Have you ever wondered just exactly how carpet is made? Or what difference fiber denier, twist or gauge make in the way a carpet looks? These are the kinds of things we think about here at the Carpet and Rug Institute, and now we are sharing all our knowledge (or at least a big part of it) with you, in a series of Continuing Education Units, otherwise known as CEUs. CEU 202 focuses on carpet fibers, and participants who complete 202 are able to describe the fiber manufacturing process, list the benefits of various fibers, explain how yarns are processed, state the characteristics of fibers and yarns, distinguish between various fibers and yarns, and summarize reasons to specify for performance. Carpet Fibers Multiple substances are used to make the different kinds of yarn in carpet. Nylon Filament is the most highly used fiber. Polyester Staple and Filament, Polypropelene/Olefin Filament and Wool are the other fibers used in carpet manufacturing. When a manufacturer creates a fiber, it will have specific characteristics, such as polymer type, cross section, luster and denier. Thus, every fiber has its own ID and the manufacturer gives the fiber its own specific shape. The fiber itself is finer than a human hair. Construction of the fiber is the first step in the process of manufacturing carpet. A fiber’s construction will affect the performance. This includes the fiber, yarn, dye method, manufacturing process and the backing system. Additionally, a number of performance features are affected by the fiber’s construction, including stain and soil resistance, static dissipation, and anti-microbial protection The two types of fibers used for carpet are BCF and Staple fibers. The first is BCF, or bulked continuous filament, where fibers are the long strands of yarn that form yarn bundles. BCF requires at least one of the processes of plying, air entangling, twisting and heat-setting. Staple fibers simulate short fibers that are found in wool, and their processing is much more complex. Staple fibers must go through the processes of blending, carding, drafting, and spinning. This is then followed by twisting and heat-setting. Staple fibers are also formed into wide bales instead of the bundles of BCF fibers. The two types of nylon used in carpet are type 6 and type 6,6; both are resilient, easily cleaned and inherently stain resistant; all of these qualities contribute to nylon’s status as the most used fiber. Polypropelene fibers have some benefits as well in that they resist fading, are moisture resistant, and can be used for indoor and outdoor carpet. Polyester has a permanent stain resistance and a high color quality and is often used in residential carpet. If you would like to arrange for a CRI CEU presentation, contact CRI’s Pat Jennings at [email protected]. CRIBlog.org
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 17:00:01 +0000
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