Introduction

Man Made production & Spinning process

Classification of Textile fibre:(See at page 6)
Forms of Man Made fibre: MMF are produced in three types –
1. Filament
2. Staple
3. Filament tow.
1. Filament: Filament fibres are spun from spinnerets with 350 holes or less is
determined by the size of the yarn to be made. The number of holes in the
spinneret determines the no of filaments in the yarn filaments are of two
types:
Mono filament
Multi filament
Monofilament: This filament is made only of a single filament.
Multifilament: These filaments are made of more than one filament.

2. Staple fibre: Staple fibre is of limited and relatively short length .Staple
fibres are made from filaments which are spun from large spinnerets with as
many as 3000 holes. The length of the staple fibre depends on its use. Staple
fibre is a unit of matter which is usually at least 100 times longer than its
thick.

3. Filament Tow: The product of 100 or more spinnerets is collected into a

large rope of fibres called Tow. This rope or tow is crimped and then made
into staple by cutting or breaking.
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N Physical Modification ofmiMMF: Po
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III) Light stabilizer. ie. Polyhydroxy benzophenone.
2. Changing size and Shape of spinneret holes:
I) For carpet fibres – heavy denier from 15 – 24 den.
II) For dilobal fibres – Silk like.
III) For trilobal fibre – straw like or high lustures.
IV) For Multilobal fibres – bulk.
3. Varying conditions of extrusion and solidification.
I) Thick and thin – Slub yarns and multi color effect.
 II) Hollow filaments.
4. After treatments – high tenacity fibres are produced by drawing either during
or after spgn.

Modifying the spinning solution:

The following modification arte made by the addition of substance to the spg n
solution:
1. Delusturing agent: TiO2, it prevents the reflection of the surface of the fibre.
Variation in the amount of pigment will control the degree of lusture to
produce semi dull or dull fibres.
2. Solution dyeing: Addition of colored dyeing / pigments or certain dyes to the
spgn solution or to the resin polymer. It is also called spun dyeing or dope
dyeing.
3. Whitening agent: To resists the yellowing and to make whiter fibre
fluorescent whitening compounds (dyes) added to the solution. This
whiteness is permanent to washing and dry cleaning.
4. Light stabilized: To make lightly resistant.

Spinneret: A nozzle or plate provided with fire holes or slits through a fibre forming
solution or melt is extruded in fibre manufacturing is called spinneret. This is the
most important part of a MMF producing m/c. The number of holes, sizes and
shapes vary with the filament desired.
Spinneret was 1st invented by OZANAM at 1862 A.D.

Spinneret is made of Platinum, Iridium, Rhodium, Stainless steel, Tantalum.

Shape of spinneret:

Features of Spinneret:
1. Spinneret holes are slightly wider at the entry than the exit.
2. The denier of filament extruded through a hole does not depend upon its size,
but it has some significance on the efficient extrusion depending on melt
delivery speed.
3. Special spinnerets are required for the production of hollow fibres and
bicomponent fibres.
4. After long use the spinnerets get checked and it is essential to clean them.
5. The spinneret holes may be broken spotted.

Problems:
 Breaking (On account of high pressure and temp)
 Clogging (The holes can be blocked for solid particles mix with polymer
solution).

Remedies:
 For breaking problem: the spinneret is to be changed.
 For clogging: the spinneret should be cleaned after some days.

Spinneret cleaning process:

I) Salt bath method
II) Sample burning method
III) Vacuum cleaner method
IV) Solvent cleaning method
V) Fluidized bed system

Flow chart of MMF production:

1. Manufacture of the fibre forming polymer.
2. Spinning ( extrusion through spinneret)
3. Stretching/Drawing ( improving strength and crystallinity)
4. Texturing/Crimping ( developing natural fibre properties)
5. Intermingling/Interlacing( applied instead of twisting)
6. Heat setting( made dimensionally stable)
1. Manufacturing of the fibre forming polymer:
All man made fibres are composed of long chain molecules known as polymer
which are formed by chemical processing. The polymer manufacturing process is
the determining factor for many basic characteristics such as density, melting
point, dyeing behavior moisture absorption etc.
Common groups in polymers –
- Amide or Peptide groups ( -CO-NH-)
- Benzene ring
 - Ether linkage( -C-O-C-)
- Ester linkage(-C-O-O-)
- Hydroxyl group (-OH)
- Nitrile group (-C-N-)

2. Spinning:
The conversion of polymer into fibre is called spinning. The fibre forming
substance is made temporarily fluid, extruded through spinneret and then
returned to solid state (by solidification) in fibre form.
Three types of spinning process:
1. Melt spinning (Synthetic).
2. Wet spinning.
3. Dry spinning.

1. Melt spinning:
The process of spinning by which fibre or filament is produced from melted
polymer chips by extruding through spinneret continuous filament produced here.
Number of filament depends on number of holes in spinneret. It is the most critical
operation is the production of nylon polyester, and polyolefin, poly propylene fibres
as number of fibre properties such as uniformity, crystallinity, and orientation are
imparted to the yarn during processing.
Melt spgn process: Synthetic polymer spgn:
I) At first the fibre forming polymer/polymer chips are fed into a hopper then
to the melter.
II) At the melter the polymer is heated over melting point.
III) The full chamber is filled by N2 or inert gas.
IV) The polymer solution is pumped to the filter to removing impurities.
V) The polymer is then extruded through the spinneret holes.
VI) Cold air is passed over the filament to bring solid form.
VII) Then the Solid filaments are converted by converging guide to give a
slight twist.
VIII) Apply spin finish.

Requirements:
4. The polymer should not be volatile.
5. The melting point of polymer should be 30 oC less than its decomposition
temp.
Advantage:
1. Can be used for both staple and continuous filament.
2. Direct and simple process.
 3. No environment pollution.
4. No solvent required.
5. Non toxicity and no risk of explosion.
6. High production speed (2500 – 3000 ft/min)
7. Low investment cost.

Flow Chart
Feed

Melting

Metered extrusion

Cooling & solidification by cold air.

Moisture conditioning

Lubrication
Yarn driving
Packaging

Disadvantage:
1. Required more proper maintenance of the m/c.
2. For flat yarn separate stretching operation is req d.
3. Heat of input is high.

Typical melt spinning:

Polymer Melting point
Nylon – 6, 6 264oC
Nylon – 6 220oC
PET 264oC
Polypropylene 167oC
Poly ethylene 125oC

Dry spinning:
In dry spgn, the fibre forming polymer dissolved in a volatile solvent is introduced
into a heated drying chamber where the solvent is evaporated and solid fibre is
obtained through spinneret. This process is used for Acetate and some
polyacrylonitrile fibre.
Dry spinning process:
1. Firstly the Solid polymer and suitable solvent is dissolved together in a
solution vessel.
2. The solution vessel is filtered and stored to a feed vessel.
3. The solution is slightly heated by a heat exchanger.
4. Then it is pumped to the filter and to spinneret at specific rate of pressure.
5. Hot N2 gas is passed through the spgn cabinet
6. The evaporated gas is passed to the solvent recovery plant
7. Solid filament is treated to spin finish and then wound on a suitable
package.

Dry spinning solvent:

Fibre Solvent
I) Cellulose - Acetone + (2-6) % water
II) Triacetate - Methylene chloride (40%) +
Methanol (10%)
III) Poly acrylonitrile - Di-methyl formamide or
Dimethyl acetamide.
IV) Spandex - DMF, DMAC.
V) Modacrylic - Acetone.

Feed

Metered extrusion
Solidification by solvent

Evaporation

Lubrication

Yarn driving

Packaging

Flow Chart
Advantage:
- Suitable for producing fire denier fibres.
- No need of wash of fibre.
Disadvantage:
- Investment cost is high.
- Toxic and risk of explosion.
- Heat input is very high.
- Can not be used for staple fibre production.
Properties of solvent:
- Solvent should not be volatile.
- It should be organic.
- It should have low boiling point.
- It should be comparatively cheap.
- It should have low latent heat of evaporation.
- It should be thermally stabilized.
- It should be non toxic.

Wet spinning:
In wet spinning a suitable solvent is used to prepare fibre forming solution and
another coagulant is used in coagulating bath. Solution is extruded through
spinneret and in contact of coagulant cellulose is regenerated.
Process:
Wet spinning is carried out by the following steps:
1. Dope preparation
2. Extrusion
3. Spgn
4. Stretching
5. Spin finish
6. Drying & steaming
Procedure:
I) At first solic polymer and suitable solvent is dissolved in a solution vessel.
II) The solution is then heated in heat exchanger.
III) The solution is passed/extruded to spinneret which immersed in a
coagulation bath/spin bath by pump.
IV) The polymer is then precipeted or is chemically regenerated and it is
converted into the filament of solid form.
V) The filament is converged and wound on bobbin.
VI) The wended filament is then drawn and finally it is washed & dried and is
also wound on suitable package.
 Flow Chart

Feed

Metered extrusion

Decomposition of soluble

Derivatives or solvent removal

Stretch

Batch Process Continuous Process

Packaging Wet treating Fig: Schematic diagram of wet spinning process

Wet treating Washing

Washing Drying

Drying Packaging
n
Wet spg solvent & coagulant:
Fibre Solvent Coagulant
Viscose Alkaline water Dill H2SO4 + Na2SO4 +
ZnSO4
PVA Water Aqueous NaOH
PAN DMF/DMC + Aq DMF/DMC + 40% ZnCl2
60% ZnCl2
Advantage:
1. Suitable for staple fibre.
2. Both organic and inorganic solvent can be used.
3. Low temp reqd.
4. Higher production due to continue spg n.
5. Softener process.
6. Investment cost is low.
Disadvantage:
1. Slow spgn speed.
2. Washing and bleaching of fibres are needed.
3. Toxic.

Differentiate between melt, dry and wet spinning:

Parameter Melt spgn Dry spgn Wet spgn
1. Investment cost Low High Low
2. Hazard Non toxic Toxic Toxic
n
3. Heat of spg High Very high Low
4. Spinneret hole 2 – many 300 – 900 20000 – 75000
thousands
n
5. Spg speed 2500 – 3000 2500 – 3000 150 – 300
ft/min ft/min ft/min
6. Productivity High Low High
7. Application Filament o9r Filament Filament or
staple staple
8. Solvent Not required Only volatile Both organic
organic solvent and inorganic
solvent can be
use.

Special spinning method:

1. Reaction spgn.
2. Emulsion/dispersion spgn.
3. Film splitting fibrillation.
1. Reaction Spinning: Chemical spgn:
The fibre forming polymers that do not melt, not soluble in suitable
solvent or cross – linked during polymerization are usually polymerized in this
technique.
First pre polymer is made, then is spun in the bath of reagent.
Polymerization and spun happen simultaneously. Example – Spandex.

Advantage:
 Spgn is integrated with polymerization.
 Simple solvent may be red.
Disadvantage:
 Not suitable for higher denier.
  Skin contains polymer of higher molecular wt. than the care.

2. Emulsion spinning:
This spun method is applied for those polymers which have very high
melting point and difficult to solubilised. PTFE poly Tetrafluoro ethylene is produced
by this method.
nCF2 = CF2 [- CF2 – CF2 -]
The grind polymer is dispersed in water containing a water soluble
polymer. Matrix is then spun into filament. When the filament is sintered (heated to
near Tm). Polymer particle join together. Then the matrix polymer is removed by
dissolving or evaporating.

3. Fibrillated spinning:
Filament yarn may also be prepared by the extrusion of a thin film
which is slit or fibrillated.
Fibrillated yarns are formed when a polymer film is passed through a line of rotary
knives, usually spaced 2 – 4 mm apart. Fibrilate4d yarns are made by stretching a
narrow sheet film longitudinally until it is highly oriented and then cracking it into
thousands of fine filaments called fibrils by stretching laterally.
Factors of spinning:
The spinning process depends on –
- Melting point of fibre.
- Decomposition temp of fibres.
When decomposition temp is higher than melting point of fibre then fibre is
spun by melt spgn.
When fibre forming polymer is decomposed (components breakdown) at
melting point then the dry spgn is used.

4. Drawing: The process by which the yarn/ fibre is elongated by passing it

through a semi series of pair of rollers, each pair moving faster than the
previous one is called drawing. Drawing is always carried out in a plastic
condition. It is a system which removes stable, weak and brittle properties of
filament.
Object:
- To increase strength.
- To reduce elongation at break.
- To reduce creep property.
- To increase orientation and crystallinity.
 - To remove brittleness and instability of the filament.
Drawing process:
1. Drawing unplasticized condition
2. Drawing in plasticized condition
3. Wet stretching (during wet spgn)

1. Un plasticized condition:
In cold un plasticized condition- If the Tg of fiber is about room temperature , then
no extra heat is used. At first, un drawn yarn are

passed between two control roller and then arranged into snubber pin and stretched
through the draw roller. In hot un plasticized condition-A heater is used between the
pin and draw roller and heated at suitable temperature. As for example, for
Polyester (Terylene)and Acrylic the draw temperature is 80 0C

2. Plasticized condition:
In this process, at first the un drawn yarn is passed through the two pair stretching
roller which is taken in a plasticizing bath . Then it is rinsed and wound in a bobbin.

3. Wet stetching:
a) Godet controlled wet stretch of nascent yarn:
In this process, the stretching is done by godet wheel directly.
b) Snubber controlled wet stretch of nascent yarn :
In this process, at first the nascent yarn arranged with a snubber pin
then ,stretching is done by godet roller e.g.viscose rayon is stretched by both above
way.

Condition:
Three factors are considered for drawing –
a) Draw ratio: During drawing the ratio of speed of front(out put)roller to the
back(in put)roller is called draw ratio.
Draw ratio=V2/V1. Where V2>V1
b) Draw speed.
c) Draw temperature.

Effect of drawing on fiber properties:

The effect of un drawn fiber structure on the structure and properties of drawn and
finished mtl is due to the fact that the original structure is not completely destroyed
in case of drawing. The more pronounced the crystalline structure in un drawn
fibers, the stronger the effect on properties of
drawn fibers.
Velocity of 1----8.4m/min
2---36m/min
3---- 116m/min
4---- 170m/min
5--- 258m/min
Properties of highly oriented fibres:
 - High tenacity.
- Low elongation.
- Brittleness.
- Increased lusture.
- Low moisture absorption.
- High chemical stability.
- Low dyeing affinity.
- Unattractive handle.

The skin effect:

The molecules in the skin of the fibre are more highly oriented than those in the
middle. The extra resistance encountered by the spg n solution in contact with the
edge of the orifice lines up the long molecules and increases orientation or
crystallinity.

Orientation effect:
1. The molecules align them-self parallel or nearly so to the fibre axis.
2. The molecules because of their improve alignment are able to pack
themselves in a more orderly manner so that the fibre becomes more
crystalline.
3. In some cases the molecules unfolds particularly incase of Nylon.
4. The molecule slide over each other.
5. As a result of the improved packing there is more opportunity for
interatomic attractive forces to be exerted in particular hydrogen bonds.

4. Texturisation:
Textured yarn:

Texturisation is the process by which flat filaments are distorted to have crimps,
coils, curls or loops along their length to achieve bulk and greater absorbency.
Basic principle of Texturisation:
Texturisation is performed in 3 steps:
1. To heat the yarn to plastic condition.
2. To impart the required shape of filament.
3. To cool it to retain the shape.
Advantage:
 Crease resistance, dimensionally stable.
 Better appearance, softer handle.
 Higher absorbency and better perspiration conductivity.
 Better air permeability.
 More flexibility.
Disadvantage:
 Create problem in laundering.
 Reduce strength.
 Decrease abrasion resistance.
 Creates hairiness of fibre.

Process of Texturisation:
 False twist method.
 Stuffer box method.
 Gear box method.
 Knit – de knit method.
 Stress – curled method.
 Knife – edge crimping method.
 Physical/ chemical crimping method.
 Air Jet method.

False Twist method:

The false twist method is the most important and the most widely used technique
for producing textured Yarn.
The false twist method combines all three stages –
 Twisting
 Heat setting
 Untwisting in one continuous operation
The false twist type yarn m/cs currently used for manufacturing stretch and
modified stretch yarn.
The yarn is drawn form the supply package, fed at control tension over the heater
and through the false twist spindles and finally wound on a package.
The twist in the yarn is set when it is between the input feed roll and the false twist
spindle by heating and cooling before it leaves the false twist spindle.

The productivity of false twist m/c depends on spindle speed provided the twist is
kept const.
Basically two types of twisting techniques used on false twist texturing m/cs –
1. Twist tube (Spindle)
2. Friction twisting.
Nylon, Polyester, Viscose, Acetate and Poly propylene is used.

Air Jet Method:

 Most widely used.
 Incase of polyester, Nylon, Air steam is passed over
the untextured yarn.
 Incase of viscose only air is passed because
water (steam) reduces strength of viscose.

Classification of Textured yarn:

fter texturisation yarn can classified into three classes:
I) Stretch yarn.
II) Modified stretch yarn.
III) Bulk yarn.
1. Stretch yarn:
Property: High extensible, less bulk.
 Process of Texturisation: False twist method, edge crimping.
End use: Socks, swimming costume.
2. Modified stretch yarn:
Property: Intermediate between stretch and bulk yarn.
Process of Texturisation: False twist method, edge crimping, heat
treatment.
End use: Carpet, Upholstery.
3. Bulk yarn:
Property: High bulk, less extensible.
Process of Texturisation: Air Jet, stuffer box, false twist method.
End use: Carpet, Garments.

5. Intermingling:
The process by which can be made the synthetic yarn smooth by adding additives
or spot welding to protrude filament ends is called intermingling.
It is very hard and costly to twist the man made fibre. The fibres that are composed
of more that filament those are interminglinged.
Ways of intermingling:
I) Spot welding: Heat treatment/ Adhesive s are used.

II) Air Jet: Composed air at high pressure.

Advantage:
 Cheap
 More effective
 Easy process
 Very quick

6. Heat setting:
The process of imparting dimensional stability to fibre, yarns, fabrics or garments
with successive heating and cooling in dry and moist conditions is called heat
setting.
The different levels of heat setting may be defined as:
I) Temporary set.
II) Semi – permanent set.
III) Permanent set.

Objects:
 To make the yarn, fabric, fibre dimensionally stable.
  To remove shrinkage of fabric.
Disadvantage:
 The fibres become very stiff.
 Uneven shade due to uneven heat set.
 If heat set is done after dyeing then elimination of dyes as a result of
patchiness.
7. Spin finish:
Spin finishes are the lubricant which provides surface lubricating, plasticizing and
static protection to man made fibre. It is applied in fluid condition just before wind
up.
Objects:
 To lubricate yarn.
 To reduce static electricity.
 To increase the cohesion of the yarn.
 To plasticize the fibre.

Different type of spin finishes:

I) Lubricants: Used to control the friction of the fibre.
Example: Oils, polyglycols, ester of fatty acid.
II) Plasticizers: Plasticizers make the fibre more flexible by reducing the glass
transition temp and also reduce brittleness.
Example: Dibutyl, Silicate esters, Silicate.
III)Antistatic agents: Antistatic agents are hygroscopic chemicals which can
conduct the static charge from fibre to air or earth to improve dielectric const
and to reduce co-efficient of friction.
Example: Inorganic salt (such as lithium chloride)
Ester of fatty acid (Butyl stearate)
Alcohols, amide (NN-dihydroxy ethyl stearamide)
Poly oxyethylene derivatives etc.

Properties/ Requirements of spin finishes:

1. To lubricate the filament for controlling the friction.
2. It should have anti static properly.
3. It must be provided with cohesiveness to the filament.
4. It should not be oxidized in the air.
5. It should give stable emulsion.
6. It should not be carcinogenic.
7. It should have good wetting property.
8. It should be non- toxic.
 9. It should be cheap and easily available.
10. It should not affect dyeing or finishing process.
11. It should be chemically inert.
12. It should not object able color or odor.

8. Additives:
Additives are chemical compound which are added to fibre forming polymer before
polymerization reaction or before spg n to change the properties of fibre and improve
its performance. Additives can cot be used when filaments come out from the
spinneret.

Classification of additives:
1. Delusturing agent:
These arte used to reduce transparency increase whiteness and to prevent
undesirable lusture in the fibre Titanium oxide (TiO 2) is widely used as delusturing
agent. TiO2 is a white pigment having very fine molecules. Substances having large
through the spinneret and can not disperse well within fibre.
Its characteristics —
 Chemically inert, not affected by wet processing.
 Available in fine form of molecules and uniform particle size.
 Resistant to sunlight.
 Its in corporation reduces fibre strength.
2. Mass pigmentation: Pigments for mass coloration:
Addition of color pigments or certain dyes to the spg n soln or to the resin polymer is
Mass pigmentation. In this process maximum inorganic pigments are used.
Advantage:
 High evenness.
 Pigment dyeing.

3. Optical Brightener agent (OBA):

There are colorless dyes. They absorb invisible ultra violet radiation and reflect this
in range of visible blue light. This causes the textile mtl to reflect more blue light
and makes the mtl whiten and brighter. Any organic compound having alternate
double bond can be used as brighter agent. e.g. Derivatives of Stilbene, Paraxiline,
Dibenzophenon, Benzamidozole.
4. Light stabilizer: Polyhydroxy benzophenone.
5. Heat stabilizer: Tris (2, 3 dibromo propyl phosphate) salt of Cu and Mn as
phosphate or phosphoties.
6. Special additives (To increase dye take up): N – alkyl diperzine.
7. Solution dyeing: Addition of colored pigments or certain dyes to the spg n soln or
resin polymer called dope dyeing.
8. Whitening: Fluorescent,To resist yellowing. This is permanent to washing and
dry cleaning.

Principles of the spgn process:

The manufactures of fibres from synthetic or modified natural polymers involves
technical operation:
 Preparation of spgn fluid from solid polymer (or directly from monomers).
 Spgn i.e. extrusion of the spinning fluid through spinneret, extension of the
emerging fluid jets into filaments of required thickness, accompanied by
solidification of polymer mtl and collection of the obtained filaments on a
suitable mechanical device ( rotation bobbin).
 Mechanical, thermal and chemical treatment of the fibres to improve their
properties.

Name spgn process following fibre:

Melt spgn: polyester (PET), Nylon-6, Nylon-6,6, PET, Polypropylene, and
Polyethylene.
Dry spgn: Cellulose, Acetate, Triacetate, PAN, PVA, Modacrylic, Spandex,
Polyacrylonitrile.
Wet spgn: Viscose rayon, PVA, PAN.