Fusing Technology

• Stiffened heavy fabrics interwoven with

metallic threads
• Hair cloth made from horse tail
• The interlinings were non fusible stitched
with running stitches in between two plies
of fabric
 fusible interlining
• Base fabric with a deposit of thermoplastic
adhesive resin on one surface generally which
can be bonded to another fabric by application
of heat and pressure
It requires:
1) Textile
2) Resin (thermoplastic adhesive for heat
bonding)
3) Engineering machines that fuse the interling to
top cloth
• Despite all the efforts, the interlining has a
tendency to separate/ delaminate
• Dr. Harold Rose developed the first
practical fusible for clothing
• That was a revolutionary advancement
from a sew-in type interlining to fusible
interlining
 Advantages of sew-in type interlining
over fusible interlining
from the manufacturer’s perspective
• Quality can be more consistent
• Time and labour costs are saved
• Handling during production becomes
easier
• Differential shrinkage between top cloth &
interlining is reduced
• Stitch pucker and distortion of pieces is
lesser
• Garment has a cleaner appearance
 Advantages of sew-in type interlining
over fusible interlining
from the wearer’s perspective
• Garment durability is increased
• Handle of the cloth is only slightly modified
• Garment retains its shape after repeated
launderings
• Crease recovery time is considerably
reduced
 Base cloth/ substrate
• It’s the interlining material onto which
thermoplastic resin is coated, sprayed/
printed
• It may be woven/ knitted/ non woven forms
as per the specific use/ application
Base cloth influences the following
characteristics
• Handle and bulk
• Shape retention
• Shrinkage control
• Crease recovery
• Appearance in wear
• Appearance after dry cleaning/ washing
• durability
 Types of substrates:
• A) woven interlinings
• B) knitted interlining
• C) non woven interlining
• 1)fibres
• 2) web formation: dry laid web(
mechanical method/ air laid method), wet
laid web, spun bonding
• 3) bonding: mechanical bonding/ chemical
bonding
 Woven interlining
• Substrate can be of animal hair, viscose,
cotton, polyester fiber, acrylic fiber, wool,
or their combinations
• Because of the construction of fabric
woven interlines have maximum control on
shrinkage and shape retention
• Interlining with soft handle in the warp and
firm handle in the weft can be used for
special properties
 Woven interlining
• Graduated/ polyzonal interlining:
• Highly resilient shoulder at top
• Resilient but softer chest area
• Super soft but crease resistant lower part of the
bottom
• This helps in making the garment lighter,
improve its appearance, reduce the labor cost
significantly..
 Woven interlining
• They can be used commonly for all types
of garments where strength, good drape
qualities are required
• Disadvantage is the high cost
 Knitted interlinings
• Due to increased use of knits..
• Due to their construction, knitted interlinings
provide higher degree of elasticity to the fused
components
• Substrate is usually a warp knitted fabric usually
viscose, and are raised to give a soft lofty
handle
• Weft knitted fabric gives natural handle and
resilience in weft direction generally in women’s
light clothing, blouses, dresses
 Non woven interlinings
• It originated in paper industry
• It’s a series/ mixture of fibers held
together at bond sites and is end
performance is determined by the
following factors:
1) Fibers: natural, synthetic, blend…
2) Web formation: fibers are oriented in the
substrate
3) Bonding: fibers are locked together
 fibres
• Most of the non woven substrate are made
out of natural fibres due to the cost eg.
Viscose as well as nylon, polyester, acrylic
 Web formation: Dry laid web
formed mechanically or by air
• Mechanical method: passes the fibres
through a card (opening and orienting
machine) and deposits them on a moving
conveyor…
• angle of the card oriented to the conveyor
produces parallel/ transverse/ cross-laid
web
 Web formation: Dry laid web
• Air laid method: formed by blowing
single fibers onto a screen so that the
fibers are oriented in random positions
The resultant web is neither transverse nor
parallel
Its most commonly used as it has a good
balance of handle, strength and elasticity
 Wet laid webs
• Fibers are suspended in liquid and are fed
onto the conveyor screen forming a web
• Suction devices below the screen remove
the liquid resulting in the fibers orienting in
three dimensional formation
• It tends to be paper like and boardy .
• Commonly used where high strength is
required
 Spun bonded webs
• Its formed by melting and extruding the
polymer through a system of rotating
spinnerets. The extruded filaments are
drawn by air onto a conveyor to form a
web
• Strong and elastic
• Commonly used as sew-in interlinings
 bonding
• It’s a result of web forming process Fibers
are oriented but not locked together
• Bonding is the process that locks the
fibers together
• It can be of two types:
• Mechanical bonding and
• Chemical bonding
 Mechanical bonding
• Needle punching and felting technique is
most commonly used : called needle
punched.
• It involves peircing the web through
barbed needles to lock fibres together and
thus make it stronger. (higher the needle
cycle, stronger is the fabric)
 Mechanical bonding
• High pressure water jet is sprayed over
the web while it is moving on a perforated
conveyor
• Finished fabric can be given a woven or
knitted appearance by different patterns of
perforations on the conveyor
 Chemical bonding
• Chemicals used are: nitrile rubber ( has
good drape but has a tendency of
yellowing over a period of time), acrylic
(pure white but becomes stiff over a period
of time), styrene Butadiene (limited to
wash and wear products and low priced
garments)
 Chemical bonding
• Methods of chemical bonding are:
1) Impregnation ( bath n squeeze)
2) Spraying (spray over conveyor, vacuum )
3) Foaming (foam binder helps in interlocking foam for better
elasticity and crease recovery)
4) Print bonding (sandwiched b/w engraved roller and a padded as
well as saturated roller)
5) Thermal bonding (blending a low melting point adhesive powder
with web fibres)
6) Heat welding ( core has high m.p. and sheath has low m.p.
hetero- filaments ….uses thermoplastic nature of fibres
themselves for bonding)
7) Ultrasonic web is transported under an ultrasonic transducer
which creates a pattern on the fabric similar to weaving by melting
the fibres
 resins
• Materials applied to the base cloth and when
subjected to heat and pressure, they become
the sole binding agent between the top cloth and
the interlining
• Thermoplastic resins are commonly used
instead of natural resins
• Adhesive coating is not adhesive in cold state
but under the impact of heat and pressure helps
in bonding and
• Higher is the density, the greater is the
resistance to dry cleaning or washing..
 Suitability of resins for binding
depends on:
• Upper limit fusing temperature (174 degree
centigrade)
• Lower limit fusing temperature (110 degree
centigrade)
• Cleanabilty (should withstand washing…..)
• Thermo plasticity ( with heat and pressure)
• Color ( white/ transparent)
• Handle (feel and drape)
• Safety ( harmless in processing and use)
 Materials used as resins….
1) Polyethylene
2) Polyamide (nylon 6, 6.6 and 11, 12)
High melting range ( dry cleaning / washable…)
Low melting range ( dry cleaning only)
3) Polyester
4) PVC (siliconized rainwear fabrics)..gets stiff
after washes/ dry cleaning
5) Resin blend ( better low temp fusing :
plasticized cellulosic acetate, phenolic resins,
plasticized polyvinyl acetate)
 Type of resin is decided on the
basis of:
• Style of garment
• Top cloth and handle required
• Fusing equipment available in the factory
• Fusing equipment available in the factory
• Base cloth of fusible
• Overall cost
• Durability to washing or dry cleaning or
both
 Coating systems
• It’s the process by which thermoplastic
resin is deposited and secured onto
substrate material
 Coating methods:
1) Scatter coating ( electronically controlled scatter, oven
for softening and pressing onto the base cloth,
cheapest , but not very uniform and flexible)
2) Dry dot painting (heated roller, then engraved roller
with small indentations holding the powder, smaller
dots in light weight fabric and bulkier dots in bulky
fabric, very good quality)
3) Paste coating (paste of resin powder+ water + other
wetting agents, cylindrical printing screen, heat is
applied to remove water..)
4) Pre foamed ( resin is pre processed to form net which
is laminated on the fabric.. Heating results in melting of
net eg. Top collar of shirts)
 Coating methods:
5.) extrusion laminating ( thin film of resin
from extruder . onto the base fabric.. Not
commonly used as it becomes stiff after
washes)
6.)Hot-melt coating ( for leather gods, resin
is held at molten temp. for long leading to
discoloration/ degradation of resin)
 Coating methods:
7.) emulsion coating: for thickened polyvinyl
acetate emulsions… for one sided resin is
applied using a blade wheras for double
sided its dipped in resin. Used for leather
and fur
8) Spray coating:by spraying, alcohol –
soluble polyamides, onto non woven
fabrics..for low melt, dry cleanable
coatings…
 Top cloth of a garment : it’s
suitability for fusing
• Top cloth should withstand fusing conditions
without shrinkage/ glazing/ color change
• Top cloth should nopt have a finish that hinders
with the durability of the fused product
• Top cloth should not have an open construction
that may lead to stiking through of resins
• The pattern / surface of the top cloth should not
be damaged by fusing process
 Choosing whether the fusing
should be knitted/ woven:
• Garment style
• Top cloth
• Dry cleaned only or….other wash
instructions
• Type of fusing equipment: steam heat/ dry
heat
 Components of fusing
• Temperature
• Time
• Pressure
• cooling
Components of fusing: Temperature
• Too low temp…inadequate bonding
• Too high temp makes the rein too liquid
leading to strike back/ strike through
• Generally the temp is 130 to 160 Degree
C +/- 7 degrees
• Heating source + system to maintain the
resin melting temp. + even distribution of
heat+ thermostat
 Components of fusing: Time
• Time for which two plates actually meet at the
right pressure
• Time for which assemblies are actually in
heating zone
• Electromechanical timing. using a stop watch..
• The time cycle is based on:
1) High/ low melt resin
2) Nature of top cloth
3) Light/ heavy substrate being used
4) Area (small/ large) to be fused
5) Type of fusing equipment
Components of fusing: Pressure
• Intimate contact
• Adequate heat transfer
• Even penetration of resin into the fibres
into top cloth
 Components of fusing: Cooling
• Water cooled plates
• Forced air-circulation
• vacuum
 Steam heat versus dry heat of
fusing..
• Steam heat: • Dry heat:
• “ if steam produced • It provides graeter
the marriage , then it degree of bonding for
can also cause longer lasting and
divorce” so the temp better bonding and
during fusing has to has better
be much higher than performance
steam pressing • It can lead to color
change of top cloth at
times (which may be
temporary and go off
with steam press)
 Cost analysis
• Cost anyalsis vis-a vis the desired
performance of fusing, compatibility with
fusing equipment and technical services ..
 Fusing process involves
• Fusing method
• Fusing machine
• Components of fusing
 Fusing method (placement of
fusing w.r.t.face of fabric)
1. Single fusing ( fusing on top of top cloth)
2. Reverse fusing ( fusing at bottom )
3. Top fusing ( single/ double sided fusibles
are used: exclusively for shirt collars
4. Sandwich fusing (2 components fused in
one operation -2 layers of top cloth on top
n 2 layers of fusing sandwiched in b/w)
5. Double fusing ( fusing 2 fusibles)
 Fusing machines
Flat bed press: • Continuous operation
• Static method • Endless conveyor
• Assembly fed at the system to transfer the
bottom plate fusible from heating,
• Head/ top plate pressure and cooling
closed onto the stage
assembly
• At the end, the
assembly is cooled
and then removed
Flat bed fusing machine
 Flat –bed press: Steam press:
• ( restricted temp., uneven pressure
applied across the buck, pressing after
fusing can lead to fusing resin being
replasticized, time cannot be controlled
accurately)
 Flat bed press
• Padded top and bottom bucks with heating
element in one or both bucks
• Bottom buck is static, top buck is moved
vertically for positioning/ disposal
• May have an inbuilt feeding system (pre
assembled parts are put on a brown paper and
brought to the machine)
• Has a press tray, pushed and later manually/
automatically removed. May have twin tray
system
 Flat bed press
• Even application of corerct pressure is
essential
• All flat bed presses have one padded
buck, silicone-rubber padding is apt, felt
type material may also be used for
cladding
• used extensively and is suitable for many
operations..
 Continuous fusing press
• Conveyor type: end to end fee/ return
feed( has two belts one upper and one
lower …)
• Cover belts: 2 belts
• Lower conveyor/ belt is the actual
conveyor, the upper belt hepls in keeping
the pieces to be fused in the right position
 Continuous fusing press
Heating: heating plates/ cylindrical heating ( inner
and an outer rotating cylinder)
Pressure: during heating only slight pressure is
exerted to plasticize resins , rubber covered
steel rollers to have an effective bonding using
compressed air cylinders
Cooling: in a separate stage later: air/ water
(perforated belts)
Take off system: manual/ mechanical
Continuous strip fusing machine
• Pre cut fusible tapes are in the form of a
roll
• One/ more reel of tape is mounted at the
end of machine and the leading end is
fastened to a take up lever
• It’s a modification of the conveyor driven
continuous fusing press
• Commonly used in waist bands of
trousers, skirts etc..
Continuous bed fusing machine
Carousel fusing machine
 New developments in fusing
• High frequency fusing
• Direct stabilization
 High frequency fusing
• Working principle: fabric is non conductive
material
• Placed b/w plates form electric dipolesies
allign themselves as dipole
• These dipoles change position constantly
due to electric field
• Leads to friction loss and heat is produces
• Resin is heated faster than fabric due to
different dielectic properties
 High frequency fusing
• As shell fabric reaches lessr temp..its
better in terms of shrinkage..that generally
occurs during high temp. fusing
 Direct stabilization
• Stabilization and reinforcement of top cloth
without using fusible interlining
• Stabilization material ie. Polymer paste+
polymer cross linking agent is printed onto
the shell fabric in the form of lines..
• The penetration and quantity of the paste
is determined by the pressure of printing
unit
 Quality parameters of fusing
• Strike back ( on non adhesive side- stick to
machine head)
• Strike through (on outer face of fabric)
• Delaminating
• Color change (nitrile resins..)
• Bubbling( an imperfect fuse not adhering to
garment section over the entire area of the
fabric, usually caused by uneven temperature/
pressure by under/ over fusing)
 Quality parameters of fusing
• Shrinkage
• Under fusing (insufficient time, temp,
pressure)
• Over fusing (excessive temp, time and
temp. ..)
• Wash test/ dry clean test
• Peel strength/ Adhesion test
• Resin transference (from dirty m/c head)