Page 195 - Industrial Cutting of Textile Materials

182 Industrial Cutting of Textile Materials

problem, the spreading machine performs a spread more quickly than the cutting sys-
tem can cut it out. While a prepared spread is waiting to be cut, the spreading machine
cannot perform the next spreading process. The problem is used to be avoided in three
different ways:
Installing additional spreading lines and transferring a spreading machine from one to
●
another spreading line by the help of a transfer table (see Section 11.3.2). This is the
most often used solution to avoid imbalance between spreading and cutting process
capacities.
Placing a longer air-blowing or a conveyorized table (creating the total work surface 25–
●
30 m long). Then, meanwhile the cutter is pulling and cutting the ready spread on the second
part of the table (on the last 10 m), the first part of it can be used to lay a new spread (the first
10 m).
Using multilevel holding surface for ready spreads in between a spreading table and an auto-
●
mated cutter (see Section 11.3.1.2). Comparing with the previous solutions, the investments
are much bigger.
The number of spreading machines operating with one cutting system depends
on the specific parameters of each production process: the cut assortment, the prop-
erties of the spread materials, the length of spreads, the number of plies in the
spreads, etc.

11.3.1 Holding tables for ready spreads
The different lengths of holding surface/tables can be placed between the spreading
table and the automated cutting system (Fig. 11.5) to store the ready spreads while
the cutting machine is busy or to relax material before cutting. The holding table can
have simple surface or can be equipped with an air-blowing system or a conveyor
belt to ease the further transportation of the spread to the cutter. The table can be
fixed also on wheels to perform lateral movement for use in more than one spreading/
cutting line.

11.3.1.1 Holding table with air-blowing system

The table has perforated surface and an air pipe line under the table top joined with
the air-blowing motor. Continuous air diffusion under the spread lifts the spread
slightly and helps operators to move the spread to the cutter, when it is necessary.
The tables with air-blowing system can be used both for easier transportation of
the ready spreads and as a sturdy surface for manual cutting (in case of short-time
necessity to replace the automated cutter, because of its maintenance or unexpected
breakdown).

Spread holding Cutting
Spreading surface
surface system
Fig. 11.5 Increased length spreading table with a spread folding surface.