Nonwoven Sheet Manufacturing with Inline Coating and Carding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing production process for impermeable, anti-slip sheet materials is limited by low production speed and high costs, primarily due to the crosslapping and lamination steps, which restrict output to about 25 m/min and result in materials that are too heavy and lacking in lateral strength.
Innovation Solution
A new process involving carding fibers to form a web with a common general orientation, bonding, and applying an anti-slip coating and impermeable polymer in a parallel or inline configuration, allowing for speeds up to 200 m/min and using high-speed techniques like electromagnetic heating or ultrasonication for polymer application, replacing the traditional L-process and spray-drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If crosslapping and lamination steps are used in the traditional L-process, then the material achieves high resistance and impermeability, but the production speed is limited to about 25 m/min and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the crosslapping step from the traditional L-process production line, extracting the 90° angle deviation operation that limited production speed to 25 m/min. By eliminating this step and maintaining linear fiber orientation throughout the process, the production speed can be increased to over 200 m/min while still achieving the required material resistance and impermeability through alternative bonding and coating methods
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of following the traditional sequence where crosslapping precedes bonding and coating, the patent inverts the approach by maintaining linear fiber orientation from carding through bonding to final coating. This reversal of the conventional process sequence eliminates the speed-limiting crosslapping step while preserving product quality
2Strength
If crosslapping is applied to achieve random fiber orientation, then lateral resistance is improved, but the production speed is restricted to about 25 m/min
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fiber orientation parameter from random (achieved through crosslapping) to linear/common orientation (maintained throughout the inline process). This parameter change is compensated by adjusting other process parameters such as bonding conditions and coating application methods to achieve the required lateral resistance without sacrificing production speed
3Reliability
If traditional lamination with hotmelt and infrared heater is used, then the impermeable layer is properly applied, but the production speed is limited to about 25 m/min
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical lamination system (hotmelt adhesive with infrared heater) with a high-speed coating application system that can operate at over 200 m/min. This substitution maintains the impermeability function while enabling dramatically increased production speed through different physical mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process increases production speed by up to 10 times, reduces material density while maintaining resistance, and allows for the use of different fiber blends for specific properties, overcoming the limitations of the traditional method.
Implementation Method 1
using high-speed techniques like electromagnetic heating or ultrasonication for polymer application
Implementation Method 2
using high-speed techniques like electromagnetic heating or ultrasonication for polymer application
Data Source
AI summary
Processes are disclosed for manufacturing a nonwoven sheet material having an impermeable layer on one side and an anti-slip coating on the other side. The process includes carding fibers with a common general orientation and forming a web and bonding the fibers into a nonwoven sheet material. An anti-slip coating is applied onto one surface of the material. A polymer is applied onto the other surface of the nonwoven material. The orientation of the fibers is maintained during the entire process.