Fine Feeder

Background information

The production of non-woven cards has increased a lot, but the reserve towers feeding the chute feed stayed the same. The reserve towers did not provide a "reserve" due to small widths of 1 m or 1,4 m. Within seconds they are empty at high productions. This makes an electronic regulation of the feed difficult as the material density varies.

Old reserve tower designs had a blow-in box out of woven metallic wire and an exhaust air path that was not optimal.

The wire was easily damaged and fibers had the tendency to stick. The exhaust air was just collected in a rectangular box; that made the fibers settle and created the need for cleaning the boxes.

The new design uses electrolytically polished stainless steel perforated plates that avoid fibers hanging. Aerodynamic flow-optimized air receiving hoods avoid fiber build-up after the air has penetrated the sieves.

As we preferably use  blowing into the chute feed of the card, the Fine Feeder has an optional left and right fiber outlet. This in cooperation with our integrated chute feed at the card allows best left/ right distribution of fibers in the chute. The unique system is self-compensating. High throughput rates are possible with ease.

The Fine Feeder has a wire-wound feed and opening roller that achieves finer tufts than the old flat bar covered feed rolls and the opening rolls with a few spikes.

Old designs had a fine opening bwefore the reserve tower. In the reserve tower the fibers were compressed at the delivery rolls and the spiked opener rolls delivered big tufts into the chute feed resulting in an uneven bat.

The smaller tufts of the Fine Feeder contribute to a more regular web.

The opening area of the Fine Feeder is accessible by a big door with perspex window. Safety locks ensure that there is no unwanted access. There are no chain drives that fill up with fiber. The feed rolls are driven by timing belts by a servo motor. The servo motor ensures non-stop feeding also at very slow speeds and has no fan sieve to load with fibers.

For natural fibers like cotton, viscose and hemp, we equip the reserve tower with deluge spray heads.

The Fine Feeder brings the reserve tower up to date.