Singeing:

The verb singe literally means to burn superficially. Technically, singeing refers to
the burning-off of. Loose fibres not firmly bound into the yarn and/or fabric
structure. Singeing is an important part of pretreatment. This is the burning off of
protruding fiber ends from the surface of the fabric. If not done properly, unclear
print patterns, mottled fabric surfaces, and pilling results.

Loose yarns not firmly bound into the fabric structure;

Protruding fibre ends sticking out of the textile yarns and/or fabrics.

Textiles materials are most commonly singed in woven or knitted fabric form or in
yarn form.

Objectives & Advantages

of Singeing:

Singeing of a fabric is done in order to obtain a clean fabric surface which

allows the structure of the fabric to be clearly seen.

Fabrics, which have been singed, soil less easily than un-singed fabrics.

The risk of pilling, especially with synthetics and their blends, is reduced in
case of singed fabrics.

Singed fabrics allow printing of fine intricate patterns with high clarity and
detail.

The risk of skittery dyeings with singed articles dyed in dark shades is
considerably reduced, as randomly protruding fibres are removed in singeing
which could cause diffused reflection of light.

Necessity of Singeing in Textile:

Singeing of textile materials is necessary for te following reasons:

Cotton materials are valued for their smooth appearance. After the formation
of fabric it has a fuzzy or hairy appearance due to projecting fibers, thus
affecting the luster and smoothness cotton is known for.

Unsigned fabrics are soiled easily

The protruding fibers obstruct the subsequent dyeing and printing process

Goods which are to be mercerized are signed to maximize the luster

In fabrics of polyester and cellulosic fiber blends singeing is the best method
to control pilling, sometimes double singeing is done to minimize the pilling.

Singeing Process:
Singeing process is as follows:

To produce a smooth surface finish on fabrics made from staple fibers first the
fabric surfaces are brushed lightly to raise the unwanted fiber ends.

Then the fabric is singed with or passed over heated copper plates or open
gas flames. The fiber ends burn off.

The fabric is moved very rapidly, and only the fiber ends are destroyed.

As soon as the fabric leaves the singeing area, it enters a water bath
or desizing bath. This stops any singeing afterglow or sparks that might
damage the cloth.

Precaution During Singeing :

Some of the precautions to be taken in considerations during singeing:1. The fabric to be singed should be dry as wet fabric tend to scorch more
readily than dry.
2. Uneven singeing may cause streaks on fabric or bubbles when the fabric is
finished.
3. Improper singeing may lead to loss of 75 % loss in tensile strength loss in
warp direction.

4. The fabric should not contain any acid releasing salt,which may release acid
on heating and tender the fabric.
5. Stopping the machines may cause bars on the fabrics.
6. Singeing may cause hardening of the size thus leading to difficulty in its
removal.
7. Possibility of thermal damage to temperature sensitive fabrics.
8. The burning characteristics of fibers must be taken into account when this
process is applied, as heat-sensitive fibers melt, forming tiny balls on the
surface of the fabric. These balls interfere with dye absorption, so that, as a
general rule, heat sensitive fibers would be singed after dyeing or printing.

singeing process

Singe
A singe is a slight scorching, burn or treatment with flame. This may be due to an
accident, such as scorching one's hair when lighting a gas fire, or a deliberate
method of treatment or removal of hair or other fibres.
Definition of singeing
Singeing is the burning off of loose fibers sticking out of textile goods. Singeing is a
part of the pretreatment processes carried out in textile processing, and is usually
the first step carried out after weaving. Singeing is often carried out on cotton
fabrics, or fabrics with cotton blends and results in increased wettability (better
dyeing characteristics, improved reflection, no "frosty" appearance), a smoother
surface (better clarity in printing), improved visibility of the fabric structure, less
pilling, and decreased contamination through removal of fluff and lint. Singeing
usually involves passing/exposing one or both sides of a fabric over a gas flame to
burn off the protruding fibers. Other methods of singeing include infra-red singeing
and heat singeing for thermoplastic fibers. Singeing of yarns is called "gassing."
Cellulosic fibers such as cotton are easily singed because the protruding fibers burn
to a light trace ash which is easily removed. Thermoplastic fibres are harder to singe
because they melt and form hard residues on the fabric surface.
Textiles
In the textile industry, loose fibres protruding on the surface of textile goods are
singed to remove them. When done to fabrics containing cotton, this results in
increased wettability, better dyeing characteristics, improved reflection, no "frosty"
appearance, a smoother surface, better clarity in printing, improved visibility of the
fabric structure, less pilling and decreased contamination through removal of fluff
and lint.
The process is usually to pass one or both sides of a fabric over a gas flame to burn
off the protruding fibres. Other methods include infra-red or heat
for thermoplastic fibers. Singeing of yarns is called "gassing". It is usually the first

step after weaving or knitting, though the fabric may be brushed first to raise the
surface fibres.
Cellulose fibres such as cotton are easily singed because the protruding fibers burn
to a light ash which is easily removed. Thermoplastic fibres are harder to singe
because they melt and form hard residues on the fabric surface.

Singeing machine

Singeing should be carried out with all cloth qualities made of spun yarns if this is
made necessary by requirements such as desired wear properties or subsequent
processing conditions.

Controlled Combustion
One Idea Leads to Worldwide
Success
Progressive thinking, development and comprehensive know-how combined with
decades of experience in the field of singeing machine construction are the
cornerstones for the success of Osthoff-Senge.
Walter Osthoff, the founder of the company, paved the way for the change in the
technology of singeing back in 1912, with his invention of the high-performance
burner with controlled combustion. Since then the controlled combustion system
has been constantly developed and improved by further innovations up to today's
built Double Jet slot burner, protected throughout the world by patents.

Not only in the field of singeing burners had Osthoff-Senge set standards. In 1971
already, at the Paris ITMA, the first programming device for singeing machines
SENG-MATIC was presented.
1991 at the Hannover ITMA, a hairiness measuring device HAMSAT was first shown
to the public. A device for optical measurement and monitoring of fabric hairiness,
and the process control in dependence of that value. Besides reliability and multipurpose use, those developments have contributed to the fact that Osthoff singeing
machines are integrated parts of continuously operating pretreatment and
bleaching ranges of all well-reputed manufacturers for years already.

THE FLAME MARKS THE

DIFFERENCE
Similarly, in the field of singeing machine accessories Osthoff-Senge sets high
standards of technical development. The development of sophisticated dust
extractors and impregnation units represents a logical extension to Osthoff fabric
singeing machine, not only from the point of view of economy and reliability but the
dust-free cloth entry system sets new standards in the working environment.
In the field of environment protection Osthoff-Senge also set the trend. Since 1990
exhaust air purification units based on the catalytic after burning system are
successfully built.
Over and above all this, as a reliable partner for the textile industry, we offer a
comprehensive service and maintenance package. In over 100 countries, to which
we have exported about 3000 singeing machines so far, we provide experienced
application technicians to meet our customers' requirements. Their specialist
instruction and advice when Osthoff singers are commissioned always guarantee
that our products are used with successful results. The first-class quality of our
products and the respect and satisfaction of our international clientele have resulted
in Osthoff-Senge's position as today's world leader in the market for the
manufacture of singeing machines.

Innovation and Ideas in Singeing Technology In the age of industrialization,

modernization and rationalization of production processes, there have also been
many changes in the various fields of textile finishing.
For example, the problem of environmental protection at the workplace can only be
solved with the help of "clean" technology. This requirement is met by the dust-free
cloth entry system, combined with mechanical fabric cleaning. The beneficial effect
of the singers can be further increased by the use of appropriate accessories, such
as cloth accumulators, specially developed impregnation and wetting
compartments, and suitable delivery devices.
To meet the needs of modern industrial management qualified expert knowledge
must frequently be replaced by program controlled, fully automatic machines.
Ultra-modern, efficient singeing and pre-treatment lines have superseded the
simple singeing machine. Many steps which used to be carried out separately are
nowadays executed continuously in one process. The singeing machines and
accessory products developed by Osthoff-Senge offer state of the art technology
allowing to having an economic edge over the competition.

Cleaned to
perfection with
VIBRA-PLUS
Fibers, fluff, lint, and dust create serious problems in all finishing processes, and
they are also harmful to health.
The latest version of the VIBRA-PLUS guarantees optimal cleaning results without
over-stressing the fabric. The cleaning rollers are driven by inverter-controlled ACmotors. The standard VI BRA-PLUS is equipped with 2 combined beating/brushing
rollers. On request, units with 4 rollers are available. Instead of the combined
cleaning rollers, the VIBRA-PLUS may be supplied with beating rollers, full-brush
rollers or FLEX-rollers. The elements are always arranged over the full width and not
with staggered segments. High vibration loosen the impurities, they are peeled
away and thrown into the air stream of the exhaust ducts arranged over the full
width on both fabric sides. The angle of attack of the cleaning rollers can be

adjusted. Fabric, cleaning rollers, and air stream move in the same direction
supporting each other and guaranteeing a perfect cleaning with minimal stress.
Another key factor for the high efficiency of the VI BRA-PLUS is the consequential
separation of fabric and dust loaded air. The extracted dust and dirt is collected in
filter bags, cyclone
filters or air
washers.

The
Singeing Machine
Information on Osthoff Burner
Technology
In order to guarantee the same high-performance singeing results for all fiber
qualities the direct singeing system forms the technological basis in Osthoff
singeing machines. High demands are made on technical performance of singeing
machines not only by animal, vegetable and regenerated fiber qualities, but
particularly by fabrics made of synthetic fibers, and blended fiber fabrics. The
direct, intensive singeing flame, the short contact period between flame and cloth,
and the ignition flame temperature, necessary for vaporization of polyesters, all
represent decisive advantages within the Osthoff singeing system.

Energy Supply to Osthoff Singeing

Machines
Singeing burners are most often fueled with gas. The Osthoff-Senge DOUBLE-JET
burner is suitable for any type of gas. If direct gas supply is not available, OsthoffSenge delivers units to gasify petrol, kerosene and naphtha. Besides the burner
construction, the correct gas: air mixture is decisive for the flame quality. OsthoffSenge uses proportional mixing devices, guaranteeing a constant ratio, independent
of the amount of mixture fed to the burners.

The DOUBLE-JET Burner

The Heart of the Osthoff Singeing
Machine

Osthoff-Senge use high-performance DOUBLE-JET burners in all machine types.

Developed by ourselves, and patented world-wide, they allow Osthoff-Senge to set
high standards for the quality of the singeing flame generated in the burner, which
is the key function of the entire installation.

The essential features of the DOUBLE-JET burner include:

Equal distribution of the mixture by means of a series of expansion and

compression chambers.

Uninterrupted flame band achieved by exit of the gas-air mixture from two
parallel slot nozzles.

Generation of a homogenous flame by ideal combustion of the gas-air

mixture within the combustion chambers formed of molded ceramic bricks.

Generation of a highly concentrated, high-energy flame: the prime

requirement for singeing textile materials of natural, regenerated and
synthetic fibers.

These properties clearly distinguish the DOUBLE-JET burner from conventional

burners, in terms of reliability, precision, performance, capacity, and energy
consumption.

Singeing Technology

Osthoff-Senge has developed singeing machines with a variety of singeing positions

in order to meet the range of requirements for textile finishing. The choice of model
is dependent on the quality of the textiles to be processed and the type of singeing
to be achieved.

Singeing onto free-guided fabric

The singeing flame meets the free-guided fabric at right angles as the fabric passes
between two guide rollers. This position is recommended for materials made of
100% natural fibers and for blended fabrics which have been thoroughly beaten,
with weights over 125 g/m2.

The singeing flame meets the fabric at right angles as it is bent over a water-cooled
roller. The choice of this position is recommended for qualities of fabric composed of
temperature sensitive fibers, open-weave blended fabrics and those with weights of
less than 125 g/m2.

The singeing flame passes close to the fabric with the jet direction being at a
tangent to the fabric surface. This singeing process is recommended for all
materials which cannot tolerate direct exposure to flame. Tangential singeing can
also equalize protruding fibers and repair filament breaks.

In addition to the singeing position the singeing effect can also be influenced by
variation of key singeing parameters namely speed, flame intensity and distance of
the fabric from the burner. These are readily adjusted and monitored making the
process more precise and reproducible.

Automatic Flame Width

Adjustment
Automatic adjustment of the flame width is a logical development in singeing
machines, especially with regard to energy conservation.
The appropriate width of flame is automatically defined by setting the cloth guiders
to the cloth width.
The intensity of the flame is also adapted automatically to these values by means of
the integrated intensity adjustment mechanism.

Singeing Machines Safety

Osthoff singeing machines conform to the strictest German safety regulations.
When delivered abroad, the safety features of Osthoff singeing machines can be
adapted to the standards and guidelines of the country in question.

Desizing
Desizing is done in order to remove the size from the warp yarns of the woven
fabrics. Warp yarns are coated with sizing agents prior to weaving in order to reduce
their frictional properties, decrease yarn breakages on the loom and improve
weaving productivity by increasing weft insertion speeds. The sizing material
present on the warp yarns can act as a resist towards dyes and chemicals in textile
wet processing. It must, therefore, be removed before any subsequent wet
processing of the fabric.

Objects of Desizing:
1. To remove the starch material from the fabric.
2. To increase the absorbency power of the fabric.
3. To increase the affinity of the fabric to the dry chemicals.
4. To make the fabric suitable for the next process.
5. To increase the luster of the fabric increase of dyeing and printing.

Factors of Size Removal Efficiency:

The factors, on which the efficiency of size removal depends, are as follows:

Type and amount of size applied

Viscosity of the size in solution

Ease of dissolution of the size film on the yarn

Nature and the amount of the plasticizers

Fabric construction

Method of desizing, and

Method of washing-off

Methods of Desizing:
1. Hydrolytic Method
2. Oxidative Method

1. Hydrolytic Method

Rot Stepping

Alkali Stepping

Acid Stepping

Enzymatic Stepping

2. Oxidative Method

Bromide Desizing

Chlorite Desizing

Ammonium per Sulphate Desizing

Enzymes (Desizing)
Within the textile industry, many different types of size are applied to various stages
in the fabric preparation for various reasons such as lubrication and strength
increases. Where wet processing is concerned, it is imperative that these sizes are
removed for the benefit of further processing to run smoothly and to give as high
quality fabric as possible at the end of the process.
The majority of cellulosic fabrics and its blends are typically impregnated with
starch based sizes which are quite insoluble in water alone.
To remove these particular types of size, they must be treated by a suitable process
using a suitable chemical or enzyme to break down the long chain molecule into its
water soluble form. Some size treatments concentrate on scouring the fabric at the
same time, usually known as an oxidative desize, where the use of oxidising agents
such as hydrogen peroxide is involved.
Enzyme use is a much safer and easier route and is typically more efficient by way
of reduced water and heat consumption. These particular enzymes that break the
starch down are known as alpha amylases and vary in quality and strength.
Texchem utilise various enzymes for specific processing routes i.e. whether it is a
hot or cold process and the time involved and liquor ratio.
Core Products
Product

Key Properties

Texzyme 130 K

Highly concentrated alpha amylase enzyme for desizing

Texzyme 320

General purpose alpha amylase for enzyme desizing

Texzyme RA
New

General purpose enzyme for low-medium temperature

processing

Texzyme CED

All in one desize auxiliary for enzyme desizing