Page 60 - Industrial Cutting of Textile Materials

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Manual spreading of textile 5

materials

5.1 Introduction

The manual spreading process is suitable for small-scale production. Manual spread-
ing may be used for all kind of fabrics, including those with complex structures and
intricate patterns. In large-scale production, manual spreading and cutting is often
used for working with intricately patterned fabrics. When compared with automated
spreading, the cost of technical equipment is low, but the productivity is poor.

5.2 Characteristics of the manual spreading process

The spreading process is carried out on a spreading table with a smooth surface (see
Fig. 5.1). The fabric feeder may be fixed on the table or freestanding next to the
spreading table.
If a lay-end cutter is used to cut the laid fabric plies, it is fixed on the spreading
table adjacent to the fabric feeder (see Fig. 5.2). The fabric roll is fixed on a feeder
axis before the spreading process is started. According to the spreading mode to be
performed, the fabric roll is fixed with its face side up or down, the manual spreading
process is performed in sequential steps. There are:
marking of the spread data;
●
spreading of the fabric plies;
●
fixing a marker on the top of the spread.
●
5.2.1 The marking of the spread data

The marker, which is printed on paper, is placed on the spreading table in preparation
for the spreading process. It is fixed in the required position for making a spread, and
the following spread data are marked on the tablesides:
The beginning and end of a spread: the end of the spread must be aligned with the position
●
of a fixed lay-end cutter, but the beginning of the spread will depend upon the length of the
marker and the fabric safety allowances (see Section 4.2.3) at both ends of the spread.
Splice marks: places in the spread where the fabric may be cut and laid double to deal with
●
flaws without damaging the cut components (see Section 4.5.2).
Size change places: marks used in performing step spreads (see Section 4.4.3).
●
All data are marked on both side of the spreading table (see Fig. 5.3) to facilitate
work on both sides of the table.

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