Chapter 5
I 1788 - State Of The Art In Textile Technology
II Australian Textiles - The Early Days
III Australian Textiles - The 20th Century
IV Australian Textiles - To Date
i Narrow-tape Weaving Loom and the Nyguard Zipper
ii Vacuum Packaging System for Knitting Yarns
iii 'Computer' Socks
iv 'Jumbo Cakes' (Large Cheeses of Spun Yarn)
v Out-Draw Texturing - Nylon
vi 'Bored-Out' Pack
vii Computer Control of Heat-Setting Conditions for Synthetic Yarns
V Acknowledgements
References
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Vacuum Packaging System for Knitting Yarns
Systems of vacuum packaging of garments and bedding fabrics were developed through the 1960s-1970s by several companies internationally. The systems avoid costly reconditioning or reprocessing of garments after transportation, which is particularly important for export markets. Factors such as temperature, moisture and pressure strongly influence the creasing, wrinkling and deformation of fibres in such packages.A Swedish company, Tex Innovation AB, developed such a system whereby the textile products are first conditioned in a computer-controlled temperature and humidity environment. This reduces the moisture content to pre-determined levels whilst at the same time stabilising molecular mobility. Vacuum pressure can then be applied without causing creasing or deformation.
The system had never been applied to knitting yarns, and Coats Patons (Australia) Ltd. worked with Swematex to determine its suitability. Considerable development work evaluating the impact on handknitting yarn balls eventually showed that on release of the vacuum satisfactory ball appearance was achieved. With Coats Patons plant being situated in Tasmania serving the rest of Australia, the development led to significant cost savings in air transport through better control of moisture, the ability to use lighter weight packaging materials, etc.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Coats Patons (Australia) Ltd
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Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |  |
© 1988 Print Edition pages 301 - 302, Online Edition 2000
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/303.html