Wetlaid

Kansan Materials provides a complete range of machines and equipment that represents the innovation and the future in the production of wetlaid nonwoven materials with perfect web formation

What is Wetlaid?

The wetlaid is a process where short fibers are suspended in a fluid, the fibers are deposited onto a screen or porous surface to remove the fluid, and the web is then consolidated mechanically, chemically, or thermally.

The application of wetlaid ranges from teabags to filter media, wipes, wallpapers, glass and carbon fiber mats. These materials can be used in automotive, aerospace, medical and hygiene, construction and even in the household sector.

A wide range of natural and unnatural fibers can be used in the wetlaid process

Such as cotton, wool, hemp, jute, coconut, viscose fibers, fibers from PET, PP, aramid, carbon, glass, wood, ceramics and metal. The wetlaid technology allows the use of a combination of various fibers at the same time.

Wetlaid nonwovens containing carbon fibers and glass fibers or 100%pulp or a combination of carded fibers and pulp are fairly innovative. Hydroentangling may also be used for strengthening the bonding structure especially for carded fibers along with wetlaid fibers.

Wetlaid Process for Wipes

Moist toilet tissues, wet toilet papers or in a much greater sense, flushable wipes for both adults and toddlers are made of hydroentangled wetlaid nonwovens (pulp + tencel)

Flushability is a critical parameter. The material should undergo a testing procedure for proving the flushability characteristics. The measurement methods are listed by EDANA and INDA. There are 7 different tests in place.

Flushable wipes can easily disintegrate even during the flushing process or shortly after. The reason for that is the fiber bonding structure and the strength of fibers let it so.

To pass the flushability test, the raw materials that compose the wipe must biodegrade in aerobic and anaerobic surroundings. The cellulose-based fibers such as viscose, Lyocell and wood pulp fall into this category and therefore classified as biodegradable

The testing procedure for such wipes has become stiffer over the years. The products that do not pass the tests are unfavored and in some countries even required to bear a “Do Not Flush” label on them. A wipe that does not disperse in the toilet system can easily clog the plumbing and sewage system when thrown in the toilet. Therefore, these non-flushable wipes must not be disposed of in the toilets.

Kansan Materials wet laying technology along with hydroentangling, drying and winding creates NW materials for flushable wipes to pass these tests.

Wetlaid Process for Carbon Fiber Mats

Carbon fibers (graphite fiber) are fibers about 5 to 10 micrometers in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. Carbon fibers have several advantages including high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight to strength ratio, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. These properties have made carbon fiber very popular in aerospace, civil engineering, military, and motorsports and as reinforcement in lightweight structural composite materials, particularly polymer–matrix composites.

Wetlaid Process for Glass Fiber Mats

Glass fiber mats or glass fiber veils have a growing market in various areas such as ceiling tiles, wallpapers, as reinforcement material for vinyl flooring, carpets and bituminous roofing. Some of these applications require thinner materials with greater tensile strength. Evenly distributed glass fiber surfaces and a homogeneous distribution of the fibers through the mats are of utmost importance.

Even though the market for glass fibers in construction is still in evolving phase but the developers are looking for materials for easier and quicker applications every day. As an example, glass fiber mats/veils are now gradually replacing the paper and cardboard materials and gypsum boards in seme wall applications and roofing panels in construction.

Importance of Web Formation

For wipes, carbon fibers and glass fibers, a good and even web formation is the key for high quality and preferable materials. For perfect web formation, the fibers must have enough space in water fiber suspension not to for any flocculation or agglomerations. The amount of fiber in water, the constant movement of fibers in the water circuit and laying technology are the key to a successful process.

Kansan Materials Wetlaid Lines

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Kansan Materials provides a complete range of machines and equipment that represents the innovation and the future in the production of wetlaid nonwoven materials with perfect web formation. Kansan Materials offers flexible, reliable, cost-effective and ultimately customizable machinery systems at a high speed with optimized energy consumption.

On our flexible machinery systems, you can manufacture 100% flushable, dispersible, biodegradable wipes materials for almost any kind of wipe application.

The process steps of wet laying or lacing are as follows: