Learning outcomes of this week

The students will be able to:

 Define Carding

 Describe the objectives of carding

 Illustrate the Flow of material through carding machine

Explain the working of machine
Definition of Carding
The conversion of tufty material into a single fiber state (filmy
web) by passing it between wiry surfaces is called carding.

Carding is  a  mechanical  process  that  disentangles,  cleans  and  intermixes 

fibres  to  produce  a  continuous  web  or sliver suitable  for  subsequent 
processing. This  is  achieved  by  passing  the  fibers  between  differentially 
moving  surfaces  covered  with  card  clothing.  It  breaks  up  locks  and 
unorganized  clumps  of  fiber  and  then  aligns  the  individual  fibers  to  be 
parallel with each other.
Major Objectives of Carding
• Opening up to individual fibres
• Cleaning of remaining impurities
• Dust extraction
• Removal of short fibres
• Disentanglement of Neps
• Mixing and Blending
• Fiber orientation
• Sliver Formation
Card Machine and
Parts
Names of Card Machine Parts
Material flow through revolving flat card
Material flow through revolving flat card
Diameter and Speed of different parts of card
• Lap roller-------------- 6 Inch ------------ about 1 ft/min
• Feed roller ------------ 2.5 Inch ---------- about 1.15 ft/min
• Taker-in/Licker-in---- 9 Inch ----------- about 900 rpm
• Main Cylinder------ 50/40 Inch --------- about 450 rpm
• Moving Flats ------------------------------- about 2-5 inches per min
• Doffer -----------------27/20 Inch----------- about 30 rpm
• Doffing comb-------------------------------- about 2000 strokes per
min
• Calendar roller ----------- 4 Inch -------- about 300 rpm
• Coiler calendar roller-----2 Inch---- about 630 rpm (80 yards/min)
Material flow through revolving flat card
Working of cotton card machine

 The lap from the Scutcher is placed on a lap roller which unwinds the lap and directs
it on the feed plate.

 The feed roller moving at a very slow speed provides the proper feeding condition
with the help of special nose at the end of feed plate. The feed roller is fluted to
increase its grip over the material. It also exerts some pressure on the lap. There is a
difference b/w the surface speed of feed roller and lap roller. Feed roller has a greater
speed in order to provide some tension to the lap.

 The material after passing from the feed roller enters the opening region where a high
speed taker-in with special saw teeth welcomes the material. The saw teeth are
inclined in the direction of motion of taker-in which strike through the material and
open it to required extent. There is a proper gauge (gap) b/w the feed plate the taker-in.
Working of cotton card machine

 Cleaning action of the material is also observed at the taker-in along with the opening
of material. Motes are removed with the help of mote knives. There is an under
casing under the taker-in for dropping the other impurities. This under casing has two
portions. One for lighter impurities and the other for the heavier ones.

 After passing through the taker-in, the material is transferred to the cylinder due to
stripping action b/w the two surfaces. Surface speed of cylinder is almost twice than
that of taker-in.

 The opened material in the form of tiny tufts is now ready for the most important
action of the card machine i.e., point-to-point action. This action takes place b/w the
cylinder and flats. When material passes b/w the two surfaces then due to carding
action, fiber-to-fiber opening is achieved.
Working of cotton card machine
 Cylinder converts the tiny tufts of cotton into individual fiber with the help
flats and thus further cleans it also. At this stage, neps are disentangled and
short fibres are separated from cotton. These short fibers and impurities are
embedded in the wires of flats. There is a spiral brush roller above the flats
which removes the short fibers and impurities from the wires of flats.

 Only 40% flats are in working while the remaining ones are out of job at that
instant. The remaining impurities in the fiber stream are dropped down
through grid bars below the cylinder

 The carded material in single fiber state is taken by the slow moving doffer.
Then doffer converts the material in a continuous web form which is later
removed from its surface by oscillating doffer comb by stripping action.
Working of cotton card machine

 The doffer comb guides this web of material towards the trumpet guides.
Trumpet guides convert this web into rope form and guide this rope of cotton
towards the pair of calendar rollers.

 The calendar rollers condense this fluffy rope called sliver and reduce its
diameter. For further improvement, this sliver is again passed through another
trumpet guide and another pair of coiler calendar rollers. These rollers exert
pressure on the sliver and finally convert the sliver in a compact form. This
sliver is then coiled in the cans.

 The weight of card sliver ranges from 50 to 100 grain/yard The production of
conventional cotton card machine is 25 – 100 lb/hr.