nylon/polyurethane, Wool/acid-dyeable
polypropylene, Nylon/acid-dyeable
polypropylene, Normal/deep-dyeable nylon
Blend Dyeing
Types of blends Types of blends
◦ Secondary blends – Binary blends of fibres ◦ AC Blends – Wool/cotton, Silk/cotton,
belonging to different groups e.g. AB, AC, CB, DA, Nylon/cotton, Polyurethane/cotton, Acid-
DB, DC dyeable polypropylene/cotton, Wool/viscose,
◦ AB Blends – Wool/acrylic, Silk/acrylic, Silk/viscose, Nylon/viscose, Wool/modal,
Nylon/acrylic, Polyurethane/acrylic, Acid-dyeable Nylon/modal, Nylon/linen
polypropylene/acrylic, Wool/modacrylic, ◦ CB Blends – Cotton/acrylic, Viscose/acrylic,
Mohair/modacrylic, Nylon/modacrylic, Acid- Modal/acrylic, Polynosic/acrylic,
dyeable/basic-dyeable acrylic, Cotton/modacrylic, Viscose/modacrylic
Modacrylic/acrylic, Deep-dye/basic-dyeable ◦ DA Blends – Cellulose acetate/wool, Cellulose
nylon, Wool/basic-dyeable polyester, acetate/silk, Cellulose acetate/nylon, Cellulose
Nylon/basic-dyeable polyester triacetate/wool, Cellulose triacetate/silk,
Cellulose triacetate/nylon, Polyester/wool,
Polyester/silk, Polyester/acid-dyeable
polypropylene
Blend Dyeing
Types of blends Types of blends
◦ DB Blends – Cellulose acetate/acrylic, Cellulose ◦ Tertiary Blends – combination of three fibres
triacetate/acrylic, Polyester/acrylic, Cellulose with each fibre usually from different groups
acetate/modacrylic, Cellulose
triacetate/modacrylic, Polyester/modacrylic,
Normal/basic-dyeable polyester
◦ DC Blends – Cellulose acetate/cotton, Cellulose
triacetate/cotton, Polyester/cotton, Cellulose
acetate/viscose, Cellulose triacetate/viscose,
Polyester/viscose, Cellulose triacetate/modal,
Polyester/modal, Polyester/Polynosic,
Polyester/linen
Blend Dyeing
Four major type of coloured effects types possible ◦ Different colours used for dyeing the different fibre types
while dyeing of blends ◦ Gives an effect of yarn dyed fabric
◦ Reserve dyeing
Union dyeing
◦ Cross/Contrast dyeing ◦ Similar to cross-dyeing
◦ Tone-on-tone/Shadow dyeing ◦ Both the fibres dyed to same shade to produce a solid-
◦ Union/Solid dyeing shade fabric
◦ Different fastness characteristics of the different fibres
Reserve dyeing give uneven fading
◦ Only one fibre is dyed and the other is kept white
Tone-on-Tone dyeing
Cross dyeing ◦ Light and dark shades in the fabrics
◦ Fabric made up of fibres of different fibre groups e.g. ◦ Fabrics usually contain on group of generic fibre having
protein and cellulosic, acid-dyeable and basic different dye affinity
dyeable, polyester with cotton or wool ◦ Fibre with stronger dye affinity takes up more dye
◦ Each fibre class show affinity for different fibre class ◦ Get more deeply dyed than the other type
Blend Dyeing – Colour Effect
attainable on binary blends
Colour Effect
Blend Type
Solid Reserve Shadow Contrast
AA (Nylon/Wool) Use of auxiliaries Neither Component Easily controlled Not possible
AB (Nylon/Acrylic) Easily controlled Acrylic Reserve Seldom required Wide range available
AC (Nylon/cellulosic) Easily controlled Cellulosic reserve Seldom required Wide range available
CB (Cellulosic/acrylic) Easily controlled Either component Seldom required Wide range available
CC (Cotton/viscose) Dyeing conditions Neither component Viscose deeper Not possible
Blend Dyeing – Colour Effect
attainable on binary blends
Colour Effect
Blend Type
Solid Reserve Shadow Contrast
DA (Polyester/wool) Dyeing conditions Polyester reserve Possible Limited range
DB (Polyester/acrylic) Easily controlled Polyester reserve Acrylic deeper Limited range
DC (Polyester/cellulosic) Easily controlled Either component Possible Wide range available
DD (Triacetate/polyester) Dyeing conditions Polyester reserve Easily controlled Not possible
Blend Dyeing
Methods used for blend dyeing 1-bath 2-step methods
◦ 1-bath 1-step methods ◦ Dyes for both the class of fibres are put together
◦ 1-bath 2-step methods in the same dyebath
◦ 2-bath 2-step methods ◦ Firstly one fibre gets dyed as the conditions are
made suitable for that dye-fibre combination
1-bath 1-step methods ◦ On completion of dyeing of the first fibre, the
◦ Dyes for both the class of fibres are put together dyebath conditions are made favourable for the
in the same dyebath second dye-fibre combination
◦ Both the fibres take up the dyes simultaneously ◦ Second fibre gets dyed and the process gets
completed
Blend Dyeing
2-bath 2-step method
◦ Most convenient method
◦ Most commonly used for secondary blends
◦ Should be opted only when there is a chance of interference in the dyeing of the component fibres in
single bath methods
◦ Not economical as the consumption of water and energy as well as chemicals is almost twice than single
bath methods
◦ Dyebath for one fibre prepared and the dyeing carried out
◦ Fresh dyebath for the second fibre is prepared and the dyeing of the second fibre carried out
Blend Dyeing
Polyester/Cellulose blend Polyester/Cellulose blend (contd.)
◦ Both polyester/cotton or polyester/viscose ◦ Reactive dye most suitable but vat dyes used
blends quite popular where higher demands on fastness properties
◦ Polyester dyed with disperse dyes are imposed
◦ Cellulosic fibres can be dyed with all types of ◦ Continuous methods – fabric padded with a
cellulosic dyes mixture of disperse/vat dye, dried, passed
through a hot chamber maintained at 175oC for
◦ Any of the 1-bath or 2-bath method can be used
few minutes where the disperse dye gets fixed,
for dyeing passed through a solution of sodium dithionite
◦ All the four dyeing effects possible: solid, and sodium hydroxide, reduction clearing of
reserve, contrast, shadow disperse dye as well as conversion of vat dye to
◦ Blends lends itself well to dyeing by batch or leuco form, cotton gets dyed, fabric
continuous dyeing processes subsequently passes through a solution of
oxidizing agent to convert vat dye to its original
form, soaping to remove surface dye and dried
Blend Dyeing
Polyester/Wool blend Polyester/Wool blend (contd.)
◦ Wool sensitive to high temperatures used for ◦ Polyester dyed using disperse dyes
dyeing of polyesters ◦ Disperse dyes have a tendency to colour wool
◦ Dyeing either carried out at elevated ◦ Need to be removed by reduction clear
temperatures for a short period or treatment before dyeing of wool
◦ Dyeing carried out at boil in the presence of ◦ Reserve shade possible by keeping the polyester
carrier for disperse dyeing of polyester undyed
◦ Wool dyed using acid or metal-complex dyes ◦ Contrast, solid and shadow shades possible but
damage to wool needs to be monitored
Blend Dyeing
Wool/Nylon blend Wool/Nylon blend (contd.)
◦ Nylon has lower saturation value than wool ◦ Reserve shade generally not possible
because of fewer dye sites ◦ Can be obtained by dyeing nylon with disperse
◦ Consequently wool will be deeper dyed than dyes or disperse-reactive dyes
nylon ◦ Wool remains undyed
◦ Both the fibres get dyed by acid and metal ◦ Contrast shades not possible
complex dyes
◦ 1-bath 1-step process used for dyeing this blend
◦ Shadow effects easily obtained by short dyeing
times
◦ Solid shades produced by extended dyeing times
Blend Dyeing
Wool/acrylic or nylon/acrylic blend
◦ Wool/nylon dyed with acid and metal complex dyes
◦ Acrylic dyed with basic dyes
◦ Both the fibres require similar dyeing conditions especially slightly acidic pH
◦ Reserve dyeing can be obtained by keeping acrylic undyed
◦ Solid, contrast and shadow effects easily obtainable
Stages of Dyeing
Stages of Dyeing
Adding colour to the textiles Desirable to add colour as late as possible
◦ Before fibre manufacture (solution or dope ◦ Commercially beneficial
dyeing) ◦ Technical performance poorer
◦ In fibre
◦ In yarn Tremendous demand on the preparatory to
◦ In fabric
dyeing
◦ In product Good preparatory gives excellent results in
dyeing
Dope dyeing needs to be carried out at the
fibre manufacture’s end
All other dyeing processes carried out in
processing house
Solution dyeing or dope dyeing
Part of the manufacturing fibres Colours fade proof i.e. exceptional light
fastness and wet fastness
Colouring agent added to the melt/solution of
the polymer before extrusion Fabrics well suited for draperies, automotive
fabrics where great sunlight exposure is
Colour becomes the part of the fibre itself and expected
is permanent
Available in limited number of shades as
Mostly used for fibres that cannot be dyed frequent shade change is not economically
easily using aqueous methods e.g. acetates feasible
(heat-sensitivity) and olefins like polyethylene
and polypropylene (do not take up dye from
aqueous solution)
Fibre or Stock Dyeing
Refers to dyeing a staple fibre before it is spun Placed into machines and the dye liquor
circulated through these fibres at a given
Used for producing heather effects – when temperatures for specified time
dyed and undyed fibres are blended and spun
into yarn For top dyeing the tops are places onto
perforated spindles similar to the ones used
Top Dyeing refers to dyeing of wool fibres for yarn dyeing
Tops are combed wool slivers wound into balls Carrier placed in the dyeing machine and the
and then dyed dye liquor circulated through the tops
For fibre dyeing, loose fibres are loaded into Fibre dyeing gives the best penetration of the
large perforated cylindrical vessels dye into the fibre and consequently the best
performance with regards to fastness
properties
Fibre or Stock Dyeing
Yarn Dyeing
Types Beam dyeing
◦ Skein dyeing ◦ A beam of yarn prepared by winding the yarn
◦ Package dyeing onto large perforated beam
◦ Beam Dyeing ◦ Usually used for the dyeing of warp threads
◦ Dyed beam directly taken to the weaving
Skein Dyeing machine for weaving
◦ Yarns are wound into skeins or hanks
◦ Loaded into the machines Quality of dyeing better than fabric dyeing but
◦ Dyed as the requirement of the process inferior to fibre dyeing
White Resist
◦ Ground colour resisted from fixation by the printed
paste
◦ Outcome is white printed pattern on a coloured
ground
Colour Resist
◦ A dye which is not affected by the resisting agent is
incorporated in the print paste
◦ Ground colour application resisted by the print paste
◦ Outcome being coloured motif on a coloured ground
Resist Printing
Two step process Resist Methods
◦ Application of chemical or wax like substance on ◦ Mechanical resist
white fabric that resists the penetration of dye ◦ Chemical resist
into the fabric
◦ Alternatively mechanical resist methods may Mechanical resist agents include rubber
also be used bands, threads, wax, thickener paste etc.
◦ In the second step the fabric is dyed when the
portions of the fabrics given a resist treatment Chemical resist agents include acid, alkalies,
are left undyed various salts, oxidizing or reducing agents etc.
Drying at 60-80oC
Washing
Discharge Printing
Washing sequence
◦ Cold wash
◦ Oxidation bath [1-2gpl Hydrogen Peroxide or
Sodium Perborate] at 60oC
◦ Hot Wash [60-80oC]
◦ Soaping [1-2gpl Non-Ionic soap] at 80-90oC
◦ Hot wash at 60-80oC
◦ Cold Wash
Discharge Printing
Advantages Disadvantages
◦ Background colour is dyed – richer and has ◦ Careful and precise control of discharging agents
greater depth as compared to when blotch required
printed ◦ Costly
◦ Colour blotches with sharp outlines can be ◦ May result in damage to the fabric in the printed
produced which is difficult to obtain by direct area
style
◦ Limits the colours as the dyes that can be
discharged be only used
Discharge Printing
Discharge vs. Resist
DISCHARGE RESIST
Dyeing with solid colour followed by Application of resist agents followed by
discharge printing dyeing with solid colour
Prints are normally brighter and Prints are subdued and lack brightness
sharper and sharpness
Applicable only to the colours that can Applicable to almost all colours
be discharged
Cost is higher Cost is lower
Discharge vs. Resist
DISCHARGE RESIST
Work procedure is relatively simple Work procedure is relatively complex
Requires strong chemical reaction Requires comparatively milder
chemical reaction
Consumes less time as number of Consumes more times as number of
operations are less operations are more
Printing problems such as mesh choke- Problems of mesh choke-up from
up are less insoluble resisting agents is more
Styles of Printing
Transfer Printing – Design printed on transfer
paper, both paper and fabric brought in
contact with each other, design gets
transferred onto the fabric
Transfer Printing
Indirect style of printing Transfer of dye effected at 180oC to 220oC for
20-30 seconds
Simple process as it requires only heat
treatment for a very short time Fabric is above is its glass transition
temperature
Two stage process
◦ Desired pattern printed on a release paper Dye on the paper sublimes and diffuses into
◦ Pre-printed release paper placed on the fabric the fabric
and heat and pressure is applied to the back of
the paper
Paper is removed and no after treatment is
required to be given on the fabric
Transfer Printing
Only disperse dyes are suitable to be used in Good quality paper, non-fibrous, non-
this method absorbent paper with a smooth surface should
be used
Consequently fabrics that are dyeable by this
dye can only be dyed by this method – Normally 80% of the dye gets transferred
polyester, nylon, acetate while 20% remains on the paper
Disperse dyes in the range of 240-350rmm can Disperse dye in the form of printing paste is
be used applied to the paper and the print is allowed
to dry
Paper selection an important requirement for
successful transfer printing Dye should stick to the surface till time
transfer process is not effected
Transfer Printing
Machines used for transfer printing Flat-bed press transfer printing machine
◦ Flat-bed press transfer printing machine ◦ Mainly used for garments but fabrics can also be
◦ Continuous Calender or Drum transfer printing transfer printed
machine ◦ Process is batchwise or discontinuous
◦ Fabric or garment placed on the press bed
◦ Pre-printed paper placed on the fabric/garment
◦ Hot pressed at 180-220oC for 20-30 seconds
Transfer Printing
Continuous Calender Transfer Printing
Machine
◦ Used for fabrics only
◦ Fabric and pre-printed paper pass in close
contact with each other around a large drum
◦ Drum heated to 220oC and the fabric-paper
composite remain in contact with the drum for
15-20 seconds
◦ And endless blanket under tension helps them
to keep the both in contact
Transfer Printing
Advantages Disadvantages
◦ Simple process does not require expensive ◦ Only applicable to limited types of fabrics
machinery ◦ Limited range of disperse dyes can be used
◦ No after-treatment required – drying, steaming, ◦ Not economical for short runs
curing and developing, washing etc.)
◦ Designs on pre-printed paper cannot be
◦ Less labour intensive modified and last minute colour changes not
◦ Skilled labour not required possible
◦ Fault free printing as any defects in printing are ◦ Lead time higher
rectified on the paper
◦ Low space requirement
◦ Perfect registering and production of intricate
designs possible
Methods of Printing
Block Printing
Roller Printing
Screen Printing
Block Printing
Hand process
Probably the oldest method
Expensive and slow
Pattern carved out in a block
Design placed in the raised portion
For fine lines short pieces of copper strips are
inserted
Block dipped in a shallow pan of dye paste
Block Printing
Block pressed onto cloth and tapped with a Blocks have to be lifted and stamped
mallet to ensure complete contact of the block repeatedly
with the fabric
Size and weight should not be excessive
Successive impression have to be adjusted
accurately Table covered with a resilient pad
For correct registration of the block, pitch pins Resilient pad composed of several layers of
are fixed round the sides of the block which gunny cloth on which a back grey is fixed
print tiny dots on the cloth Fabric sometimes stiffened a little to prevent it
Separate block for each colour from wrinkling
Block Printing
Advantages Disadvantages
◦ Simple to operate ◦ Slow and low output
◦ Does not require elaborate and expensive ◦ Labour intensive
equipment ◦ High cost
◦ Designs in any number of colours or any scale ◦ Difficult to cut fine lines or minute spots without
can be reproduced with ease breaking the grain of the wood
◦ No limiting factor in respect of size ◦ Joining of repeats is difficult and more chances
for defects
◦ Difficult to print larger repeats due to the weight
of the blocks
Roller Printing
Mechanized process
Used to produce prints in bulk quantity
Patterned effect produced with the help of a machine consisting of engraved rollers
Roller Printing
Components of the machine
◦ A large cylinder wrapped with layers of cloth
called lapping
◦ Endless woollen blanket running over the
cylinder
◦ Engraved rollers containing the design
◦ Colour furnishing roller partly immersed in
trough containing the print paste
◦ A doctor blade and lint doctor blade resting on
the engraved roller
Roller Printing
Central cylinder usually made up of steel or Gives elasticity to the fabric being printed
cast iron
A back grey run between the fabric to be
Wound with 8-12 layers of lapping printed and the woollen blanket
Lapping – mixed cotton with linen warp and Prevents the soiling of the blanket by marking-
worsted weft off of the colour from the fabric to be printed
Covered with a endless woollen blanket 30-
50m long
Roller Printing
Engraved roller – 80-200cm long, 12.5-30cm Lines and dots can be cut easily on the roller
diameter for solid rollers or 12.5-75cm without the fear or subsequent damage in
diameter for shell rollers printing
Usually made of copper Engraving of the rollers is a distinct and highly
specialized branch of roller printing
Design to be printed is etched out/cut
out/scooped out of the surface Each roller contributes one colour
Impression on the fabric obtained by filling the Each roller consists of its own portion of the
etched hollows with the colour and impressed design
on the fabric
All the rollers will collectively produce a
particular design
Roller Printing
E.g. one roller may print all the leaves of a Usually a wooden roller covered with cotton
floral pattern in green cloth and partly dipping into the printing paste
trough
Second roller may print all the roses in red
A long fine sharp edged steel blade called the
And third roller may print all the talks in brown colour doctor blade rests on the engraved
and so on roller
A colour furnishing roller supplies colour to Scrapes off excess amount of colour from the
the engraved rollers engraved roller
Roller Printing
A second blade known as the lint doctor is Secondly the engraved roller may pick up part
mounted on the other side of the engraved of the paste from the fabric coming from the
roller preceding roller
Serves two important functions This colour if not removed will contaminate
the print paste and cause a change in the
Firstly removes loose fibres that may have colour which will spoil the design
been picked up by the engraved roller
Upto 16 engraved rollers can be used
Important because if the loose fibre gets
trapped in the engraved roller and colour Adjustment of these many rollers becomes
doctor blade may give a coloured streak on difficult thus only 4-6 rollers are used
the fabric
Roller Printing
Advantages Disadvantages
◦ Large quantities of cloth can be economically ◦ Not economical for short runs of fabrics
printed ◦ Difficult to produce blotch designs
◦ No faults in joining of repeats ◦ Even though 16 rollers can be used, the difficulty
◦ No joint marks in alignment of the design and contamination
◦ Fine sharp outlines and half-tone effects can be from the carry-over print paste restricts the
produced by this method number of rollers to 4-6
◦ Repeat of the design limited to the diameter of
the engraved roller
Screen Printing
Involves passing colour paste through a partly Screen Making
blocked mesh screen ◦ Printing screen made from fine mesh screen
fabric of silk, nylon, polyester or metal known as
Colour passes through the screen in the open the bolting cloth
areas (Print areas) ◦ Tightly mounted on a frame or rolled into a
While no colour is applied in the blocked areas cylinder
(Non-print areas) ◦ Coated with a photosensitive lacquer (coating)
◦ Design for a single colour is printed as black on a
clear film
Screen Printing
Screen Making (Contd.) Each colour requires a different screen
◦ Film placed on the coated screen and the whole
assembly exposed to light Each colour of the design must be precisely
◦ Lacquer hardens in the clear areas of the film
located to ensure proper registration of the
(non-print areas)
design on the fabric
◦ Lacquer in the unexposed black areas remains Types of screen printing
water soluble (print areas) and is washed out ◦ Hand Screen Printing
◦ Screen baked to harden the remaining lacquer ◦ Automatic Flat-Bed Screen Printing
and is then ready to use
◦ Rotary Screen Printing
Hand Screen Printing
Done on long tables Waterproof cover used if the fabric is to be
adhesive binded
Usually 75cm high, 120-160cm wide and 30-
60m long Guide rail is fitted along the sides of the tables
to ensure correct registration and alignment of
Table covered with a woollen felt cloth the design
Fabric to be printed can be fixed on the table Adjustable metal stops or pegs are attached to
either by pinning it or by gumming with an the rail to ensure proper fit in the repeat of
adhesive the design
Cotton back grey is used when the fabric is to Electrical heating arrangement to dry the
be pinned printed fabric
Hand Screen Printing
Frames are usually 15-20cm wider and longer Made of rubber plates with wooden handles
than the cloth to be printed
Colour paste poured at the bottom end of the
For printing of fine fabrics a fine mesh fabric is screen
used
Drawn over to the other side with the help of
And for printing of coarse fabrics a coarser the squeegee with a uniform pressure
mesh fabrics is used as it gives good coverage
of the colour paste Process repeated 2-3 times whereby the
colour gets transferred to the fabric
For application of colour, squeegees are
required
Hand Screen Printing
Same procedure repeated for the subsequent
colours
Intermediate drying at the table helps in
preventing smudging of the design by the
subsequent screens
Hand Screen Printing
Hand Screen Printing
Advantages For high production, large number of tables
◦ Simple to operate required occupying large amount of floor
◦ Does not require elaborate and expensive space
equipment
Delicate shading and gradation of colour
◦ New designs can be produced quickly and difficult to obtain
cheaply
◦ Less labour intensive Joint marks at the repeats are often
◦ Economical in production perceptible
◦ Repeat size larger than roller printing Screens need to be maintained and cleaned
◦ Blotch designs can easily printed especially fine mesh screens which have a
◦ Up to 16 colours can be printed tendency to get choked
Automatic Flat-Bed Screen
Printing
Mechanization of hand screen printing
In hand screen printing usually the fabric is
stationary and the screens are moved
In automatic flat bed screen printing the
screens are stationary and the fabric is moved
on and endless conveyor belt
Automatic Flat-Bed Screen
Printing
The screens are so mounted that the can be
raised or lowered
Thus when the fabric is to be moved the
screens are raised
And when the fabric is to be printed the
screens are lowered
The application of the colour is automatic with
the help of a motorized squeegee
Automatic Flat-Bed Screen
Printing
Components of the machine
◦ Printing table
◦ Endless conveyor belt
◦ Number of screens
◦ Mechanism for lowering and raising the screens
◦ Motor driven squeegee
◦ Arrangement for gumming the fabric onto the
conveyor belt
◦ Drier
◦ Arrangement for storing and pumping the print
paste
Automatic Flat-Bed Screen
Printing
Fabric to be printed brought onto the printing Printing paste prepared in tanks and is poured
table through a feeding arrangement that on the screen throughout the full width/length
gums the fabric to the conveyor belt of the screen
Conveyor belts moves intermittently under the Colour is applied by the squeegee which
screens and stops at the predetermined makes one or two strokes over the screen
distance of the repeat size
Screens are lifted again the fabric moves again
Screens are then lowered on the fabric
Machine consists of 8-16 printing stations
Automatic Flat-Bed Screen
Printing
Automatic Flat-Bed Screen
Printing
Advantages Disadvantages
◦ Higher production as compared to block and ◦ Costly as initial equipment cost is high
hand screen printing ◦ Not suitable for small lengths
◦ Exact registration possible ◦ Half-tone, fine paisley prints and length wise
◦ Less labour intensive stripes not possible
Rotary-Screen Printing
Further improvement over automatic flat-bed
screen printing machine
Instead of flat screens circular metal screens
are used
Arrangement of feeding the print paste and
the squeegee lies inside the circular screens
Rotary-Screen Printing
Usually built for 6-24 colours
Suitable for printing 160-320cm wide fabric
Can print any type of fabric including knitted fabrics
Speed of the machine can be adjusted from 10-100m/min
Rotary-Screen Printing
Components
◦ Fabric feeding unit
◦ Printing unit
◦ Drying and fixing unit
◦ Print paste feeding unit
◦ Washing unit for conveyor belt
Rotary-Screen Printing
Feeding unit provided with a feed arrangement, a selvedge alignment unit and a continuous
gluing unit which gums the fabric on the conveyor belt
Alternatively a vacuum system may be employed under the belt
Gluing arrangement can omitted
In the printing unit each of the screens are individually driven
Rotary-Screen Printing
All screens fit perfectly independent of the
movement of the fabric or the blanket
Perfect fitting of the design is thus obtained
consistently
Possible to fit screens automatically whenever
the machine stops, so no stop marks are
produced
Change of pattern can be achieved quickly
Rotary-Screen Printing
For changing and washing the screens can be easily dismantled
Length of conveyor belt considerably shorter than used for the flat-bed printing unit
High efficiency washing and drying unit for the conveyor belt provided under the printing table
If vacuum principle is used then no washing required
Rotary-Screen Printing
Printing paste is fed by pumps from the
reservoir to the screens
Level of print paste inside the screen
automatically controlled
Rotary-Screen Printing
Transfer of printing paste through the screens
achieved by specially designed squeegees
Rod type or flexible blade type activated by an
electromagnet or hydraulic system
Rotary-Screen Printing
Subsequent to printing the fabric is passed through a hot air dryer to dry the fabric
Dried fabric then sent for subsequent fixation treatment
Alternatively a fixation unit may be attached to the printing unit to achieve total continuous
operation
Rotary-Screen Printing
Advantages Disadvantages
◦ Highest production ◦ Not economical for short runs
◦ Joint marks totally absent ◦ Size of the repeat limited to 65cm which is less
◦ Perfect registration of the design with respect to than that of hand screen printing
different colours
◦ Half-tone effects and vertical lines can be
produced
◦ Prints free from smudging which is quite severe
in roller printing
Other Printing Methods
Duplex Printing
◦ Printing on both sides of the fabrics
Digital Printing
Primarily developed for printing on paper Computer control colour, amount and location
Developed for printing on textiles Streams of ink ejected at a high velocity
Machine consists of fabric feeding system, Pressure enough to ensure proper penetration
cloth guide system, moving inkjet printing of the dyes into the surface of the fabric
heads and take-up system
Further vacuum on the reverse side of the
Jets in the print head controlled by valves fabric also ensures proper penetration of the
dye in the fabric
Micro-drops of colour liquid ink are applied
through tiny nozzles on the fabric surface at
precise points
Digital Printing
Earlier machines operate with four basic Ink jet release technologies
colours – yellow, magenta, cyan and black ◦ Continuous Inkjet (CIJ)
◦ Drop On Demand (DOD)
Posed a challenge with mixing of colour on
textiles Printing speed varies from 15-200m/hr
Machines with more colours developed – 8 to Has profound effect on small-lot, custom
16 colours printing and sample printing
Colour overlap to give full range of visual Used extensively for sampling before going for
effects with half tones bulk production runs
Colour is created or mixed right on the fabric
Droplets are very fine about 720 drops/inch
Digital Printing – Advantages
Ability to use large number of colours Direct printing of fabric with the help of CAD
Application to wide range of substrates Elimination of colour separation films and
screens
Excellent reproduction of images especially
continuous-tone images Quick design change, reduced lead time
Extremely complex designs can be produced Savings in time, labour
with ease
Convenience of data handling
Unlimited repeat size
Eco-friendly and clean technology
Ability to print engineered designs that cross
seam lines Low energy consumption
Economical for production of small lots
Digital Printing - Disadvantages
Low productivity
Slower production speed
High equipment cost
Not suitable for all dye classes
Useful smooth fabric surface (not for velvets etc.)
Fabric need to be pre-treated with a thickener
before printing
Problems with image resolution and crispness
Limitations of fabric width, fastness of print and
changes in fabric hand
Digital Printing
Other Printing Methods
Electrostatic Printing Foil Printing
◦ Similar to electrostatic flocking ◦ Fabric printed with a special adhesive
◦ Prepared screen covered with a powdered dye ◦ Dried and partially cured
mixed with a carrier that has dielectric ◦ Foil combines a polyester film with a heat
properties sensitive release containing a very thin layer of
◦ Screen positioned about ½” from the fabric aluminium and a clear or tinted laquer
passed through an electrostatic field ◦ Metallic foil heated on heat transfer press
◦ Dye powder pulled onto the material ◦ Foil bonds only where the adhesive pattern
◦ Fixed by heat exists on the fabric
Other Printing Methods
Flock Printing
◦ Technique of adhering minute pieces of fibre
◦ Adhesive applied by roller printing technique
◦ Flock of cotton, wool, viscose, nylon or acrylic
applied to the fabric in a manner that it causes
to adhere in an upright position
◦ Produces a pile like, velvet textured design
◦ Flock usually of coloured fibre thereby adding to
the decorative appeal
Other Printing Methods
Flock Printing (Contd.) Flock Printing (contd.)
◦ Flocking accomplished by beating the underside ◦ Fibres get more deeply attached and therefore
of the fabrics with rotating multisided bars more permanently attached
◦ Fabric vibrations produced by the beaters cause ◦ Other methods – Giroud Process, Electrostatic
the flock to flow over the surface of the fabric Principle
and stand erect
◦ Continued vibration caused the erect fibres to
penetrate deeper into the adhesive
◦ As more fibres fall on the already erect fibres
they become similarly oriented
◦ Build up a pile effect
Burn-out prints
Used for producing designs on blended fabrics
One component of the blend is dissolved in
the printed areas
Usually practiced on polyester/cotton or
polyester/wool blend
Polyester/cotton blend fabrics treated with
sulphuric acid to dissolve cotton leaving
behind polyester skeleton
Polyester/wool blend fabrics treated with
sodium hydroxide to dissolve wool again
leaving behind skeleton
Spray Printing
Design imparted by spraying of colours in a controlled manner through nozzles
Originally developed for carpets
Extended to printing of other thick fabrics like blankets, towels, corduroy, velvets and flockings
Rows of very fine jets are used to force the dye into a fabric
About 10-20 jets/inch are used
Operation of jets controlled by a computer
Jets can be stationary or traversing type
Other techniques
Khadi Printing
◦ Dyed fabric printed with a print paste containing
titanium dioxide
◦ Produces a white effect on colour background
◦ Addition of coloured pigment, a coloured khadi
can also be printed
◦ Gives white or coloured attractive raised
patterns resembling discharge or resist effect
◦ Process simple and economical
Khadi Print
Recipe for White Khadi
TiO2 [White pigment] 30% Print
Binder [Film forming polymer] 30%
Fixer CCL Resin [Cross-linking agent] 1-2% Dry
Glycerine [Anti-choking agent] 2-3%
Urea [Hygroscopic agent] 2-5%
Fluorescent Brightener 0.5% Cure
Acid liberating catalyst – Diammonium 0.5-1% • At 150oC for 4-5 min when DAP is
Phosphate or Catalyst LCP used
Kerosene Emulsion paste Balance • At 110oC for 4-5 min when Catalyst
LCP is used
Total 100 parts
Damask Print
Similar to Khadi print
Use of white pigment like titanium dioxide over lustrous fabric like rayon to produce a matt
pattern
Other techniques
Metallic Print
◦ Metallic powders used to obtain gold and silver
effect in printing
◦ Usually produced on dark ground
◦ Bronze or brass powder used for gold printing
effects
◦ Aluminium powder used for silver printing
effects
◦ Copper powder used for copper printing effects
Metallic Prints
Recipe
Metallic powder 15-20%
Print
Metal binder 80-85%
Fixer 1-2%
Glycerine 2-5%
Dry at moderate
temperatures (80oC)